St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. It is a welcoming place where pupils, parents and staff enjoy feeling part of a large family.

Pupils told us that they feel safe in school. This is because they are well looked after. Pupils are not worried about bullying.

They told us that it rarely happens. They are confident that adults would deal with any bullying if it did happen.

Pupils enjoy spending time together.

They behave well at social times and when they are working in lessons. Most pupils work hard because they want to do their best. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

Relationships at St Teresa's are very positive.

Healthy lifestyle...s are promoted by staff. Pupils know the importance of good physical and mental health.

They attend a variety of sports clubs and they are keen to take part in competitions with other schools. Pupils enjoy learning to play musical instruments and the opportunities they have to perform with the school choir.

Over the last two years pupils have not done as well as they might have, particularly in writing.

However, leaders are doing the right things to improve the quality of education. This work is having a positive impact on pupils' learning.

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

Leaders are ambitious for pupils to achieve well academically and personally.

They have recently introduced a new curriculum that is designed to achieve these aims. Individual subjects are well sequenced to ensure that pupils build knowledge as they move through the school. Alongside this, pupils consider 'big questions' that help them to make connections between what they are learning about.

For example, older pupils considered the themes of dignity and social justice during a topic on World War Two.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects. However, they are not given sufficient time to check the quality of education in their subjects.

This means that they are not able to identify where further improvements could be made.

Until recently, pupils have not made enough progress in writing. Current pupils' books show that this is now improving.

Learning is sequenced so that pupils deepen their knowledge of the features of different types of writing. In most classes, pupils apply this knowledge well when they write in a wide range of subjects. There is more work to do to ensure that this is happening as well in all year groups.

For example, sometimes teachers' expectations of how well pupils spell common words are not high enough.

Pupils learn to read as soon as they start in Reception. Phonics is taught well because teachers have good subject knowledge.

Teachers ensure that books are well matched to the sounds that pupils already know. Most pupils pass the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1. Pupils are encouraged to read for pleasure daily.

Pupils in key stage 2 told me about their favourite books and authors. Teachers make sure that pupils understand what they have read by asking them a broad range of questions.

Leaders have halted a decline in achievement in mathematics.

They ensure that pupils have opportunities to solve problems and to reason about their work. At the moment, pupils do not apply their knowledge to make links between mathematics and other subjects. This means that they do not deepen their knowledge as much as they could.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well in a wide range of subjects. This is because teachers appropriately adapt tasks to meet the needs of these pupils.

Children get off to a good start in Reception.

Staff make sure that learning is well matched to children's needs and interests. Children behave well because they know what is expected of them. The focus on developing skills in reading, writing and mathematics means that children are well prepared to move into Year 1.

Parents are encouraged to support their children at home, particularly with reading.

Pupils are pleased to take on special responsibilities. This includes being a member of the school council or a play leader.

Pupils in Year 6 willingly give up their free time to hear younger pupils read. Pupils know the importance of respecting differences. They are resolute that anyone is welcome at their school regardless of race, religion or disability.

Governors are dedicated to the success of the school. They know the strengths and areas for improvement. This is because they receive accurate reports from leaders.

Staff are happy to work at the school. They told us that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Most of the parents that we spoke to are positive about the school.

They told us that their children are happy, safe and doing well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained.

This happens through regular training and weekly updates. Staff know how to report any concerns about a pupils' welfare. They told us that they are encouraged to report all concerns no matter how small they might seem.

Leaders respond to these concerns appropriately. This means that the most vulnerable children get the help they need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are using the internet.

Older pupils learn what makes a safe relationship. Leaders help pupils to understand the risks in the local area.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have rightly focused on improving pupils' achievement in writing.

Current pupils' books show that most pupils are now building on what they already know and can do in this subject. However, some inconsistencies remain which hold back pupils' learning. This includes some teachers' expectations of how well pupils will spell well known words.

Leaders should ensure that pupils in all year groups are achieving as well as they can in writing. . At the moment, pupils have too few opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge in subjects other than mathematics.

This restricts their opportunities to further deepen their understanding of mathematics. Leaders should ensure that pupils have more opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge in subjects across the curriculum. .

Subject leaders are not being given enough time to check the quality of education in their subject. This means that they are not able to identify where further improvements could be made. They should be given the opportunity to check the implementation of the curriculum in their subject so that they can support further improvement.