The Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and adults are strong. There is a strong sense of community within the school. Pupils develop well both academically and socially.

Pupils have opportunities to contribute to the school and wider community. They talk enthusiastically about how they raise money for different charities. This includes a fundraising fun run and donating flowers to a local nursing home.

Pupils understand the school's virtues well, such as resilience, forgiveness or self-control. They say that this helps them to contribute to the lives of others.

There is an ambitious academic curriculum in place for pupils.

Pupils enjoy their learning in differ...ent subjects. Leaders, staff, parents, carers and pupils understand that reading is the gateway to future learning. Reading is given the highest priority.

Pupils feel safe at this school. They know that if they are worried about something an adult will help them. Bullying does happen occasionally.

Adults take bullying seriously and deal with it effectively. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in lessons and during the less structured times of the school day. Leaders have ensured that there are clear routines in place.

Pupils have a positive attitude to their learning.

Pupils benefit from taking part in a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities.

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

Leaders have considered carefully how the school's curriculum begins in Reception and builds over time to Year 6 and beyond.

In subjects such as history and physical education (PE), pupils draw on their prior learning and subject-specific vocabulary well. Leaders have put systems in place to check what pupils know and remember. However, these checks are not carried out consistently.

This means that some teachers do not have a tight grip on the gaps in pupils' learning in some subjects.

Leaders prioritise teaching pupils to read. Children start the chosen phonics curriculum at the start of Reception.

Pupils are given books to read that match well the sounds that they have been taught. Pupils who need support with reading are identified quickly and are given the help they need. A love of reading is promoted throughout the school.

Each class has a well-stocked book corner that pupils use enthusiastically. Whole-class story time happens every day. Pupils enjoy books by a range of modern authors.

For example, the oldest pupils particularly enjoyed reading 'Boy 87', by Ele Fountain.

Children in the early years get a strong start to their education. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and are ambitious for all pupils to be ready for Year 1.

Staff use every opportunity to support children's learning. They look for opportunities to develop children's vocabulary. The activities children complete are chosen carefully to give the best opportunities for learning.

There are clear routines in place which help children to become independent and resilient learners.Leaders promote fundamental British values well. Pupils develop their understanding of these through studying democracy, or the rule of law.

Pupils learn about different world faiths. They demonstrate an awareness of the wider world. They understand, and show respect for, the differences between people.

They learn about the harm caused by treating people unfairly because of their race, gender, age or religion. Leaders are preparing pupils to understand what it means to live in modern Britain.

Pupils learn important information about healthy relationships.

Leaders plan this carefully through personal, social and health education. Pupils learn about how to look out for signs that a relationship might not be a positive one. They understand some of the important concepts, such as giving consent.

Teachers deliver these topics using age-appropriate resources, such as stories.

Leaders have introduced clear systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND.

However, some of the targets to help pupils with SEND improve are not precise enough. This means that the support put in place to help these pupils is not as well matched to their needs as it could be.

Governors support and challenge leaders.

They know the school well and can articulate its strengths. Leaders are considerate of staff well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are clear systems in place to record and act on any concerns. Leaders have ensured that there is a culture of safeguarding. All adults receive regular training.

Leaders check that staff are using what they have learned in their training.Staff know how to raise concerns. Concerns are managed effectively by leaders.

Pupils and families who need support receive it in a timely manner. Leaders work hard to make sure that external agencies give families support if it is needed. Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The way that teachers use assessment to plan pupils' next steps varies across curriculum subjects. As a result, some teachers sometimes plan work which does not revisit the missing pieces of knowledge that pupils need to remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers assess consistently to plan work which is matched precisely to what pupils know and need to learn next.

• Some of the targets that teachers set for pupils with SEND are not specific enough. The support that pupils receive is not consistently matched to their needs to ensure that they are successful. Leaders should ensure that targets for pupils with SEND are clear and measurable and that the provision being put in place to achieve these targets is regularly reviewed and refined.

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