The Priory Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are enthusiastic learners. They are confident and keen to discuss what they are learning. Teachers strive for pupils to achieve well in all subjects.

Pupils can make links with knowledge that they have learned before. For example, pupils in Year 4 enjoyed learning about Viking law and order. They compared this with gruesome Anglo-Saxon punishments.

One pupil described the Vikings as being 'more mature' in their response to crime.

The school's curriculum springs from their 'we care' learning characteristics. These are: working together; enthusiasm; creativity; ambition; reflection; and enquiring.

Pupils learn to empathise with ot...hers. They consider the 'statements to live by' as a moral focus when discussing current events.

Pupils are polite and well behaved.

They show good manners to all. Pupils respect each other's differences. Incidents of bullying are very rare.

Pupils know that a few of them need extra help to manage their emotions. They have confidence that staff will deal with any incidents of poor behaviour and they feel safe at school.

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

Leaders want pupils to gain a broad range of knowledge which will help them to discover where their talents lie.

The curriculum is well organised. It is designed to help pupils remember what they have learned and to build on previous learning. Pupils behave well in class.

They have positive attitudes to learning and they achieve well.

Leaders have made sure that phonics lessons follow a consistent structure. Pupils are very familiar with the routines.

This helps them to remember sounds and apply them when reading and writing. Teachers are passionate about developing pupils' love of reading. Teachers read to pupils with great gusto.

Their storytelling has pupils rapt and wanting to hear more.

Due to some weaker teaching in the past, some pupils in key stage 2 cannot read as well as they need to. Leaders have put in place a programme to help these pupils catch up.

However, a few pupils are still a long way behind where they need to be.

In mathematics, what pupils learn builds on what they have learned before. Teachers revise previous knowledge to make sure that it sticks in pupils' memories.

They check that pupils have grasped a concept before they move on to more demanding tasks. However, occasionally, teachers do not check quickly enough that pupils are ready for more demanding work.

Teachers find creative ways to help pupils develop their knowledge.

They make links between subjects when it is appropriate to do so. When they were learning about the Great Fire of London, pupils learned that oxygen will make a fire bigger. In design and technology, pupils used a spider chart to score how effective their designs were.

Teachers ensure that pupils use the correct vocabulary. Pupils in Year 1 were correctly using words such as 'apex' when they were designing swings.

Staff adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Whatever their need, staff want these pupils to achieve well. Pupils who need extra help to develop their self-esteem visit the school's nurture group. This is helping them to do better in class.

Sometimes, pupils in the same year group do not learn from the same curriculum as their classmates. The content of the curriculum for these few pupils is not ambitious enough for them to achieve as well as they could. Some pupils can do more than staff ask of them.

In the early years, subject leaders work alongside teachers to plan what they want children to learn. This helps children to acquire the knowledge they will need when they move into key stage 1. Staff know what children in the early years should be able to do.

They use this knowledge well to help children to build on what they have learned before. Children in the early years are inquisitive. They play well together.

Pupils understand that it is fine to make mistakes and that they can learn from them. Pupils talk confidently about, and show respect for, a range of different faiths and cultures. They have a wide range of opportunities in school.

They can join eco club or learn how to meditate. Older pupils help younger ones at lunchtime and with their reading.

Leaders are aware of staff well-being and make adaptations to reduce unnecessary workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that staff know the potential dangers that pupils may face. Staff have had extra training on spotting concerns.

These include the impact of domestic violence and knife crime. Staff know the latest guidance for keeping pupils safe. When they have concerns about pupils, leaders make referrals to other agencies.

They know families well and work closely with them to provide support when needed.

While leaders keep records of safeguarding concerns, these are not as well organised as they could be. This can mean that information is not readily accessible for leaders to scrutinise.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some of the pupils' records for behaviour and safeguarding are disorganised. Some information about pupils is not kept together. Leaders must implement a system for safeguarding and behaviour record-keeping which is well organised.

. The expectations of pupils in some year groups are not the same as they are for other pupils. Pupils do not have the same access to the curriculum, and staff do not expect enough of some pupils.

Leaders must ensure that pupils have access to a curriculum with equal scope and ambition. . Leaders have recognised that some pupils in key stage 2 cannot read well enough.

The school's programme to help pupils catch up is beginning to help these pupils but some are still a long way behind. Leaders should ensure that the support these pupils receive targets their needs and enables them to catch up quickly. .

Occasionally, teachers wait too long before they provide pupils with work that is appropriately demanding. A few pupils could accomplish more. Leaders must ensure that teachers recognise when to make adaptations to the curriculum to enable pupils to achieve highly.