St William’s Catholic Primary School, Pilling

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy coming to this school.

Pupils are keen to play their part in making sure that everyone feels welcome. New pupils who join the school quickly make friends. Many pupils spoke about their strong friendships as a reason why they are happy at school.

Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to and help them with any worries or concerns. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well both academically and in terms of their personal development. Pup...ils strive to meet these ambitions. Most pupils achieve well.

Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Many pupils are polite and respectful to staff and one another. They do their best to treat others in the same way that they would like to be treated themselves.

If bullying does occur, leaders deal with it quickly.

Pupils are keen to take up responsibilities in the school. For example, reading ambassadors encourage younger pupils to read for pleasure and recommend books that others may enjoy.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Leaders have also considered what pupils, including two- and three-year-olds, should learn and when this content should be taught. In the main, the order in which pupils learn important knowledge helps them to know more and remember more over time.

However, in a small number of subjects other than English and mathematics, the order in which leaders have set out the key knowledge does not enable pupils to build on what they already know. This hinders some pupils' progress in these subjects.

In many areas of the curriculum, teachers provide pupils with learning activities that help them to achieve well.

Leaders have provided teachers with appropriate subject-specific training and support. This has helped teachers to develop their skills and knowledge of how to teach these subject curriculums effectively. In these subjects, teachers check routinely on what pupils know and remember.

This helps teachers to identify and address any gaps and misconceptions. Pupils achieve well.

Conversely, in a few subjects, teachers do not have the subject knowledge they need to effectively deliver the intended curriculums.

This hinders teachers in designing learning activities which help pupils to deepen their subject knowledge. As a result, pupils' learning is less secure. They have gaps in their understanding of some key knowledge and concepts.

Leaders prioritise developing children's love of reading from the start of the two-year-old provision. Children in the early years and across the school regularly experience the pleasure that comes from having a book read to them. Children begin the phonics programme as soon as they join the Reception Year.

They quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Staff ensure that children learn to write the letters that represent the different sounds with increasing accuracy. The books that pupils read closely match the sounds that they have learned.

Leaders provide timely extra support for those pupils who struggle to keep up. Most pupils become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 1.

Leaders have effective systems to identify the needs of pupils with SEND.

Teachers ably adapt how they deliver the curriculum for pupils with SEND. These pupils achieve well.

Children in the early years cooperate well with one another and readily follow the established routines.

Across the school, most pupils display positive attitudes towards learning and are attentive in lessons. This allows pupils to learn without interruption.

Leaders place high importance on fostering pupils' wider development.

Pupils are supported to be responsible citizens. Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to help others through activities such as fundraising for a local food bank. Older pupils develop their knowledge of managing money and they understand the differences between wants and needs.

Pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their talents and interests through clubs such as chess and archery.

The governing body have a strong focus on the quality of education across the school. They support and challenge leaders well.

Leaders are considerate of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures. Staff are positive about working at the school. They value the support that they receive from leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff have regular safeguarding training. This helps staff to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Staff follow clear procedures to report any concerns that they may have about a pupil. Leaders respond to concerns in a timely manner. They work well with other professionals and external organisations to help pupils and their families access any additional support that they may need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe when playing or studying online. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information and reporting any concerns to a trusted adult. Pupils learn about pedestrian road safety and safety associated with riding a bike.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of wider curriculum subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking is not clear. Leaders have not set out the key knowledge in a logical order that enables pupils to build on previous learning. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they should.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in these subjects is ordered so that pupils build on what they already know and develop a deep body of knowledge over time. ? In one or two subjects, teachers do not design learning activities that support pupils to know and remember more over time. Leaders should ensure that in these subjects, teachers implement the curriculum effectively, to enable pupils to deepen their knowledge and develop their understanding over time.