St Paul’s Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors are ambitious for the school. They have high expectations of all staff and pupils.

Leaders and governors have been proactive in addressing the weaknesses in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure that there is greater consistency across the school. Governance has improved considerably over the course of the last two years. Governors hold leaders stringently to account for their actions and for pupils' achievement.

Senior and middle leaders know the school's strengths and areas for development well. Clear improvement plans and actions have resulted in leaders being able to support teachers to raise... pupils' progress. Leaders have provided staff with high-quality professional development and training.

As a result, all teaching staff now have higher expectations of what the pupils can do and understand, particularly in English and mathematics. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders have improved on the culture of vigilance to ensure that pupils remain safe from harm.

Positive relationships across the school are a strength. Pupils conduct themselves very well around the school. The early years provision has been transformed, which has enabled children to make stronger progress.

Phonics outcomes have improved due to better teaching. Teachers are now using assessment well to plan learning that builds on what has been previously learned and which meets the needs of most pupils. However, there is still insufficient challenge for the most able pupils for them to achieve well.

In English, pupils are applying the skills they have learned with greater consistency in their writing. However, in reading pupils have not embedded their skills of inference and deduction to enable them to make the progress of which they are capable. The teaching of reasoning in mathematics has enabled pupils to explain their thinking well.

However, too many pupils lack instant recall of known number facts and times tables. This is hampering their progress. Leaders acknowledge that there has not been enough focus on securing the leadership of foundation subjects.

The development of knowledge, understanding and skills of pupils in these subjects is not yet strong enough. The quality of pupils' work in the wider curriculum does not match that seen in English and mathematics.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average primary school.

The number of pupils on roll is falling. The proportion of pupils who are supported by the additional pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

The number of pupils who have education, health and care plans is below the national average. The school has both a breakfast and after-school club. These were visited as part of this inspection.

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