St Mary and St Peter Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They feel safe. Pupils know any staff member will listen to them if they have a problem, working together to solve it. Pupils are clear about what bullying is and know that it does not happen often at their school.

When it does occur, pupils trust staff to deal with it quickly and sensitively.

Pupils play well together at playtimes and lunchtimes, where they show kindness and polite manners. During lessons, pupils listen carefully to each other, working collaboratively to share ideas and find answers.

This helps many pupils achieve staff's high expectations.

Pupils like the range of extra-curricular clubs which... are available to join and the trips and visits which are part of their learning. Older pupils enjoy their extra responsibilities, such as being 'mini vinnies', library monitors or part of the junior leadership team.

These pupils work well to share their ideas with leaders to help make the school even better. Pupils also enjoy supporting the local community by, for example, visiting the local care home or collecting for the food bank. There are wider opportunities too for pupils to learn how to be charitable through arranging fundraising events for important causes.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum which means that teachers understand what pupils need to learn. Careful adaptations help all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access the same curriculum as their peers. For example, pupils may receive specific resources, such as a word bank, to help them select vocabulary to use in their writing.

Pupils work hard in lessons and most concentrate well. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

In most subjects, there is a clear sequence of learning from the Nursery Year to Year 6.

Content builds on what pupils already know. In geography, for instance, pupils in Year 4 practise describing locations using the compass points before pupils in Year 6 learn how to use six-figure grid references. However, there are a few subjects where leaders have not set out the vocabulary and concepts children learn in the early years to ready them for Year 1.

This shows itself in key stage 1, where some pupils struggle to recall knowledge they should know.

At the end of each topic, teachers check pupils' learning. This helps teachers identify what pupils have learned to inform their teaching.

Leaders are developing this further. In some subjects, teachers pose questions at the beginning of a topic and quizzes at the start of lessons. Teachers do this to make sure pupils remember what they were taught.

This means teachers do not have to wait until the end of a topic to address pupils' misunderstandings. Still, this effective practice is not yet in place in all subjects. Where it is not in place, pupils' recall of what they were taught is not as strong as it could be.

Leaders prioritise reading. They introduced a phonics programme which clearly sets out what pupils need to learn. Staff received training in this approach.

It starts with children in the Nursery Year learning to recognise sounds. This prepares them for learning the sounds that letters make in the Reception Year. For most pupils, books are carefully matched to the sounds that they are learning.

Some pupils need some extra support to catch up and leaders have planned for this. Most pupils read aloud with fluency and confidence, enjoying what they read.

Children in the early years enjoy well-planned activities.

Some activities involve children working with an adult. Other activities allow children to play and explore. Staff observe children carefully, using questioning to develop children's spoken language.

Because staff model calm, kind behaviour, children feel confident to try again when things go wrong. For example, some children showed resilience, starting their construction again when their large dinosaur model fell apart.

Leaders have thought carefully about how to support pupils' personal development.

For example, pupils know how to keep themselves healthy by learning about diet and exercise. Leaders promote equality and diversity through the books pupils enjoy. Pupils welcome visitors, such as a recent visit by a Paralympian.

Pupils learn about different faiths, including their own. There are strong links to the local church and the pupils enjoy exploring gospel values through a weekly liturgy.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, provide a clear vision and effective support and training for staff.

Curriculum leaders benefited from opportunities to work with leaders from other schools. Doing so helped curriculum leaders to develop most aspects of the curriculum well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders' rigorous systems make sure that pupils are kept safe. Leaders oversee all required safeguarding checks on staff ahead of them working in the school. There is regular staff training.

All staff are clear about how to raise a concern about a pupil. Leaders meet at least weekly to discuss the follow-up to any concerns. The skilled pastoral team provides effective support.

It works with external professionals to support vulnerable pupils and their families.

Through the planned curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are in the local community and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have yet to set out the concepts and vocabulary children learn in the early years to prepare them well for Year 1. As a result, teachers in Year 1 cannot easily make links to pupils' previous learning to efficiently build on what they know. Leaders should make the necessary changes to their curriculum, ensuring that what children learn in the early years links logically to the planned curriculum in key stage 1.

• In some subjects, teachers do not provide opportunities for pupils to link current learning to what was learned before. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall the important information leaders want them to know. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' recall and use this to inform their teaching, so pupils remember more over time.