St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy belonging to this happy school community. They are keen to come to school each day.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' achievement and behaviour.

Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils behave impeccably in lessons. They are keen and ready to learn.

Leaders are quick to resolve any rare incidents of bullying. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

Pupils have a strong voice in the school.

They embrace the many opportunities available to them to t...ake on leadership roles, such as acting as members of the school council. Pupils who take on additional responsibilities, including 'rights respecting ambassadors', have special duties within the school community. For example, they raise awareness of matters that are important to them.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They take part in a wide range of school clubs, such as football, athletics and choir. Pupils' learning is enhanced by trips and visits.

For example, they visit Chester to learn about the Romans. Pupils' recent trip to the beach to see the cast-iron sculptures supported them to understand the arts.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum.

The curriculum meets the aims of the national curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils must know and remember. Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively in these subjects.

They use assessment strategies well to identify any pupils who are not keeping up with their learning. Leaders make sure that pupils who need extra help to catch up receive well-tailored support. Pupils achieve well in these subjects.

In a small number of other subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is less clear. In these subjects, teachers are unsure about what key knowledge they should prioritise. This means that, on occasion, they do not emphasise some key concepts.

As a result, pupils do not gain a secure enough foundation on which to base their future learning.

In most subjects, leaders support teachers to deliver the subject curriculums well. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders do not provide teachers with useful advice and guidance to develop their subject expertise further.

This means that some teachers do not deliver the curriculum as effectively as they should. This limits the achievement of some pupils.

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school.

They make sure that staff receive regular training so that they deliver the reading curriculum well. Children in the early years quickly learn the sounds that each letter represents. Pupils in key stage 1 use their phonic knowledge to read with increased fluency and expression.

Staff carefully check how well pupils build their reading knowledge across the school. Leaders make sure that pupils who struggle to keep pace with the phonics programme receive timely and effective support. This helps them to keep up with their peers.

Leaders work closely with teachers, parents and carers to identify pupils with SEND early. Staff make sure that support is well matched to pupils' needs. This means that pupils with SEND learn confidently and independently alongside their classmates.

Leaders have thought carefully about pupils' wider development. They make sure that pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures. Pupils learn how important it is to respect and celebrate differences.

They spoke with passion about how important it is for all children to have a right to an education. Pupils understand that both physical and mental well-being are very important.

Pupils are considerate of each other's feelings.

They play and work well together. In the early years, children settle quickly. They follow the routines of the day and manage their feelings and behaviour well.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel valued, and well supported to carry out their roles effectively. Leaders are considerate of staff's well-being and workload.

Governors have a secure view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are diligent in holding leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders promote a strong safeguarding culture. Record-keeping is accurate and up to date. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil's welfare.

All staff receive regular training that helps them to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families are well supported.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when online.

They know not to share any personal information and know that they should report anything suspicious to trusted adults.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that pupils should know and remember. As a result, teachers are unsure about what should be taught and when this should happen.

This leads to some key concepts not being emphasised enough. Leaders should refine their curriculum thinking so that pupils build on what they know and can do in all subjects as they move through the school. ? In a few subjects, leaders have not provided enough support for teachers to deliver the curriculum as intended.

This leads to pupils not learning what they should. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders provide teachers with the professional development that they need to develop their curriculum expertise.

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 June 2014.

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