St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and participate actively in lessons. They encourage each other to never give up.

Pupils trust adults at the school, who keep them safe and happy. Staff address any worries, including bullying, quickly.

Leaders expect all pupils to achieve highly.

Staff inspire pupils to always do their best, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is broad and ambitious.

Pupils behave sensibly because there are clear routines that they consistently follow.

They understand the school's values and positively relate them to their own lives. This begins in the early years. Interactions betw...een staff and children are positive and polite.

Pupils use good manners.

Pupils enjoy the times they come together as a whole-school community. For example, they sing songs and say prayers when they gather for weekly assemblies.

Pupils appreciate their roles and responsibilities as prayer leaders and eco-warriors. Staff organise play activities and games to promote pupils' physical development. This is further enhanced through a developing range of sports clubs and swimming lessons in Year 2.

Recent changes to school leadership have led to significant improvements, which are valued by staff. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that sets out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they want pupils to understand.

Learning progresses in a logical way, including from early years. For example, pupils in Year 6 used their scientific knowledge to compare inherited and environmental characteristics in humans and animals. Staff in the early years help children get off to a good start.

For example, children learned to count accurately with the help of objects. This supports pupils to be ready for demanding calculations and mathematical problems in Year 1.

Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to revisit and practise what they have learned.

This helps pupils to remember more complex ideas as they go through the school. Typically, teachers check what pupils remember. They address misconceptions or any gaps in individual pupil's knowledge.

Occasionally, teachers do not make sure that lessons build on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, opportunities to deepen pupils' understanding are not maximised.

Leaders identify pupils with SEND in a timely way.

They ensure that they train staff effectively to meet these pupils' needs. Pupils with SEND receive appropriate help to access the same curriculum as their peers, where appropriate.Leaders place high value on helping pupils to be fluent readers.

The consistent delivery of the phonics programme enables pupils to achieve this ambition. Leaders train staff to support children in learning letter sounds from the moment they start school. Teachers use books closely matched to the sounds pupils know.

Leaders provide additional opportunities for pupils at risk of falling behind in their reading. Pupils use their knowledge of segmenting and blending sounds to read texts fluently. All pupils spoken to said that they enjoy reading and being read to.

Pupils concentrate in lessons, and learning continues without disruption. In the early years, adults use techniques to encourage children to develop perseverance. Adults support children in understanding the importance of 'gathering as a community'.

Children learn about how things are better done together and with others.

The programme for personal, social, health, economic and relationships is well considered. It helps pupils to learn about respecting other religions and valuing their own faith.

Teachers support pupils to have strong moral awareness of what is right and wrong. Leaders promote pupils' mental health and cultural development. They elect Year 6 pupils as 'cultural ambassadors' to support staff in promoting and celebrating diversity.

This includes through assemblies, community events and performances from the school choir.

Those responsible for governance have overseen some major changes to leadership. Leaders ensure that there are high expectations for all pupils.

The focus on consistency and challenge underpins leaders' approach to providing continuous school improvement. Staff were positive about leaders' support and consideration of their workload and well-being. Subject leaders have a secure understanding of their roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are knowledgeable about their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Adults are well trained in identifying risks of potential harm.

Leaders deal with any concerns swiftly. They work closely with external agencies in providing pupils and their families with the help they need.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum encourages pupils to stay safe in school, the community and online.

Pupils are taught about potential risks when using social media. Adults teach children in Reception to use tools correctly and safely when playing in the construction area. They encourage pupils in Year 2 to consider rules for taking medication safely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Sometimes, teaching does not build on what pupils already know and can do. When this happens, teaching does not deepen pupils' knowledge and understanding securely. Leaders need to make sure that all teaching builds progressively on the content that pupils have previously learned.