St Michael’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Michael's Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are friendly, happy and safe in this school. Leaders strive to make the school a place where everyone can succeed. They are ambitious for all pupils to do well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school is a calm and orderly place. Pupils know to speak to adults should they have any concerns.

They trust staff to listen to them if they have any worries. If any incidents of bullying occur, adults deal with these quickly.Leaders provide high-quality care.

They... identify pupils who may need extra well-being and emotional support swiftly. Teachers encourage pupils to learn about their own and others' beliefs and cultures. Pupils interact respectfully towards each other.

They are very clear that everyone is welcome at their school and that they 'are all one'.Parents and carers are typically positive about the school. They feel that their children are doing well under the care of the leadership team and staff.

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

Leaders and the governing body are highly focused on providing a strong quality of education. The senior leadership team has brought about significant improvements after a period of turbulence within the school. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and what needs to be better.

They have established a carefully sequenced and ambitious curriculum in almost all subjects. For example, in mathematics in early years, staff use a range of strategies to help children grasp new concepts. Teachers explain new ideas clearly in lessons, and make sure that pupils use the correct mathematical vocabulary.

For example, pupils in Year 6 solved complex algebraic equations using methods with confidence. Teachers check pupils' recall of key concepts.Most subjects are well sequenced to build on pupils' prior learning.

For instance, in geography, pupils in Year 1 learn mapping skills and about their local area using aerial photos. By Year 3, pupils learn about volcanoes and how to measure the impact of earthquakes using the Mercalli scale. However, in some subjects, teaching does not ensure that curriculum plans are implemented as routinely well.

Leaders prioritise reading. Teachers and support staff are well trained in delivering phonics lessons from the Reception Year. In early years, staff focus on ensuring children learn to read right from the start.

Children enjoy familiar stories, songs and rhymes in Nursery and Reception. Pupils in Year 1 build on the phonics they learn in Reception confidently. Most pupils read well and use phonics accurately to help them sound out words.

Pupils who need help get it quickly so that they are supported to catch up. The well-chosen books in the school's library help to broaden pupils' reading. Older pupils read widely and often, with fluency and comprehension.

Leaders make sure that they identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Teachers make adaptations to pupils' learning so that most pupils with SEND learn successfully alongside their classmates. Sometimes, staff do not provide consistently effective support for some pupils with SEND who have more complex needs.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. They establish effective routines for managing pupils' behaviour right from the start in early years. As a result, pupils behave well.

They show consideration for each other, and are polite to adults. Pupils concentrate well in lessons so that learning continues without disruption. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils play happily together.

Pupils enjoy learning from a wide range of guest speakers and visitors to the school. For example, recent speakers helped pupils to think about 'sustainability'. Older pupils are proud to serve as 'reading ambassadors' around the school.

Leaders are working to organise a greater variety of visits and extra-curricular clubs for pupils.Staff have a positive relationship with leaders, who are mindful of their workload. Leaders' actions to provide staff training in developing the curriculum are well considered.

The governing body provides challenge and support to leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff have up-to-date training in safeguarding.

This helps staff to understand and follow the school's safeguarding procedures. Staff know the importance of accurately recording any concerns. This helps leaders identify risks to pupils.

Leaders follow up any concerns with appropriate and timely action. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure pupils and their families get the right support. Leaders offer a range of counselling and pastoral services to help pupils.

Pupils are taught about keeping themselves safe, including online. A range of workshops and visiting speakers alert pupils to the dangers of gangs and knife crime.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, teaching does not implement the intended curriculum consistently well.

This leaves to gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders, particularly those newer to their roles, and teachers are well trained to deliver the intended curriculum securely. ? Adaptions made to support pupils with SEND with complex needs are not routinely precise enough to meet their specific needs.

This means that these pupils do not build up and secure their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders should provide additional training and support for teachers so that they can meet the specific needs of all pupils consistently well.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.