St Luke’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend St Luke's.

They said that they enjoy coming to school because learning is interesting. Pupils know that staff care about them, which helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

Pupils succeed in the calm and caring environment that leaders have created.

Pupils work hard and are eager to learn. This is because staff have high expectations for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils in the school council take their role seriously.

This prepares them well for the future by developing a sense of responsibility. For example, they have held debates and helped to obtain parasols for the playgrounds and a salad bar for lunchtimes.

Pup...ils understand the importance of treating everyone with kindness and respect.

They behave well and develop positive relationships with others in the school. They are confident that any concerns about bullying would be dealt with quickly.

Pupils enjoy the clubs that they can join.

These include mindfulness, dance and multi-sports. They have helped to deliver food hampers and have taken part in services at a local church. This helps to develop their experience of the wider world.

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

Leaders have put in place an ambitious, well-designed curriculum. Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their subjects and share this expertise with teachers. Leaders give careful thought to the order in which teachers deliver the subject curriculums.

For example, in science, pupils learn about electrical circuits before they build fairground rides in design technology.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to deliver the planned curriculum well in most subjects. In these subjects, assessment strategies are well developed and allow teachers to check that pupils have learned the curriculum.

However, this is not the case in a minority of other subjects. In these subjects, leaders are unsure whether pupils have learned all that they should.

Leaders recognise the importance of pupils learning to read.

Staff read to pupils daily, which helps to develop pupils' love of reading. There is a clear structure and sequence to the teaching of phonics in the early years and also in key stage 1. Staff provide effective support to pupils who struggle to read well.

Most pupils develop the ability to read fluently and confidently. This helps pupils to improve their comprehension skills across all year groups.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders ensure that these pupils' needs are identified early. Staff have received training in how to support pupils with SEND well. As a result, these pupils have access to the full curriculum and achieve well.

In the early years, the curriculum in some areas of learning, such as reading and mathematics, is well ordered. In other areas of learning, leaders are still in the process of finalising the curriculum. Unlike other key stages, the early years curriculum does not set out clearly the precise knowledge that children need to learn.

This hinders children's preparation for Year 1.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. There is little disruption to learning.

Pupils show high levels of respect towards each other. When taking part in discussions, pupils listen and respond to each other well. They are polite and well mannered to adults.

Pupils have a wide range of experiences and opportunities to promote their wider personal development. The curriculum is used to develop pupils' character and to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about diversity, how to manage relationships and the importance of respect.

Leaders have also prioritised pupils' well-being. Staff ensure that they support pupils to develop their confidence and resilience, so that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

Leaders and governors work well together to improve the school.

Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of education on offer at the school. Leaders take account of the workload and well-being of staff. They make sure that they prioritise tasks which have the biggest impact on pupils' learning.

Parents and carers have highly positive views about the school. As one parent said: 'St Luke's is a wonderful, nurturing school, where the children are always at the heart of all that they do.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that the safeguarding of pupils is a high priority. Staff are well trained to identify and support pupils who may be at risk. The procedures for reporting concerns are understood by staff.

Leaders work effectively with other external agencies. When concerns are identified, leaders access support for children and families quickly.

Pupils learn how to stay safe as part of the curriculum.

This includes learning how to stay safe around dogs and when crossing the road, and how to avoid risks when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, assessment strategies are not well developed. Leaders are therefore unsure whether pupils have learned all that they should.

Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies are secure in all subjects. This will allow teachers to plan learning that builds on what pupils already know. ? In the early years, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge that children need to learn in some areas of learning.

This hinders children's preparedness for the curriculum in Year 1. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum in all areas of learning clearly identifies leaders' intended learning. They should also make sure that the curriculum is clearly ordered so that children can build on what they already know.