St Thomas More Catholic First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement Outcomes for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 started to fall sharply soon after the last inspection in 2012. Until recently governors had not provided sufficient challenge to leaders about declining outcomes.

Not enough pupils currently in school, especially lower-attaining pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, have made rapid progress in key stages 1 and 2 Teaching does not provide a consistent enough challenge for the most able pupils. As a result, few pupils are working at a high standard or in greater depth in reading, writing and mathematic Phon...ics is not taught consistently well in key stage 1. Teachers do not follow the school's policy on written feedback closely enough.

Leaders do not monitor with enough rigour the impact of additional support, including the nurture group, provided by additional adults, nor hold additional adults sufficiently to account for their performance. The quality of monitoring of teaching and learning, as well as the modelling and sharing of best practice, is uneven across the leadership team. The school has the following strengths Some of the teaching in the school is of a high standard, enabling some pupils to make rapid progress.

Provision and leadership in early years has significantly improved and is now good. Pupils behave well and usually have positive attitudes towards their learning. Leaders promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

Pupils feel safe as a result of the strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Parents spoken to, or responding to surveys, were unanimous in their praise of the school.

Information about this school

St Thomas Catholic First School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The current headteacher was appointed in 2013. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average, as is the level of social deprivation in the local area. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average and on a rising trend.

There have been a very small number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan in the last two years. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is high and on a rising trend. Just over half of pupils are White British which is below the national average.

The highest minority ethnic group is White Other which includes an increasing proportion of pupils from a Polish background. The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about its accessibility plan and future planned spending for the PE and sport premium funding for primary schools on its website. The school has not been assessed against the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6, as there are no pupils in Year 6.