St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Colchester

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Pupils have an outstanding education at St. Teresa's.

They are exceptionally well prepared for their futures both academically and in their personal development. The headteacher, senior leaders and governors are relentless in their drive to ensure pupils' outstanding achievement and the highest quality of teaching. They set very high expectations of all members of the school community and will settle for nothing less than the best.

Pupils in all year groups make outstanding progress. By the end of Year 6, pupils are at least one year ahead of those of a similar age in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Around a quarter ar...e two years ahead.

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those eligible for pupil premium funding make similar progress to their peers. More-able pupils make exceptional progress. Teachers expect them to do this and set them highly challenging tasks to make sure they do.

All staff set very high expectations for pupils' achievement; tasks are challenging. Basic skills are taught exceptionally well. Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to learning.

They say they 'love learning because : teachers make it fun', but they do not always respond rapidly to teachers' guidance in marked work. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. Older pupils provide excellent role models for the younger ones.

Imaginative learning opportunities provide pupils with many ways to apply their literacy, numeracy and research skills in many subjects, such as in science and history. Parents have a very positive view of the school. They are valued highly as co-educators of their children and have many opportunities to find out how their children are taught.

The school has not yet persuaded all parents that absence for holidays during term time is harmful to their children's educational aspirations.

Information about this school

St Teresa's Roman Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 July 2012. When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be 'good'.

This is a slightly smaller-than-average sized primary school. For the past three years there have been more girls than boys on roll and the school has been full. There are six single-age classes and a class for the Reception children.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is below average.

In this school, this extra funding is for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for pupils with a parent in the armed forces. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is rising and is broadly average. A few speak English as an additional language.

Since the previous inspection, there has been a change of half of the teaching staff; some newly qualified teachers and others who are at the early stages of their teaching careers have been appointed. The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school part way through their education. The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

There is a daily breakfast club during term time. This is managed by the governing body. The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education and is providing support to three primary schools.

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