St Peter’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a culture in the school where everyone feels a strong sense of community.

Pupils are extremely happy in the school. They enjoy learning and take pride in their achievements. Leaders have created a place to be where all pupils are safe and nurtured.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is ambitious, and pupils enjoy being challenged.

Leaders' development of pupils' character is exceptional.

Pupils are confident, polite and kind. Leaders provide pupils with great care and guidance. Pupils have been taught a sense of collective res...ponsibility, which ensures they look after each other.

Staff know their pupils extremely well. Pupils are well behaved during lessons and around the school site. In early years, children follow instructions well and have developed clear routines to ensure they are ready for Year 1.

Pupils take part in a range of wider opportunities in the school. These include choir, football and coding clubs. There is also a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills and contribute to the school community.

Pupils can join various committees, including the student chaplain, eco-club and student council.

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

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is broad and balanced. All subjects meet the ambition of the national curriculum.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is designed to build knowledge over time. In Reception, leaders have planned carefully to ensure children develop across all areas of learning successfully.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly.

Sometimes, teaching does not check or deepen pupils' understanding. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not commit knowledge or key vocabulary to their long-term memories.

Leaders identify pupils with SEND effectively.

Staff adapt work to ensure all pupils with SEND can access the curriculum confidently. They make sure that they develop pupils' academic skills alongside providing social and emotional support.

Leaders have a focus on pupils learning to read from when they first join the school.

They use assessment information carefully to identify pupils who are falling behind the pace of the phonics programme. Leaders put in place extra support for these pupils to help them to catch up swiftly. Teachers read to pupils every day.

Leaders promote reading well so that pupils develop into confident and fluent readers. As a result, pupils take great pleasure from reading. In the early years, staff develop pupils' communication and language skills effectively.

Children enjoy rhymes, stories and songs.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Systems to manage behaviour are clear and effective, and staff use these consistently.

Pupils value the rewards systems in place, which staff use regularly to celebrate positive contributions made by them. Staff address any low-level disruption quickly so that lessons continue uninterrupted. In early years, staff enable children to grow in confidence and understand how to take turns and share.

Leaders have developed an extremely high-quality personal development programme. They provide bespoke support for pupils so that they grow in confidence. Staff help pupils to develop deep knowledge about healthy relationships and keeping healthy.

They revisit key concepts with pupils so that they have very secure knowledge and understanding. Pupils access a rich set of wider opportunities. They take part in a range of visits each year.

These include visits to an outdoor pursuits centre, a cathedral and the Tower of London. A wide range of external speakers regularly visit the school, including a medieval history group and the community police. Pupils are taught how to keep safe while riding bikes.

Leaders look after the health and well-being of staff. They are conscious of the pressures of workload and explore strategies to minimise this where possible.

Leaders have developed strong working relationships with parents and carers.

They organise a wide range of community events, including fetes, coffee mornings and parental workshops. These take place on a range of themes, including online safety, reading and multiplication. The governing body understands the strengths and priorities of the school and carries out its role effectively.

It provides appropriate challenge and support to leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding, which ensures that everyone takes responsibility.

Staff receive regular training and know procedures well. Clear systems are in place, and staff understand how to identify and report any concerns. Leaders work effectively with a range of external agencies to provide specialist support for pupils.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and how to recognise and report any concerns. Leaders understand potential local safeguarding risks. They are proactive in addressing any emerging concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Sometimes, teaching does not check or deepen pupils' understanding and identify misconceptions quickly. This means that pupils do not commit knowledge or key vocabulary to their long-term memories. Leaders should develop the expertise of all teachers so that they identify and address any gaps in pupils' understanding and develop a deep understanding of relevant subject vocabulary.