St Patrick’s Catholic Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Patrick's Primary Academy is a warm, welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils are kind and tolerant towards each other. Staff and pupils respect each other.

Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are happy and safe. Families are welcomed into school regularly.

Parents value the community feel of the school.

Over time, leaders have ensured that pupils achieve well. In most subjects, pupils achieve in line with national averages.

They are ready for the next stage of their education. The curriculum is adapted well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils value the opportunity to become leaders in school.

...>They become school councillors, Peace Ambassadors and Worship Monitors. The school has a head boy and girl who lead alongside the school council. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the range of clubs that they can attend.

These include choir, fencing and bush craft. Older pupils learned a range of new skills on a recent residential visit to the Lake District. Pupils have visited Chester Zoo, Wales and Howarth to support their learning.

Leaders have developed a bespoke personal development curriculum based on Catholic virtues. The school wants pupils to become global citizens.

Pupils attend school well.

The school supports families and ensures that pupils come to school regularly.

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

The phonics scheme is well embedded. Staff lead phonics sessions effectively.

The phonics leader coaches staff who deliver phonics lessons to ensure they are well taught. Pupils are familiar with the routines and structure of the lessons. They use what they learn to read words that they have not seen before.

Pupils achieve in line with national averages. Where pupils fall behind, effective intervention lessons ensure they catch up quickly. As pupils finish the phonics scheme, they move on to spelling and comprehension lessons.

These help pupils to develop fluency and understand what they are reading. Staff ensure that pupils know the meaning of new words. They are skilled at checking pupils' understanding of the books that they read.

Pupils enjoy reading. They can explain the reasons for choosing the books that they do.

Mathematics is taught confidently across the school.

Leaders carefully consider what they want pupils to learn in mixed-age classes. This ensures that pupils build on their prior knowledge. Leaders have adopted a mastery approach to maths teaching.

This has had an impact on how well pupils achieve. Pupils' outcomes are above national averages. Lessons are adapted well for pupils with SEND.

Additional resources and adult support help pupils to learn.

Most foundation subjects have a well-developed curriculum. The school has identified the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn.

Teachers have well- developed subject knowledge and teach with confidence. This helps pupils to achieve well. The bespoke personal development curriculum is based on Catholic virtues and the life of Jesus.

Pupils develop resilience and become kind people. However, pupils have limited knowledge about other faiths and cultures. The school has identified where the curriculum for religious education could be improved and are taking steps to address this.

Pupils behave well. They are polite and friendly. The behaviour policy is adapted well for pupils with SEND.

However, the general behaviour policy is not applied consistently across school. Pupils do not always know what is expected of them. This causes confusion as pupils do not have consistency of expectations, rewards and sanctions as they move through school.

The early years environment effectively supports children's learning. The school has recently seen an increase in children starting school who do not speak English. Picture prompts and key vocabulary displays help children to settle quickly.

They begin to learn new vocabulary as soon as they begin at the school. Nursery and Reception children often play together. Staff ensure that pupils in Reception are ready for key stage 1.

Children have play sessions and visits to Year 1 to build their confidence. The environment helps pupils to make connections in their learning. For example, after a geography lesson about Halifax and towns, Reception children independently began to paint pictures of their homes and buildings.

They built models of buildings in Halifax in the construction area. Adults supported children in writing about Halifax. Children show high levels of concentration.

They apply themselves to activities for sustained periods of time.

Leaders at all levels support the school well. This includes support from specialist teachers in the trust, governors, trustees and the Catholic Diocese of Leeds.

The school welcomes this support. Staff are happy to work in this school. They told inspectors that leaders have built an extremely positive culture across the whole school.

They feel valued and want the best for the pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is a lack of clarity around school rules and expectations.

The behaviour policy is applied inconsistently. Pupils do not always know what is expected of them. Pupils would benefit from clear school rules and expectations for clarity and fairness as they move through the school.

• Pupils do not have a clear understanding of the different religions and cultures that exist within and beyond their community. As a result, they do not understand as much as they should about the different groups of people in modern Britain. The school should ensure that pupils learn about other faiths and cultures to broaden their knowledge of the world.