St Clare's RC Primary School

Overview

This ungraded inspection confirms that St Clare’s RC Primary School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a “caring and happy school” where pupils’ “love of learning is nurtured” and they grow in confidence. Leaders and governors demonstrate detailed knowledge of the school, ensuring it remains a safe and impactful environment for its 236 pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils display “exemplary” behaviour in “calm, purposeful and orderly” classrooms, with bullying being “incredibly rare.”
• The curriculum is “well constructed,” with staff skilfully explaining new information and using “knowledge notes” to reinforce key vocabulary.
• Reading is a priority; staff teach phonics “effectively” from the early years, and books are chosen to “enthuse” pupils and introduce diversity.
• Early years provide “high-quality interactions” in a “warm and inviting space,” encouraging adventurous vocabulary through play.
• Personal development is strong, with pupils showing an “age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships” and pride in their leadership roles.

Areas to improve

• The review of SEND support plans is “not robust enough,” resulting in some pupils accessing work that is “too easy” rather than appropriately challenging.
• In some wider curriculum subjects, activities do not consistently support pupils to learn identified knowledge, meaning they do not remember what they have learned “with enough clarity.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”