St Peter’s Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They reflect Catholic values in their behaviour, making sure that everyone feels welcome. All pupils are included in all aspects of school life, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils appreciate the support they receive from staff. They know that staff listen to worries and help resolve problems. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

The school has developed its curriculum since academisation. Leaders continue to refine the curriculum to improve pupils' attainment. Expectations are high.

Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. This helps to motivate pupils... to achieve their best. Pupils enjoy earning a 'golden ticket' and eating lunch with the headteacher for working hard.

Pupils enjoy looking after the environment and people in the local community. Activities include, planting trees, collecting litter and singing at a nearby care home. Pupils learn to be good citizens in their roles as well-being champions, 'Eco Warriors' and 'Junior Chaplains.'



On the whole, parents and carers are happy about the school. They appreciate the education, range of clubs and support that their children receive. However, a few parents say that the school does not communicate well with them.

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

The school's ambitious curriculum begins in Reception where children develop positive attitudes to learning. Pupils benefit from the wider experiences on offer such as visits to Scarborough Castle and the beach. This helps pupils to develop their knowledge of history and geography in the local area.

In most subjects, such as reading and mathematics, the order in which pupils learn subject content, is clear. The detail in curriculum content supports teachers to design activities. This helps pupils to learn important knowledge in the right order.

However, in a few foundation subjects, the precise sequence of knowledge is not mapped out clearly enough. Some activities in lessons do not deepen pupils' understanding. Consequently, pupils struggle to make connections between previous topics and new learning.

In mathematics, teachers explain ideas clearly. They ensure activities help pupils to remember what they have learned in previous lessons. For example, pupils answer 'quick fire' multiplication tables questions.

This helps pupils to answer increasingly complex problems over time. However, pupils' misconceptions are sometimes not identified quickly enough. They are not addressed effectively.

Where this is the case, pupils do not have secure knowledge to quickly move on to the next steps in learning.

The school supports pupils to develop a love of reading from the start in Reception. Pupils enjoy the choice of books available such as 'The Porridge Pot', in Year 1.

They benefit from regular visits to the library. The school ensures that the selection of books available contain rich vocabulary. This helps to develop pupils' language skills.

Staff with expert knowledge in phonics teach a well-structured reading curriculum. In Reception, pupils develop the phonics knowledge that they need to get them off to a flying start. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds they know.

The school routinely checks pupils' phonics knowledge. Pupils receive effective help to catch up. Pupils achieve well in reading.

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly. Effective support from staff enables pupils to access the same tasks as their peers most of the time. Staff receive regular and specialist support from the local authority.

This helps staff, for instance, to use effective strategies to help pupils to develop their language and communication skills. Pupil 'passports' show personalised targets, which are reviewed and updated often. As a result, pupils achieve the best possible outcomes.

The new behaviour policy is understood and followed by pupils. They value the rewards that they receive such as earning house points. Pupils are effectively supported to improve their behaviour by nurturing staff.

Leaders work well with parents to improve attendance. Most pupils attend school often and on time.

The school prioritises pupils' personal development.

The Catholic ethos in the school ensures that pupils understand equality and celebrate difference. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is carefully planned and taught to ensure pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. This includes understanding healthy relationships and how to stay safe online.

Pupils know how to keep healthy. They enjoy the snacks available at breaktimes. Pupils make the most of the wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs on offer.

For example, well-being and reflection; scripture doodle and beach school in the summer.

Leaders on all levels know the school's strengths and areas to improve. They make sure that actions taken to improve the school benefit all pupils.

Staff value the professional development on offer. They feel well supported by leaders to manage their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the steps of learning do not identify the important knowledge that pupils must learn. As a result, some lessons do not build on prior learning well enough to deepen pupils' knowledge. The school must identify the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils must learn so they are well prepared for future learning.

• In mathematics in some lessons, pupils' misconceptions are not identified and resolved swiftly and effectively. This means that some pupils are not prepared for future lessons as well as they should be. The school should ensure that checks on pupils' learning are timely and that feedback addresses any gaps in knowledge.

• A small number of parents have mixed views of the school. Some parents, including those of pupils with SEND, do not feel that communication is effective. The school needs to ensure that engagement with parents informs them of the work of the academy to improve provision.