St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Lytham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Lytham continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to their school family. They are polite and considerate.

New pupils are warmly welcomed and settle into school life quickly. Pupils trust adults to keep them safe and to listen to any worries that they may have.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement.

Pupils value the recognition that they get for working hard. In each year group, and by the end of key stage 2, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Children in the early years play together ha...ppily.

Across the rest of school, pupils behave well in lessons and around the building. Adults and pupils have created a culture of mutual kindness. Pupils are proud of the school's values.

They talked readily about forgiveness and empathy.

Trips and visits enhance pupils' learning. For example, during a recent trip to a museum, pupils explored the work of a local artist.

The school offers many clubs, such as sewing, golf and book club. Extensive use is made of the outdoor grounds. This enables all pupils to take risks and enjoy adventurous challenges in a safe space.

The school makes sure that pupils receive the social and emotional help that they need. Pupils particularly enjoy the chance to spend time with Willow, the school dog.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious and takes full account of the local area.

It has carefully identified the knowledge that children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 should learn. Subject content is broken down into small steps so that pupils build and extend their knowledge in a logical order.

Teachers have been suitably trained to deliver the curriculum.

They regularly check that pupils have understood what has been taught. They use assessment information well to reteach key concepts if they spot that pupils have struggled to understand new learning.This ensures that gaps in pupils' learning are quickly rectified.

Pupils progress well through the subject curriculums. By the end of Year 6, they are very well prepared for the move to their secondary school.

The school has sharpened its approach to identifying pupils with SEND.

The support that these pupils receive is well matched to their needs. Teachers are skilled in adapting their lessons and teaching resources to make sure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum.

Pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is typically higher than the national average by the time they leave school.

However, in 2023, the proportion of pupils who met the expected standard of reading in key stage 1 was below the national average. As a result, the school has revisited its phonics programme and provided additional training for teachers. Staff typically select books that are matched to pupils 'reading ability.

This is having an impact for some groups, but not for others. This is because teachers are at varying stages of applying their recent training. Some routines for teaching phonics are not well established and some pupils lack the confidence to join in with phonics sessions.

As a result, some pupils are not learning to read as quickly as they should.

A love of reading is promoted well across school. Pupils enjoy listening to their teacher read to them each day.

Older children spoke articulately about their favourite series of books and their preferred authors. They appreciate the weekly awards that they get for reading. They especially enjoy choosing a book from the vending machine when their reading efforts are recognised.

Pupils read with confidence and fluency by the end of key stage 2.

Pupils focus well in their lessons. They actively participate in class discussions and partner work.

The school encourages pupils to take responsibility for their actions. Pupils treat each other with respect and kindness in the playground. As a result, pupils learn in a calm environment.

Pupils' attendance rates are high. This is because the school has effective and supportive systems in place to make sure pupils attend school regularly and on time.

The school ensures that there are a wide range of opportunities on offer which allow pupils to follow their interests.

Pupils talked proudly about their role as 'gardeners', helping to nurture their 'seedlings' in the Reception Year. Pupils take part in swimming events and cricket tournaments.

Governors know the school well.

They are supportive and proud of the school. Leaders at all levels know the strengths of the school and they are clear about the next stage of its journey. Despite considerable changes to the curriculum in recent times, the school has successfully managed to avoid overloading staff.

This is because it gave careful attention to staff's well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff are still honing their expertise in delivering the phonics programme.

This means that, at times, pupils are not learning to read as quickly as possible. The school should ensure that staff are supported to deliver the phonics programme consistently well, so that pupils gain a secure body of phonics knowledge in readiness for the next stage in learning.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2019.