St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed. Together, they have created a learning community where pupils thrive. Pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

The pupils with whom I spoke said that they enjoy coming to school. They wear their uniforms with pride.

Pupils are extremely polite.

They behave well. Older pupils act as positive role models for the younger pupils. Pupils said that they feel safe in school because they know staff care about them.

Pupils told me that bullying is rare. Should it happen, they are conf...ident it would be dealt with quickly by staff.

Leaders provide opportunities to broaden pupils' experiences, such as visiting the Halle Orchestra.

Leaders enhance the curriculum, for example through visits to the theatre and field trips. Pupils enjoy the many clubs that they can join, such as the choir. They spoke enthusiastically of their successes in football and cross-country competitions.

Pupils take pride in the contribution that they make to the life of the school as members of committees. Pupils contribute articles to the school's newspaper, covering a range of topics such as healthy eating and how to keep safe when using the internet. Parents and carers speak very highly of the school.

Engagement with the local community and the parish is strong.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The knowledge leaders want pupils to have is carefully sequenced.

Planning clearly builds on pupils' prior knowledge. Curriculum plans identify opportunities for pupils to apply what they know and remember in other subjects. Leaders ensure that staff have the knowledge and understanding that they need to deliver the curriculum plans effectively.

Staff share ideas and expertise, including with colleagues from other schools. This is especially useful for staff new to teaching.

In most year groups, teachers use assessment information to plan what pupils need to learn next.

In the Reception class, children have opportunities to practise and develop their understanding. However, some teachers move pupils' learning on too quickly, for example in mathematics. When this happens, some pupils struggle to apply what they know to new learning.

Despite this, a high proportion of Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in mathematics, including at the higher standard, in 2019.

Disruption in lessons is rare. Pupils work hard to achieve the high expectations that teachers have of them.

This is reflected in the quality of pupils' work. For example, in history, they develop a good understanding of chronology. Pupils apply their research and study of artefacts to draw conclusions about life in Britain during The Stone Age.

Pupils with SEND are supported by skilled staff to help them achieve well. Staff in the Reception class use the outside provision imaginatively to foster children's curiosity in the world around them. Pupils explained to me how they apply their knowledge in geography when tackling more complex work in Year 6.

Phonics is taught from the start of the Reception Year by skilled staff. Children quickly learn the sounds that letters make. They practise their phonics knowledge in a range of activities.

These are often linked to stories that they know. In Year 1, pupils apply their phonics knowledge well. The books that they read match the sounds that they know.

They become confident and fluent readers. Pupils who struggle are given the help that they need to catch up quickly. A high proportion of pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.

A love of reading is promoted across the school. Pupils read a variety of texts across a range of subjects. Pupils enjoy listening to stories.

Older pupils enjoy reading to younger pupils in the well-resourced library. Pupils talked enthusiastically about books by their favourite authors. They recommend them to others.

Pupils explain how reading helps them to improve their own vocabulary knowledge. Pupils told me how they apply this to improve their own writing. In 2019, a high proportion of pupils reach the expected standard in reading at the end of Year 6.

Pupils' personal development is promoted well within school. Pupils told me that the school's Christian values, such as courage, commitment and compassion, are important to them. Meeting leaders from other faiths enables pupils to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Pupils recently interviewed parents about the jobs that they do, promoting pupils' aspirations for the future.

Governors' experience and training ensure that they have the knowledge that they need to challenge and support leaders in school. Staff told me that they feel valued and listened to by leaders.

Morale is high. Staff are proud to be part of the St Peter's family.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all adults in school are safe to be with pupils. Training for staff ensures that they know the procedures to follow if they have any safeguarding concerns. Leaders follow up any concerns diligently.

They work to support the most vulnerable pupils and their families.

Leaders work with other agencies and national charities. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations.

Guidance for parents enables them to keep their children safe when they are using the internet at home.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In some year groups, teachers sometimes move on too quickly to new learning. As a result, some pupils are not secure in their understanding of some key concepts.

They struggle to apply their knowledge effectively to new learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate their knowledge and understanding so that they can apply what they know confidently.

Background

When we have judged 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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 4–5 July 2011.

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