St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are happy and safe here.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and based on mutual respect. Staff have high expectations for all pupils' achievement, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm and orderly.

All staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour at all times. In the playground, pupils enjoy the large outside area. They use the equipment the school has provided for them at playtimes collaboratively and sensibly.

Through the curriculum and extra-curricular activities, the trust and school leade...rs have made sure that all pupils access a broad range of experiences. Pupils enjoy karate, tennis and gymnastics taught as part of their physical education (PE) curriculum and clubs. Older pupils enjoy their residential trips.

The school includes pupils' views considerately and considers them when making changes in the school. Pupils take their roles in the 'pupil Parliament' seriously. There is a strong sense of community feel.

Every year group chooses a charity to raise money for.

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

School leaders work closely with trust leaders to improve the quality of education. They make sure that the curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious for all pupils, including all pupils with SEND.

The curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils secure the knowledge they need before progressing to more complex ideas. For example, children in early years learn to name materials around their school environment. This helps pupils in Year 1 to identify why materials are used for different purposes.

Typically, teachers check pupils' understanding well. On occasion, teaching does not correct pupils' misconceptions. This means pupils continue to make the same mistakes.

The school has prioritised training for all staff so that staff use resources well. This has meant that teachers are able to deliver most of the curriculum confidently. On occasion, teaching does not implement the ambitious aims of the curriculum in subjects consistently well.

This limits pupils' deeper knowledge and understanding.

Leaders' curricular thinking is well developed and starts sequentially for the early years. Children have high-quality interactions with adults.

They transition seamlessly into Year 1. Teachers support pupils to develop subject-specific knowledge and skills well across the school.

The school has invested time and money in embedding a new phonics programme.

All teaching staff have undertaken training. Staff deliver the phonics lessons consistently. They use resources well to help pupils to read confidently.

This helps pupils to be well familiar with the strategies and routines. Staff guide pupils expertly in using the appropriate strategies to decode unknown words. The books that pupils read closely match the sounds they know.

The school identifies the pupils who have fallen behind and puts effective support in place for individual pupils. As a result, any pupils who fall behind with their reading rapidly catch up with their peers. Staff promote the love of reading every day.

A carefully selected range of books in each classroom ensures that pupils get to listen to and/or read a rich variety of texts.

Leaders manage support for pupils with SEND well. Effective systems are in place for identifying pupils' needs, staff training, assessment and reviewing pupils' progress.

Staff are well supported to understand individual pupils' needs. The school uses specialist training and support so that pupils learn successfully.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.

They treat each other and adults with respect. Teachers make sure that any low-level disruption in lessons is dealt with immediately so that it does not have a negative impact on pupils' learning.

The school has made sure that pupils are taught about relationships and keeping healthy.

Pupils learn about British values as well as how to be good citizens. This is strengthened in assemblies and enriched through carefully planned school visits and visitors to the school.

Trust and school leaders have systems in place to check the work that they do.

They monitor the success of the changes they have implemented and swiftly identify next steps. Leaders take all reasonable steps to improve pupils' attendance.

Staff are proud to work here.

They said that their well-being is always considered. Trust and school leaders make sure that they make appropriate adaptations to reduce staff workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, teaching staff do not implement the ambitious aims of the curriculum in subjects consistently well. This means that pupils do not consistently develop a depth of knowledge in different subjects. The school should check that all staff implement the planned curriculum with precision and accuracy.

• On occasion, teachers do not pick up on pupils' misconceptions in their learning. As a result, pupils continue to make the same mistakes and are not fully ready for new content. The school must make sure that all teachers systematically identify pupils' misconceptions and address them in a timely manner.