St Mary’s RC Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy, kind, considerate and reflective. Pupils enjoy coming to school because they love learning and playing with their friends.

Pupils like their teachers and they are grateful for the support they receive from them. Year 3 pupils particularly enjoyed writing the script for the school nativity at Christmas.

Pupils feel safe in the school and they also learn how to keep themselves safe physically and online.

Pupils said that they did not worry about bullying. They said they knew what to do if it happened and they know that teachers will resolve any issues.

Pupils behave well in lessons, in the playground and in the dining h...all.

The playground is a fun space for the pupils and there is a range of activities available for them. Pupils play well together. On the rare occasions when pupils do not behave well, teachers use a system of 'repair and reflect'.

This allows pupils to think about their actions and how they can make things better.

Leaders want all pupils in the school to do very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take part in all activities in the school, both in and out of lessons.

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

Leaders want to make sure that pupils are ready for high school. They do this by providing pupils with a broad range of subjects in the classroom and many extra activities outside it. In most subjects, leaders plan so that pupils learn new ideas well.

But there are some subjects where this is not yet the case, for example history and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Leaders need to support and train staff to plan and deliver learning more effectively in these areas.

Leaders have made reading a priority.

Pupils love reading and are very keen to speak about their favourite books and authors. Pupils in Year 5 were very excited about reading 'Stormbreaker' by Alex Rider. Leaders have thought carefully about which books the pupils will enjoy.

Leaders quickly identify pupils who have fallen behind in their reading and have a programme to help them catch up quickly. Pupils we saw read well and enjoyed reading to us. As a result of leaders' actions, pupils achieve well.

The subject leader for physical education (PE) has planned a comprehensive programme for Years 3 to 6. An external coach supports teachers in some, but not all, lessons. However, teachers do not currently have the appropriate subject skills to teach the programme effectively.

Leaders need to provide training for teachers to deliver the planned curriculum in PE.

Pupils are excellent at managing their own behaviour. This means that teachers can plan exciting lessons that the pupils will enjoy as they learn.

In music, for example, pupils' excellent behaviour means they sing and play instruments confidently, as well as compose their own pieces.

Leaders are committed to providing pupils with a wide range of additional activities before, during and after the school day. A range of sporting activities from trampolining to martial arts are available.

For those who do not enjoy a particular sport, the 'active lunches' club gets pupils outside and moving. Pupils sing in the school choir and perform in school musicals. Some pupils have had the chance to perform at the Royal Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall.

Leaders ensure that all pupils have access to these opportunities and they keep records of which activities the pupils do.

This school is an inclusive community. Pupils are accepting of all faiths and beliefs and celebrate different cultures, for example on international day.

Pupils learn about life in modern Britain and there is a strong culture of equality. Pupils with SEND are included in all of school life. Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND have targets and these are in every classroom.

Teachers and teaching assistants check pupils' work towards these targets regularly.

Leaders seek the views of parents and carers through regular surveys. The feedback is positive.

Parents we spoke to were also very supportive of the school and the work of leaders and teachers. Staff described themselves as a 'family' and said that leaders cared about their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all necessary recruitment checks are made before staff start working at the school. Governors have oversight of this and check it regularly.

All staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates.

Staff are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe and they know the procedures for making referrals. Leaders have good systems for recording any referrals in school. Leaders know how to identify pupils in need of help and they manage support well.

Records are kept securely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The planning and sequencing of lessons in history and PSHE are not as well developed as in other areas of the curriculum. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they do in other subjects.

Leaders need to provide support and training for subject leaders to be able to plan and sequence their curriculum effectively. It is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it, that they are in the process of bringing this about. .

In PE teachers do not have sufficient subject expertise to ensure that pupils are progressing through the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not developing the skills that they require. Leaders must ensure that teachers receive the subject specialist training they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.