St Peter’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and their parents and carers, would readily recommend St Peter's Catholic Primary School to others. A sizeable number of pupils have joined the school in recent months.

Many of these pupils have not settled in other schools. Several are pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils are warmly welcomed into the school community.

They said that they feel safe and happy in school. Other pupils who spoke to inspectors share the same views.

Pupils know how leaders expect them to behave.

Children in the early years quickly settle into school routines. They listen attentively to adults and to each other. Older pupils... are respectful.

They genuinely want to please staff. Pupils follow the school rules and behave well.

Pupils said that they enjoy taking part in team games and sports at playtimes.

Pupils are confident that bullying is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff. They trust the adults in school to take care of them and to help them resolve any difficulties.

Leaders have improved the curriculum.

They have raised their expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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

The school's leadership team has been considerably strengthened by recent appointments.

New leaders have acted swiftly to improve the curriculum. The well-designed, interesting curriculum meets the needs of all children and pupils at the school. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well across a range of subjects.

In many subjects, leaders have defined the key knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which this should be taught. Pupils learn the important vocabulary that they need to know in these subjects. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training to improve their subject knowledge.

Staff use this knowledge well to carefully introduce, revisit and check pupils' learning. As a result, pupils build their knowledge securely.

In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not organised as clearly.

Subject leaders have not ordered the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn carefully enough. Consequently, teachers are not clear about what content to deliver and when. This hinders how well teachers design learning that helps pupils know and remember more over time.

Children in the early years benefit from an ambitious and well-ordered curriculum. They are taught by adults who model language using ambitious vocabulary. This helps children to build their language skills and express themselves with growing confidence.

Children in the Nursery Year are ready to learn to read from the moment that they enter the Reception Year.

Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics programme. Staff are suitably trained to deliver this programme well.

They ensure that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 build secure phonics knowledge and apply this knowledge to read unfamiliar words. Pupils read books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. Those who need extra help benefit from well-tailored support.

This helps pupils to develop their fluency and prepares them well for key stage 2.

Leaders ensure that reading has a high profile. Books take centre stage across the learning environment.

Pupils benefit from a well-stocked school library and enticing class 'book suitcases'. Teachers carefully choose books that act as a mirror and a window for pupils. These books help pupils to reflect on their own lives as well as the lives of others.

By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared to meet the reading challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum.

Leaders provide expert guidance to help staff to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders work with parents and a range of experts, including early years health professionals, to ensure that pupils' SEND needs are identified as quickly as possible.

Pupils with SEND receive appropriate support to help them learn alongside their classmates. This helps all pupils to learn with minimal distraction and to get the most from their lessons.

Leaders prioritise pupils' wider development.

Pupils understand what it means to have healthy relationships. They spoke sensitively about different types of family units. Pupils enjoy helping others.

They raise funds for charities, pick up litter in the local area and distribute fruit and vegetables to the local social supermarket. Pupils are well prepared to make a positive contribution to British society.

Governors are kept well informed by leaders and know the school well.

They provide effective challenge and support to leaders. This helps leaders to secure the best possible outcomes for all pupils. Staff, including teachers at the early stages of their career, appreciate leaders' and governors' actions to support their workload and well-being.

Staff morale is high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know pupils, their families and the school's context well.

They are acutely aware of the potential risks that pupils may face in the local community. A range of visitors, including representatives from the police force and the prison service, talk to pupils about these risks and how they can safely manage them.

Staff are well trained.

They are vigilant about pupils' safety and well-being. They know how to record any concerns that they may have about pupils. Leaders are tenacious in following up these concerns.

They ensure that vulnerable pupils receive the timely support that they need. This includes support with mental health needs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not finalised the key content that pupils need to know in a small number of subjects.

This sometimes prevents teachers from building pupils' learning effectively within and across lessons. Pupils' learning is less secure in these subjects as a result. Leaders should refine their curricular thinking in these remaining subjects so that teachers know exactly which key knowledge pupils should learn and the order in which this should be taught.