St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and feel safe in this warm and welcoming school community. Every pupil has the opportunity to flourish here. The school vision, 'Being the best we can be', is deeply embedded in every aspect of school life.

The school develops pupils' knowledge and confidence through a rich curriculum and thought-provoking experiences. Pupils excel in their learning. The school has high academic ambitions for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils are ri...ghtly very proud of the work that they produce in different subjects. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

They listen attentively, are highly motivated, and show respect and kindness to adults and each other. In early years, children are nurtured in a caring and purposeful environment. From the very start, they develop independence, respect and a love of learning.

The wider curriculum provides a variety of opportunities for promoting pupils' development as independent, confident and successful learners. High aspirations, centred on the school's values, permeate this school. Pupils live out these aspirations through presenting in assemblies, taking part in external competitions or engaging in fundraising activities.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious and carefully designed to ensure that all pupils acquire essential knowledge, vocabulary and skills. Pupils develop exceptionally detailed knowledge across subjects, which they recall with confidence and ease. The content is meticulously sequenced from the early years onwards, enabling pupils to build their learning progressively.

For example, in mathematics, children in Reception explore mathematical concepts such as 'more than' and 'less than'. Older pupils use this growing knowledge of number to solve increasingly complex problems. Similarly, in music, younger pupils focus on replicating rhythms.

As they progress, they apply this foundational understanding to perform, read musical notes notation and understand pitch.

Pupils with SEND are extremely well supported throughout the school. Their needs are identified early.

Precise information is provided so that staff know how to help them. Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and receive the support that they need to succeed.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum.

The school fosters a love of reading across all year groups. For example, older pupils enthusiastically participate in the 'rainbow' reading challenges, which skilfully encourage them to explore a wide range and depth of books. Staff are well trained in the school's agreed phonics programme, teaching and modelling sounds with precision.

Regular checks on pupils' learning enable staff to identify and address any gaps in their phonics knowledge. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. This helps them to read fluently and with confidence and enjoyment.

In early years, language and number are threaded through carefully designed activities. Adults guide children's learning through conversations that prompt thinking and expand language. Consequently, children confidently use subject-specific vocabulary, such as 'full' or 'half empty', when discussing capacity in mathematics.

Pupils demonstrate exceptional respect for one another, articulating their thoughts and feelings with remarkable clarity. Their exemplary attitudes create a positive learning environment where everyone can learn without disruption. In the early years, children quickly learn routines and expectations, transitioning seamlessly between activities and behaving impeccably.

Adults play a vital role in supporting children to develop secure social and emotional skills, providing them with the foundation for future success. The school remains unwavering in its commitment to maintaining high attendance among all pupils. As a result, this has been successful, as pupils attend regularly and on time.

The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop and nurture their talents and interests. Pupils take on responsibilities such as pupil chaplains or members of the pupil parliament, both of which are elected democratically by their peers. Through these roles, they engage in extensive charity work, develop leadership skills and contribute to the school's community-centred ethos.

Pupils demonstrate exceedingly mature attitudes when discussing values such as equality and respect for diversity, recognising that everyone should be treated fairly. Pupils are prepared well for the move to secondary school. For example, they learn about important topics such as knife crime, bus safety and road safety through police-led workshops.

Leaders and governors place pupils at the heart of every decision, ensuring their needs shape the school's direction and actions. At all levels, leaders' passion, rigour and determination have upheld the excellent standards since the last inspection. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about how the school supports their children to succeed, both academically and pastorally.

Staff take pride in working at the school. They value the dedicated support that they receive to develop professionally and manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in June 2019.