St Paul’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

The school provides all pupils with a very high-quality education. Pupils achieve very well and reach standards of attainment that are often well above average. The quality of teaching is often outstanding and never less than good.

Mostly, teachers plan interesting tasks which make pupils eager to learn and which helps them to progress quickly. On occasions, the tasks planned for some pupils are not challenging enough. Pupils are very enthusiastic about their lessons, take a lot of pride in their work and try their hardest to achieve high targets.

Pupils' behaviour is of a very high standard. They are always polite and c...ourteous and learn and play together exceptionally well. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that they feel very safe in school.

Parents agree with this view. Pupils are very well cared for throughout the school. Leadership and management, including governance, are very effective.

Together, they keep a close eye on the school's performance and know precisely how to improve the school's effectiveness even further. The curriculum is very well-planned and provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to practise their skills in reading and writing. It also very effectively supports their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is outstanding.

All leaders demonstrate a clear commitment and determination to continue to improve teaching and pupils' achievement.

Information about this school

This is an average sized primary school. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those who are looked after by the local authority or from service families, is very small.

The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds is low and there are very few pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.

There is a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs who have considerably more difficulty in controlling their emotions and behaving sensibly than is the norm, called the Complex Needs Unit. There are five pupils currently on roll and pupils are educated both in the Complex Needs Unit and with the rest of the school. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.