St Bede's Catholic Primary School

Overview: St Bede's Catholic Primary School is a well-performing school that has made significant improvements since the last inspection. Pupils are proud to be part of the community of learning and feel safe in school. The school has a clear focus on providing high-quality education to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths:

• Pupils' outcomes in national assessments across all key stages show steady improvement since the last inspection.
• Year 1 phonics results have improved over time and are now close to the national average.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress throughout the curriculum.
• Attendance has improved over time and is now well above national averages for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Pupils understand the school's high expectations for behaviour and behave calmly and respectfully at all times.
• The school has a well-sequenced curriculum that is enriched by regular educational visits and visitors.
• Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer.
• The school communicates with parents and carers well through face-to-face meetings, online apps, and regular newsletters.

Areas to improve:

• The development of pupils' foundational knowledge in writing, such as pencil grip and letter formation, is given lower priority throughout the school.
• The school should regularly evaluate the impact of the two new enhanced provisions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, focusing on how these support pupils' behaviour and academic progress across the school.
• Children's learning opportunities in the early years outdoor environment are as effective as those provided indoors, specifically in supporting children's language and vocabulary development.

Safeguarding: The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfilling their specific responsibilities and establishing an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.