St Monica’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key Findings

St. Monica's Catholic Primary School provides a good education for its pupils. The school is not outstanding because there have been fluctuations in its overall performance since the previous inspection in 2007 and pupils' attainment is not consistently high.

Pupils achieve well because they make good progress in their work, although attainment is higher in reading and mathematics than in writing, despite recent improvements. Most pupils say that they enjoy school and that they learn a lot in lessons. Teaching is good.

Teachers provide a good range of activities in lessons that meet the learning needs of pupils in all ability groups, including the higher attainers and those who are disabled or... have special educational needs. Teaching is regularly monitored to promote improvement, although leaders' observations are more focused on the teaching strategies used than on their impact on the progress pupils make. Although a small minority of parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire did not agree that their child's lessons were not disrupted by bad behaviour, inspectors found that the behaviour of pupils across the school is good.

Pupils say they feel safe and their parents and carers agree. Typical comments included, 'St. Monica's is a lovely warm school and my child is very happy'; 'All teachers show care and commitment'; and 'The child is at the forefront of all their activities'.

Leadership and management are good. The leadership and development of teaching has secured a good and improving picture. The governing body is improving the rigour with which it holds leaders to account for the school's performance.

The role of middle leaders is rightly seen as an important area for development now that staffing and leadership structures have been reviewed. Partnerships with parents and carers are positive, although leaders and the governing body acknowledge the need to develop the way in which the views of parents and carers are gathered and taken into account in the school's development planning.

Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.

A much lower than average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals. A below average proportion of pupils is supported at School Action Plus or has a statement of special educational needs. The vast majority of pupils is of White British heritage and very few speak English as an additional language.

The school exceeds the government's current floor standards, which sets the minimum standards for attainment and progress. The school holds the Primary Quality Mark, International School (intermediate), and Eco-School Silver awards. St.

Monica's Catholic Pre-School provision shares the site and is managed by a committee of governors and representatives of the main school. This was inspected in February 2010, and was not part of this inspection. The report can be found on Ofsted's website.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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