St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, Horsham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils.

There is a calm and orderly environment across the school. Pupils behave well. The school's culture is one of kindness and caring, which reflects the school's motto.

Pupils are polite and respectful, and show consideration towards everyone in the school. Children in Reception settle quickly and make a positive start.

Pupils' personal development is a strength of the school.

Staff are determined to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and for them to make a positive contribution to society. The curriculum extends well beyond the academic. Pupils are well supported to become resilient and independent ...learners.

They learn about British values and how these complement the school's values within their weekly assemblies and follow-on class work.

Pupils feel safe here. The school is inclusive.

Pupils genuinely care and look after each other. They are encouraged to attend extra-curricular activities which include sport, choir, drama and art. Pupils are keen to talk about the sports club they attend.

They are very proud of their gardening club and how they tend and care for the 'reflection' garden.

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

The school is well led. Leaders have developed a broad and interesting curriculum that is ambitious, including for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

This means that all pupils learn the intended curriculum.

Leaders have ensured that curriculum planning starts with Reception and is carefully sequenced as pupils move into key stage 1 and beyond. Pupils learn well in mathematics and English.

However, in some subjects, teachers are not clear enough about the key knowledge pupils will learn. Additionally, sometimes, they move on without checking that pupils have a secure understanding of what is being taught.

Reading is prioritised by leaders across the school.

Pupils start learning phonics as soon as they start Reception. They quickly become confident in their reading and love books due to the strength of provision in early years. All staff have received training to enable them to model and teach the adopted phonics programme effectively.

Pupils enjoy reading and achieve well. The school's focus on early reading sets a solid foundation for pupils on which they build in later years.

Pupils are confident mathematicians.

Children in Reception enjoy learning about number. They practise their addition skills during child-led activities and praise each other excitedly when they are successful. The extensive provision for early years children enables them to learn well through both child-led and adult-led activities.

The most-able mathematicians are challenged well in upper key stage 2 and admitted to an inspector that 'maths can be hard'. Skilled teaching assistants are used well to support pupils who are in danger of falling behind.

Teachers assess pupils' learning through questioning, formal quizzes and tests.

This helps them to quickly identify any gaps in learning and ensure that these are filled. Despite this, opportunities for pupils to practise and extend their writing in some subjects are limited. The quality of pupils' writing across the wider curriculum is often not as strong as the consistently high-quality work seen in English and mathematics.

The school's work on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is extensive. Leaders have taken deliberate action to ensure pupils' personal development is a real focus. Pupils' voices are valued within the school.

The school council was instrumental in the establishment of the sensory bus, which supports numerous pupils at break time. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn about a variety of beliefs to increase their understanding and tolerance. The school's relationships and sex education programme supports pupils in understanding other peoples' views and opinions.

Pupils are encouraged to show respect for everyone and know that discrimination in any form is unacceptable. Theyalso benefit from a wide range of additional opportunities, such as clubs, music lessons and residential trips. These enable pupils to develop many skills and talents.

Staff make sure that all pupils can participate equally, regardless of ability or background.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is recognised as very important for all staff.

Everyone attends annual safeguarding training and this is reinforced with additional training and briefing updates throughout the year. The safeguarding leads all complete a refresher course each year.

All staff know what to do with any safeguarding concerns.

The safeguarding team follows up all referrals with tenacity and determination. Concerns and safeguarding records are well documented with details of actions taken and their impact. Leaders work well with external agencies and respond swiftly to any recommendations received.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, such as physical education and geography, some teachers are not clear about the precise knowledge that they want pupils to retain. Additionally, sometimes, they do not check that pupils understand what they have learned before moving on. As a result, pupils do not make the progress they could, due to gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders and governors need to ensure that those less-developed subjects are as precisely mapped and assessed as the core subjects. ? In some subjects, pupils' writing is very brief, poorly presented and does not use correct grammar or punctuation. It is not as strong as in mathematics and English.

Teachers' expectations are not high enough. As a result, opportunities for pupils to practise and improve their writing are limited. Leaders need to ensure that staff challenge pupils to improve their writing in a consistent manner across all subjects.