St Philip’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Philips Catholic Primary School is a welcoming school.

Pupils enjoy their education. They are motivated and eager to learn. Pupils are happy and feel safe in school.

Relationships between pupils and adults are caring and respectful.

Staff have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These expectations are realised as pupils learn well and achieve well.

The school environment is calm and orderly. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. Pupils understand the school's behaviour policy, which is applied fairly and consistently.

They show respect to...wards each other and adults. The rare cases of bullying are dealt with swiftly and decisively by staff.

Pupils appreciate the responsibilities they carry out in a range of leadership roles as school councillors, sports leaders and librarians.

In these positions, they act as positive role models for younger pupils. Pupils know what it is to be a good citizen and know the importance of respect and helping others. Pupils take opportunities to join in with a range of extra-curricular clubs, including different sporting and creative activities.

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

The school has introduced an ambitious curriculum. The important knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn is identified in the curriculum. For each subject, the curriculum is clearly sequenced for every year group, including early years.

In the core curriculum of English and mathematics, pupils typically achieve well. However, in some foundation subjects, the curriculum is less securely developed and pupils do not learn as deeply where this is the case.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They regularly check what pupils know. Teachers use this information to plan the next steps for pupils. They provide opportunities in lessons for pupils to recap and remember prior learning.

This helps them to embed important knowledge in their memory. For example, in geography, there are regular opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of maps.

Pupils with SEND have their needs accurately identified and their needs are met well.

Many of these pupils require support for speech and language. Staff receive training to help them to support pupils with SEND. The school works closely with outside agencies to help these pupils.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum. The school's chosen scheme for teaching reading is used consistently by teachers. Pupils' progress in reading is checked regularly.

When pupils struggle or slip behind, they are well supported to keep up. Pupils read every day which helps them to develop their confidence with reading. A new library has been introduced in the school recently.

Pupils are very proud of the library and love to visit to enjoy high-quality books. Pupil librarians help to inspire a love of reading in their younger peers.

Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

These expectations are met. Pupils respond positively to teachers' instruction and direction.The majority of pupils have high attendance.

The school has effective systems in place to ensure that those pupils who do not attend school regularly are encouraged to do so.

Children in early years behave well. Clear routines have been established.

They have a strong start to their education. The children grow in independence and resilience. They show sustained concentration when accessing well-planned activities.

Adults focus on the development of children's communication and language. The early years curriculum prepares the children well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils learn how to live healthy lifestyles through the curriculum for personal, social and health education.

They believe in treating people fairly and are tolerant of differences between people. They have a strong commitment to the school's Christian ethos. However, pupils do not have a good understanding of faiths beyond their own and their understanding of different cultures is not fully developed.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents through a variety of clubs. Pupils are supported to develop character and a sense of community commitment. They know the importance of contributing to society through volunteering.

Pupils raise money for charity.

Leaders and governors are ambitious and have high expectations of all pupils. Parents speak highly of the school.

Governors know the school well. They understand their role and make visits to the school to monitor the impact of decisions. The school benefits from collaborations with other schools and external agencies.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is not securely embedded. As a result, pupils do not learn the curriculum as thoroughly in some subjects as they do in others.

The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is securely and consistently embedded in all subjects across the curriculum. ? Pupils do not have a secure understanding about the breadth of different cultures and faiths in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum contains opportunities for pupils to experience other cultures and faiths, so that they have a deeper understanding of different cultures and world religions.

Also at this postcode