St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders encourage pupils to develop a life-long love of learning here. Parents and carers typically said that the teachers are very helpful and that the school feels like a family.

Leaders have designed a curriculum across all subjects that is broad and balanced. It is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders also make sure that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, are fully included in the life of the school.

Pupils play together kindly at break and lunchtimes. Pupils are safe. Teachers address any silliness in class so that pupils return to learning quickly.

If there are any issues, teac...hers sort them out.

Pupils attend a range of clubs, including dance and movement, and construction toys. Leaders provide students with leadership opportunities.

Pupils are keen to become library monitors, house captains or a member of the school council. Two pupils become prime minister and deputy prime minister each year. Leaders also organise regular educational visits.

Pupils recently visited the British Museum, the Science Museum, a library and the seaside.

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

In many subjects, leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know, and when they want them to learn it. For example, in geography, leaders have outlined the locations and features of the natural world that pupils will know and the geography skills that they will develop by the end of Year 6.

Leaders have considered how pupils build this knowledge from the beginning of the early years.

In a few subjects, leaders have refined their curriculum thinking over many years. For example, leaders have thought very carefully about the choice of books that pupils read from Reception to Year 6.

This selection systematically expands pupils' vocabulary and their understanding of high-quality writing. This is reflected in the school's strong published academic outcomes in 2022 across several areas, including writing.

The approach to reading is well organised.

Leaders develop pupils' love of reading. Leaders organise regular sessions throughout the school week to support pupils to improve their fluency and confidence. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read quickly build up a love of books.

In a few subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is less well developed. In these subjects, the school has not identified in sufficient detail the exact knowledge and skills that pupils should learn and the order in which they learn them. Leaders are in the process of taking steps to address this.

Teachers check that pupils understand what they have been taught. For example, during a Year 1 phonics class, the teacher checked frequently that pupils understood and remembered what they had learned previously. In many subjects, teachers explain new information to pupils clearly and connect this information to facts and skills that pupils already know.

Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly. Once identified, leaders review the support that pupils receive and enhance this support if necessary. Leaders organise regular SEND training for staff so that they can adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

Leaders provide extra support for children with SEND as they enter the early years and when pupils move to secondary school.

Typically, pupils behave sensibly in class and when they move around the school. For example, in Reception, children followed well-practised routines and listened carefully to their teacher.

Pupils said that teachers use the school's behaviour systems fairly. Leaders work closely with families to support pupils to attend school every day.

Leaders have carefully planned the personal development curriculum so that it covers and revisits a broad range of topics by the end of Year 6.

For example, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, make friends and to resolve conflict.

Those responsible for governance regularly scrutinise the work of the school's leaders. They ensure that all pupils are treated equally and that leaders are held accountable for their decisions.

While leaders provide a range of regular professional development opportunities for staff, teachers have some gaps in their subject knowledge in a few subjects. Where this is the case, teaching is not delivered in these subjects as effectively as it could be. Staff appreciate the professional development opportunities that leaders provide.

Leaders are mindful of teachers' workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have up-to-date, clear and accurate safeguarding policies.

They make sure that teachers follow these policies. Teachers are aware of the local safeguarding risks that pupils may face. Teachers report quickly any concerns that they may have to senior leaders.

Leaders act on this information promptly and, where necessary, work closely with external partners to provide pupils with appropriate support. Pupils are taught to look after their own mental health as part of the school's personal development programme. Recently, visitors spoke to pupils about how to keep safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school has not isolated and sequenced the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember across all year groups. This means that, at times, pupils do not build their curriculum knowledge systematically and do not subsequently achieve as much as they could. The school should ensure that the core knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is clearly identified and sequenced in these subjects.

• In a few subjects, leaders' and teachers' subject knowledge is not as strong as it could be. This means that staff do not deliver the curriculum in these subjects as effectively as they could do and that pupils do not learn, and cannot do, as much as they should. The school should make sure that all leaders and teachers have equally strong subject knowledge across all subjects in the curriculum.