St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Blackburn

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school where pupils thrive.

Pupils say, rightly, that all adults at St Peter's are 'trusted adults'. They appreciate the kind and nurturing staff, who care for them well. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

Children in the early years settle quickly into school life.

The school is determined to provide a high-quality education for all pupils. It has high expectations and wants pupils to be well prepared for their future.

Pupils, and children in the early years, achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

Pupils are enthusiastic about the responsibilities that they are offered, which include taking on roles as librari...ans and as 'buddies' for younger pupils. These experiences help to develop pupils' understanding of what it means to contribute purposefully to the school community and beyond.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave sensibly and are kind to each other. The vast majority of pupils show very positive attitudes to learning.

Any pupils who struggle with their behaviour receive the support that they need. Relationships between pupils, and between staff and pupils, are warm and respectful.

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

The school has set out an ambitious curriculum, including in the early years.

It has identified carefully the knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils should learn. This means that teachers know what they should teach and when to teach it.

The school provides high-quality training for all staff so that they have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver the curriculum successfully.

Typically, teachers design appropriate and engaging activities and experiences that enable pupils to learn the curriculum well. On occasion, however, some activities do not support and help deepen pupils' learning. When this happens, some pupils do not learn the important knowledge as well as they could, and they move on to new learning before they are ready.

As a result, they do not learn as well as they could.

Children in the early years benefit from a well-designed curriculum. Learning activities, opportunities and experiences are engaging and purposeful.

They support children to develop their knowledge, communication and language skills effectively. Children enjoy the wide range of opportunities they have to develop their physical skills and confidence as they play in the exciting outdoor area. Staff care for the children well and help them to become independent.

Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It identifies their additional needs accurately.

This helps teachers to give these pupils well-considered support and the resources that they need. Pupils with SEND participate in the same learning and wider opportunities as their peers. They achieve well from their starting points.

The school prioritises reading. It ensures that pupils develop a love of reading from the start. The school has implemented an effective phonics curriculum and provides extensive training for all staff so that they deliver this curriculum consistently well.

Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them to become fluent and confident readers. If pupils fall behind in their learning of phonics, they receive extra teaching that helps them to catch up quickly.

Pupils typically behave well in lessons and when moving around the school. They play happily together at breaktimes and at lunchtimes, where older pupils help to organise games and activities so that everyone is included. Pupils, and children in the early years, are attentive during lessons.

The school promotes pupils' social and emotional skills, mental health and well-being through the curriculum. The majority of pupils attend school regularly and are punctual. The school offers appropriate support for pupils who need to improve their attendance.

Pupils talk maturely about the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They are aware of the role that exercise plays in keeping healthy. Pupils learn that the world is diverse and that it is important to respect and accept everyone for who they are.

The school provides opportunities to extend pupils' learning beyond the curriculum. The school offers pupils a range of clubs and visits, including a residential trip where they take part in outdoor and adventurous activities.

Governors have a robust oversight of the school's work.

They know its strengths and the areas it needs to prioritise and improve further. Governors and the school take effective steps to ensure that the well-being of staff is prioritised.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, teachers do not match learning activities sufficiently well to the knowledge pupils should learn. This means that some pupils do not learn some important knowledge securely and move on to new learning too quickly. The school should ensure that teachers design learning activities and opportunities that help pupils to learn the curriculum securely in all subjects.