St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School, Jarrow

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive, personally and academically, at St Matthew's Catholic Primary School. The school aims to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to 'let their light shine'. Pupils are able to talk about what this means to them as individuals.

Pupils are proud to be themselves and to celebrate the things that make themselves special, but know that while other people may be different, they are equally special.

This culture of respect permeates all aspects of the school. When issues arise, pupils and adults work together effectively to overcome them.

Behaviour in lessons and outside is calm. Relationships are warm and respectful. This is a happy school where att...endance is high.

Pupils learn effectively. The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standards in Year 6 national assessments has increased over the last few years and is well above national averages. Pupils' knowledge and understanding in subjects that are not part of national tests are impressive.

Where pupils have potential barriers to being successful, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school is highly effective at working with families to overcome these. Where pupils need extra support to help them learn, appropriate strategies are identified and used effectively. Pupils leave this school well prepared for the challenges and adventures ahead.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive in their appreciation of the work of the school.

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

Pupils benefit from exceptional personal development opportunities that allow them to be actively involved in the life of the school and the community. For example, members of the eco-group lead a 'cut the carbon' programme.

A wide array of well-attended after-school clubs, including karate, enhance pupils' personal development. One pupil explained the impact of these opportunities: 'I used to be shy, now I am brave.'

Through assemblies and taught lessons, pupils develop a strong knowledge of issues such as healthy friendships, protected characteristics and democracy.

Pupils talk about how they apply this knowledge to their everyday lives. They have a very strong understanding of the role that faith plays in peoples' lives.

The school ensures that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in their locality and beyond.

For example, when new homes were being built in the area, the school invited the building company to deliver assemblies about the dangers of building sites. Staff ensure that these crucial messages are understood by pupils with SEND by providing additional support where necessary.

Children get off to an exceptionally strong start in Reception.

Staff work highly effectively with parents and pre-school settings to get to know children before they start school. They use this knowledge of children's interests and stage of development to inform the activities they make available for children to engage with. Staff's knowledge of individual children allows them to make expert decisions about when to intervene and when to step back while playing.

These decisions have a positive impact on children's learning. In adult-led learning, staff use carefully chosen songs, stories and rhymes to capture children's interest and develop their vocabulary and number sense. Children are taught how to behave appropriately in school and other settings.

This strong start develops good behaviours that continue as pupils move through the school.

Staff are well trained in teaching phonics. Pupils quickly develop phonics knowledge and use it to read appropriate books in school and at home.

Staff identify pupils who need extra support quickly. These pupils receive additional phonics teaching, extra practice through appropriate games and read to adults more often. The support they receive is effective in supporting them to learn to read.

As pupils progress through school they are exposed to a wide range of texts through daily story time.

The school has designed a curriculum that captures the interests of pupils and prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to recall and use things they have learned previously.

Where these are most effective, pupils develop an impressive depth of knowledge. For example, in art, older pupils are able to talk confidently about artists they have studied. They can compare artistic styles and movements.

However, where pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to recall and use previous learning, such as with aspects of problem-solving and reasoning in mathematics, learning is less secure.

Leaders, at all levels, are determined that pupils will benefit from an exceptional education that values both academic and personal development. This ambition is very largely met.

Where not, leaders quickly identify the issues and put in place steps to improve provision.

Governors and trustees have a strong commitment to the school maintaining its own unique identity so that it can serve the local community. Governors have effective systems to monitor the work of the school.

They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Staff value the fact that leaders take their well-being seriously and take all reasonable steps to ensure that workload is manageable.

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, pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to practise some of the more complex aspects of their previous learning. This limits their ability to secure prior knowledge and apply some of the more challenging ideas that they study. The school should ensure that pupils have the opportunity to revisit learning often, including more complex aspects of the curriculum, so that they are able to deepen and strengthen their learning over time.