St Louis Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this supportive and aspirational environment.

They embody the school's values to be ambitious, brave and caring. The school has high expectations of pupils' achievements, including for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Classrooms are purposeful and joyful.

The school ensures that pupils develop into responsible young citizens through leadership opportunities, such as those of house captains, elected school council members or librarians. Pupils are polite, kind and considerate of one another.

All pupils are 'buddies' for those in younger year...s or who are new to the school. The school is a welcoming community that helps everyone feel safe and valued.

Pupils love learning and know the value of it.

They are highly motivated to succeed and to give their best in everything they do. Pupils are particularly proud when they receive 'pupil of the week' for excellent work or effort. They work together well and demonstrate excellent cooperation at social times and in lessons.

Even in the youngest years, children are remarkably thoughtful and consider the needs of others.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has an ambitious, broad and thoughtfully developed curriculum that builds well on what pupils know. Staff know the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to understand in each subject.

The school is committed to continuous improvement, routinely evaluating the curriculum and making intelligent additions where appropriate.

Early reading is prioritised, so that pupils become fluent readers as soon as possible. Staff model sounds with precision, which helps pupils learn to read quickly.

Reading is embedded into the school culture, with regular use of the library, reading challenges and visits to places such as the Roald Dahl Museum. Pupils love reading. They enjoy listening to staff read with enthusiasm and other enriching opportunities linked to reading.

Children in Nursery and Reception enjoy a flying start. Staff choose resources and activities that promote children's learning and independence. Interactions between staff and children are highly purposeful and engaging.

Staff know the importance of these early years and they develop children's communication and language skills continually. This means that children express themselves articulately and know how to ask for what they need. The school's recent focus on developing how children manage their emotions has worked extremely well.

Children are confident in doing this and can explain how they feel with increasing independence.

Children's highly positive start in early years means that they have strong foundations of knowledge that support the next stage of learning. Beyond Reception, staff follow the curriculum closely and have secure subject knowledge across all areas of learning.

Pupils with SEND are provided with expert support by staff so they learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Pupils achieve well. Staff ensure that activities help pupils to practise what they have learned and connect knowledge together.

When staff question pupils most effectively, this draws out misconceptions, which are addressed quickly. Pupils therefore develop a deep understanding of the subject and apply what they know to new learning and situations effectively. However, in some subjects, gaps in pupils' understanding are not identified and then addressed as well.

This means that pupils sometimes tackle activities in lessons without the important knowledge that they need to achieve as well as they could.

The school celebrates pupils' excellent behaviour and positive attitudes towards learning. Pupils talk about their learning eagerly and are engaged actively in lessons.

They follow routines and rules enthusiastically. If pupils demonstrate more challenging behaviour, staff take prompt, appropriate and proportionate action. Pupils take on roles as 'playground pals' and 'mind mentors' to provide thoughtful help to pupils who feel unsettled or need someone to talk to.

Pupils are responsible and keen to do what is right for themselves and others. They contribute to the community as junior road safety officers, promoting road safety in school. Staff ensure that pupils are prepared well for life beyond school, teaching pupils about the appropriate use of social media and their digital footprint.

This is an inclusive community where pupils develop a well-rounded understanding of the world, different cultures and people with different backgrounds.

Leaders are driven by a moral purpose and strive for continual improvement. They are highly knowledgeable and ensure that pupils' interests are at the centre of their decision-making.

Staff, including early career teachers, are well supported, which enables them to focus on teaching. Parents and carers appreciate how the school informs them about what pupils learn and how they can support this at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, staff do not systematically check pupils' understanding. This means that gaps in what pupils know are not always identified and then addressed. The school needs to continue to develop how staff assess pupils' knowledge in lessons, so that pupils build a fully secure and really deep understanding in all subjects.