St Gregory and St Patrick's Catholic Infant School

Overview

The report describes a school where pupils are happy, behave well, and live out values of "kindness, friendship and respect." Leaders have designed a "broad and ambitious curriculum" and successfully improved attendance, with staff providing effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well, including those with additional needs, and are "curious and concentrate well on their learning."
• The school has "successfully fostered a love of reading" through a consistent phonics programme that helps pupils become "confident and fluent readers."
• Staff create a "nurturing environment" that encourages play, exploration, and the development of social skills such as turn-taking and sharing.
• Governors "know the school well" and provide effective support, while staff feel "valued and supported" by leadership efforts to reduce workload.
• Pupils benefit from rich personal development experiences, including community service and outdoor activities, which help them develop a "sense of belonging and responsibility."

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified the "essential knowledge that pupils should learn or the order in which this should be taught," which hinders learning.
• In a few subjects, teachers do not choose activities well enough to enable pupils to "practise and apply their learning," limiting their preparation for future stages.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."