St Thomas More Catholic First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at St Thomas More Catholic First School. The school is at the centre of the community, and it is an inclusive and welcoming place. Pupils are proud to attend the school.

They report that 'everyone gets along and looks out for each other in our school'.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

They show high levels of respect for one another. Pupils understand the school rules and follow them well. They listen carefully and are eager to learn.

There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school.

The personal development offer in the school is of an ...exceptionally high quality. Pupils, as well as parents and carers, value the wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities on offer.

These enhance pupils' strengths, talents and well-being. They are accessible for all pupils and participation is high. The curriculum is successfully designed to enrich pupils' lives and develop their character.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in the wider community. Relationships are positive between adults and pupils. Pupils say that adults listen to them and support them with any worries.

The school has an accurate understanding of pupils' individual needs. Pastoral support for pupils is strong.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum.

Learning is well sequenced, so that pupils build their knowledge successfully over time. Pupils recap their prior learning at the beginning of lessons. This helps them to consolidate their understanding.

The school has focused on improving pupils' foundational knowledge in mathematics and English. As a result, pupils' fluency and confidence has increased, resulting in improving outcomes. The implementation of the curriculum in mathematics and English is consistent across the school.

For example, mathematics lessons across the school follow the same lesson structure. This routine enables pupils to access new learning, practise and then apply this to mathematical problems.Reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

This starts in the early years, where children learn phonics as soon as they start at the school. They quickly gain the knowledge that they need to be able to blend sounds together to read simple words. The reading curriculum is well organised and sets out what pupils should know and by when.

All staff have the expertise to ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. The school regularly checks pupils' phonics knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need.

Reading books match pupils' phonics knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency. Teachers read and discuss high-quality texts with their classes.

As a result, pupils develop their reading skills and a passion for reading.The school recognises that the curriculum needs further embedding as it is still new. For example, in some wider curriculum subjects the school has not yet identified the precise knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember.

As a result, pupils do not always gain the depth of understanding that they need to make links with previous learning. Therefore, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could.

Children in the early years get off to a flying start.

They settle quickly and learn important routines to help them develop their independence. The curriculum is designed well to match children's abilities and interests. Children interact well with each other because staff make skilled use of their expertise and resources to model and encourage this.

Well-designed activities skilfully challenge children's thinking. Children work well together to solve problems. They share their work with pride, explaining enthusiastically what they have done.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Learning is adapted effectively to meet the needs of all pupils. Consequently, pupils with SEND make strong progress throughout the curriculum, in line with their peers.

They participate fully in all aspects of school life in this very inclusive school.

Pupils have many meaningful opportunities to develop a sense of responsibility. They take on leadership roles through the future leaders programme.

Pupils can apply for a variety of roles to make a difference in the school and beyond. For example, library ambassadors organise the school library. In addition, they work alongside librarians in the local community library, which is regularly used by pupils.

The curriculum emphasises the importance of fundamental British values. This is effective and pupils have a detailed grasp of elements, such as democracy. Leaders are adept at monitoring the personal development offer and addressing any gaps.

This means that pupils' understanding of the world around them is consistently and effectively realised at an age-appropriate level.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the training they receive and feel well supported by school leaders and the trust.

Trustees and local governors have a thorough understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for improvement. They provide meaningful support and challenge to the school. Parents are very positive about the school.

They are supportive and value the school's importance in the community. Parents comment on the rapid improvement the school has made.

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 wider curriculum subjects, where recent changes have been made, the school has not yet fully identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and by when. Where this is the case, pupils do not gain the depth of understanding they require to make connections with prior learning. The trust needs to ensure that the essential knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is identified in all subjects across the curriculum.