St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their warm and welcoming school. They are happy and enjoy learning. The relationships between pupils and adults are respectful and caring, which helps pupils to feel valued and safe.

Pupils here are incredibly polite and well mannered. All staff have high expectations. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is highly positive.

Pupils are very focused on their learning. This plays a part in enabling pupils to achieve well. On the rare occasion low-level disruption occurs, it is dealt with quickly and it does not hold others back fro...m learning.

Pupils are kind and considerate of one another. Bullying is rare and pupils trust adults to sort out any issues for them. As one pupil put it, 'Teachers here are magic [in helping us with any friendship issues].'



Pupils learn about responsibility and leadership through opportunities such as being elected as a house captain or an eco-warrior. Those pupils who play a musical instrument are proud to play for the school community, as pupils enter and exit the hall for assemblies. Pupils take part in many extra-curricular activities and events, such as enterprise week and the citizenship scheme.

Through these experiences, they are taught, for example, about financial skills, sportsmanship, fire safety and physical health.

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

Leaders and staff focus on providing a high-quality education for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have designed an ambitious curriculum that is broad and balanced.

Starting from the early years, careful thought and planning has gone into identifying the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and the order they are going to do it. Key vocabulary has been selected for pupils to learn and remember in each subject. In designing the curriculum, leaders have thought about how to help pupils link what they already know with new learning.

Teachers use a range of helpful approaches to check what pupils know and understand. They also use a range of strategies to help pupils recall and revisit prior learning. This is helping pupils to learn well, and know more and remember more in the long term.

For example, in music, pupils can confidently articulate their understanding of the subject content studied in recent lessons and from previous years. One of the reasons pupils remember knowledge securely is that teachers set work that helps pupils to practise and apply new learning. However, in a few subjects, this approach is at the earlier stages of implementation.

As a result, pupils sometimes remember the activities they have completed rather than the key skills and knowledge identified by leaders.

Pupils with SEND learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Any additional needs are quickly identified, and staff have a clear understanding of what they are.

Adults adapt activities effectively in order to enable pupils with SEND to access the intended learning.

Early reading is prioritised by leaders. As soon as children start in Nursery, they begin their reading journey.

In Reception, children are systematically taught phonics and how to use this knowledge to read and spell words. This means as pupils move into Year 1 and beyond, they have strong foundations to build on and quickly become fluent readers. When needed, effective extra support is put in place to enable pupils to keep up with the phonics programme and practise their reading skills.

Leaders and staff promote a love of reading. Teachers read a wide range of high-quality books to pupils. Pupils enjoy opportunities to read for pleasure, such as using the new 'book nook' at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

Leaders, staff and governors have a shared vision to develop pupils as well-rounded individuals. They want all pupils to be prepared successfully for life beyond school. A relationship and sex education curriculum is taught from the early years upwards.

Pupils are taught how to identify and manage different emotions and feelings. They are also taught about what makes a strong friendship and how to deal with issues if they arise. Pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of equality and mutual respect.

They understand that everyone has the right to be treated equally. They are taught to respect the views and beliefs of others. This is reflected in their considerate behaviour and conduct in and around the school, and towards each other.

Physical health is also prioritised, for example through a daily run for 10 minutes for every class.

Governors are well informed about school performance. They have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development.

They provide the right balance of challenge and support to leaders.

Staff are proud to work here and appreciate working in a very supportive team. They said that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being, and they feel valued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors prioritise safeguarding. They have put in place a robust culture of safeguarding throughout the school.

Staff receive regular training. They know the signs of abuse and harm to look out for. Leaders make sure that staff report any concerns, no matter how small.

Leaders and staff share the attitude that 'it could happen here'. Clear reporting and recording systems are used by leaders and staff. Leaders use the information available to them to make sure that pupils are getting the support that they need and that appropriate action is being taken.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not as well embedded as it is in others.

At times, this results in pupils recalling the tasks that they have completed rather than remembering the knowledge and skills identified in curriculum planning. Leaders need to continue to support teachers to implement the curriculum in a way that enables pupils to grasp and recall essential knowledge in a secure manner.

Background

When we have judged a school 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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2017.