St Wulstan’s Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Wulstan's Catholic Primary School is a vibrant and nurturing place to learn.

Pupils are proud of their school. Many of them told inspectors that they consider it to be a fun place where they can make new friends easily. Many parents and carers said that staff go out of their way to support them and their children.

Pupils, including children in the early years, understand the school rules and values, and they are keen to model these in their actions each day. They are kind to each other and they enjoy all aspects of school life. This is especially the case regarding the clubs and enrichment activities on offer.

Pupils can play several different sports, beco...me school leaders and participate in a range of community events. For instance, pupils enjoy singing to residents of local hospices. They are also eager to promote recycling projects to help members of the local community look after the planet.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils know that bullying or poor behaviour will not be tolerated by staff. They are confident that they can tell any adult if anything is worrying them and that they will receive help if they need it.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly.

This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy their lessons. They are eager to share what they know already and how this helps them with new learning.

In the main, pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

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

Leaders have carefully designed a curriculum that is suitably ambitious for pupils, including children in the Reception class. Leaders support staff in the early years to design learning that helps children learn all that they should.

As a result, they are prepared well for the demands of Year 1.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable. They have designed learning in a logical order and they are clear about what pupils should know and remember from the Reception Year to Year 6.

This helps teachers to design learning confidently and to select suitable activities for pupils to deepen their knowledge over time.

For the most part, staff use assessment strategies well to identify where pupils may have forgotten earlier learning. However, from time to time, some teachers do not identify and address pupils' misconceptions sufficiently well.

This prevents some pupils from building securely on earlier learning and hinders them when they encounter more complex concepts.

Leaders have ensured that staff are equipped to deliver the phonics and early reading curriculum consistently well. Those pupils who struggle to keep up with the reading programme receive appropriate support from staff.

This helps these pupils to catch up rapidly with their peers. Staff ensure that pupils read books that match the letter sounds that they know. This supports pupils to read with confidence and fluency.

Pupils are exposed to a range of diverse books and reading experiences from the moment that they start in the Reception Year. Pupils enjoy hearing adults, including guest authors, read to them. Leaders work effectively with parents so that they can be involved in sharing their children's reading experiences.

Pupils are keen to use the 'book vending machine' and gain certificates for reading.

Leaders have ensured that there are effective systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff receive appropriate training so that they can adapt how they deliver the curriculum and support pupils with SEND to achieve well.

For example, leaders seek advice from external agencies to ensure that this group of pupils receive suitable support from staff when needed.

Staff encourage pupils to be independent and curious. Pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.

Leaders have identified the characteristics that they want pupils to strengthen and develop. Pupils talked confidently to inspectors about how they learn to be better people such as by showing care and respect for others. That said, leaders have not ensured that some pupils have sufficient awareness of cultures that are different to their own.

Pupils are provided with a wide range of activities and experiences beyond the academic curriculum. For instance, leaders have ensured that the personal, social and health education curriculum supports pupils to look after their own well-being. Pupils access a wide range of opportunities and experiences that they may not have had otherwise.

For example, pupils were invited to the Houses of Parliament to celebrate the success of their recycling initiatives in the local community.

Leaders have been tenacious in improving pupils' rates of attendance. Staff provide appropriate support to pupils when they have been absent from school.

Governors have an accurate knowledge of the quality of education for pupils. They work closely with leaders to support them in continuing to make positive changes for pupils. Those responsible for governance hold leaders to account effectively.

Staff said that they feel valued by leaders and that their workload and well-being are considered fully when decisions are made. Staff consider leaders to be approachable and they are confident that any concerns that they may have will be heard.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff and governors are well trained to identify and support those pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff understand the procedures in place for reporting safeguarding concerns. Staff follow these processes diligently.

Leaders know their community well. They engage appropriately with external agencies when needed to secure timely support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online and when out and about in their local community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, some teachers do not identify and address pupils' misconceptions sufficiently well. This prevents some pupils from building securely on what they know already. Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported to use assessment strategies systematically to check that pupils have learned and understood earlier learning.

• Leaders have not ensured that some pupils learn about different cultures. As a result, some pupils do not have enough awareness of some cultures that are different to their own. Leaders should ensure that pupils have ample opportunities to develop their knowledge of different cultures and that teachers are supported well to deliver these aspects of the wider curriculum.

Also at this postcode