St Teresa’s Catholic Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Smiles greet you everywhere at St Teresa's.

Pupils are happy, articulate and polite. Staff and pupils model the school 'SAINTS Beatitudes' of 'strive, accept, integrity, nurture, talent and service' through all aspects of school life. Together, everyone contributes passionately to this culture.

All staff have high expectations, and as a result, pupils achieve and behave well.Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary. Low-level disruption is incredibly rare and dealt with seamlessly.

Pupils love winning 'smileys' for their kind actions and hard work. Bullying is not tolerated. If it does occur, leaders investigate it well.

Leader...s make sure that staff listen and act on pupils' views. For example, pupils suggest ideas for clubs. Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer.

Many pupils love to sing in the choir. Older pupils enthusiastically told inspectors about the newly formed Gaelic football club. They are enjoying learning a new sport.

Pupils develop a strong sense of community. They look out for each other. For example, playground pals and peer mediators help empower pupils to solve minor conflicts for themselves.

Pupils support each other's well-being with determination.

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

Leaders have put in place an engaging curriculum. Pupils love learning and finding out more.

They try their best in lessons and produce work of high quality. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. For example, during the inspection, children in early years used admirable problem-solving skills to create handbags from junk materials.

Teachers provide children with many opportunities to make choices and be independent.

In some subjects, for example mathematics, the curriculum is well established. Teachers make sure that pupils revisit and practise previous learning.

As a result, pupils recall mathematical knowledge confidently. However, in other subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is very wide and there is much to cover.

Leaders have not yet identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember. This means that teachers do not always know precisely what to check and recap. On occasion, this hinders how well some pupils learn in these subjects.

Teachers have good subject knowledge and questioning skills. They explain new learning clearly and spot any misconceptions quickly. Leaders are quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Teachers strive to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers. In some subjects, this is successful. But pupils with SEND learn better in some subjects than others.

For example, in religious education, teachers design tasks carefully to make sure pupils with SEND are learning what is the most important. Where the curriculum is less exact, teaching lacks precision, and pupils with SEND are not able to build on what they already know.

Learning to read is a priority at St Teresa's.

From the start of Nursery, leaders make sure that children develop a love of reading through songs, stories and rhymes. Leaders have adopted a structured phonics programme. Children learn about letters and sounds in a logical order.

Leaders train staff well. Staff deliver the programme with clarity and expertise. As a result, children start learning to read quickly.

Leaders provide successful support for pupils who are catching up with their reading. Pupils talk fondly about the types of books and poems they enjoy reading.

Leaders support pupils' personal development well.

The personal, social, health and economic education programme builds pupils' knowledge of such topics as peer pressure and mental health. Pupils talk confidently about how to look after themselves through relaxation, meditation, exercise and healthy eating. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about equality and diversity.

Pupils consider how these issues affect their everyday lives and the lives of others thoughtfully. For example, in history in Year 6, pupils learn about the impact of the slave trade. They link this well to modern-day issues.

Staff are proud to work at the school and feel valued. There is a strong culture of mutual support amongst staff. Leaders support teachers in the early stage of their career particularly well.

Staff appreciate that leaders take account of their workload and well-being.

Those responsible for governance provide effective support and challenge. They know the school well and what could be even better.

The vast majority of parents express positive opinions about the school. For example, they value teachers' efforts to support their children academically and emotionally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Staff receive a range of effective training. They notice if a pupil is at risk of harm.

Staff understand what to do if they have a concern. When necessary, leaders make swift referrals to external agencies.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum includes relevant topics to help keep pupils safe now and in the future.

For example, leaders have recently introduced the dangers of vaping into the curriculum. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. Pupil digital leaders take an active role in ensuring that their friends understand online dangers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, teachers are not clear about the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember. This means that they cannot check that pupils have remembered the right content for future learning. Leaders should refine the curriculum so that teachers know the key information pupils should retain in all year groups from Nursery to Year 6.

• In some foundation subjects, staff do not adapt their teaching sufficiently well for pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND do not always learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff have the training and support they need so that they know how best to support pupils with SEND to learn well in all subjects.