St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school mission statement.

They aspire 'not to have more but to be more' in all that they do. Pupils are happy in school. They enjoy learning and they work hard.

Pupils rise to meet the high expectations that the school has for them academically and achieve well.

Pupils attend school regularly. They relish the many opportunities that they are given, including visits to museums, art galleries and the local library.

Pupils are especially proud to perform with an orchestra each year.

Pupils take on board leadership roles, such as acting as eco-warriors and house captains, with gusto. They have set up their own school pa...rliament so that they can help make the school even better.

Through these roles, pupils make a highly positive contribution to their school and community. For instance, they raise money for charity and promote equality through online video blogs.

Pupils benefit from the school's calm and purposeful environment.

Children in the early years quickly learn to follow the school's clear routines. Pupils enjoy positive relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils' behaviour during lessons and around school is exemplary.

During lunchtimes, pupils take the lead in activity sessions that all pupils can take part in. This promotes their physical health and encourages pupils of all ages to play, interact and have fun together.

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

The school has created a well-ordered curriculum that begins in the early years.

In the Reception class, children receive an excellent start to their education. They benefit from a curriculum that is extremely well designed. Staff use highly effective questions and prompts to draw out key learning from the children.

They design exciting learning activities that help children to develop enquiring minds. Staff in the early years also make sure that children master the fundamental skills of early reading, writing and mathematics. Children are exceptionally well prepared for learning in Year 1.

The high expectations that the school has for children's early writing development are not mirrored consistently as pupils move into key stage 1 and beyond. For example, teachers do not support pupils well to develop a secure pencil grip and to form letters correctly. This hinders the quality of pupil's written communication across school.

In key stages 1 and 2, the curriculum sets out the knowledge that pupils should learn in a logical order. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well in most subjects. Staff deliver the curriculum with expertise and enthusiasm.

They skilfully design learning activities that help pupils to make connections between what they already know and new learning. Pupils' recall of their current learning is secure.In a small number of subjects, some pupils struggle to remember the key knowledge that has been delivered in previous key stages.

This is because the school has not devised clear assessment strategies to check that pupils have learned and remembered this knowledge over time. This results in some pupils not being as well prepared as they should be for future learning in key stage 3 and beyond.

Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

They successfully share their knowledge with parents and carers, who attend school workshops. This enables parents to support their children to develop greater fluency and confidence in reading. Children enjoy learning about letters and the sounds that they make as soon as they join the Reception class.

Skilled staff provide pupils with additional support, when this is required. This is effective and helps those pupils who need learning to be revisited to keep up with their peers.

Older pupils enjoy a range of literature.

They spoke with enthusiasm about different authors and books. The pupil librarians are proud of the school library. They select new books from visits to the library van and provide recommendations for others in school.

Year 6 enjoy reading time with their buddies in the Reception class.

Pupils' additional needs are quickly and accurately identified. Pupils with SEND achieve well and receive the same broad curriculum offer as their peers.

They are fully supported by skilled and well-trained staff. Pupils with SEND take part in all aspects of school life. They attend clubs, go on overnight visits and take on leadership roles.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are enthusiastic and keen to share their knowledge with visitors. Pupils develop as mature individuals due to the exemplary provision that they receive to support their personal development.

Pupils learn about online safety and understand both the benefits and dangers that the internet can bring. Pupils develop their talents and interests beyond the academic curriculum, whether in the annual talent show, or competing in sporting tournaments. They also enjoy taking part in the vast offer of clubs, such as gardening, Latin and the writer's cafe.

Trustees, and members of the local governing body, understand and fulfil their statutory duties well. They hold the necessary skills to be able to provide appropriate challenge and support to the school. Staff spoke positively about how the school supports their workload and well-being.

They appreciate the dedicated time given to them to lead their subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's expectations for pupils' writing skills in key stage 1 are not high enough.

This means that some pupils have not mastered legible and accurate letter formation by the time that they leave Year 2. This hinders pupils' writing fluency as they move through school. The school should ensure that the high level of focus it places on pupils' writing skills within the early years is built on and secured across school.

• In a few subjects, teachers do not support pupils to recall and build on learning from previous key stages sufficiently well. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve as well as they should in these subjects as a result. The school should implement an effective strategy to ensure that teachers regularly revisit previously taught subject content and knowledge.

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