St Helen's Primary School

Overview

St Helen’s Primary School continues to be a good school, described as a community in which pupils thrive and feel safe. The report highlights a calm, orderly environment where behaviour is excellent and pupils are proud of their experiences. Leaders are tenacious in their approach to improvement, ensuring staff feel supported and the curriculum is well sequenced.

Strengths

• Behaviour is excellent, with pupils listening faithfully to teachers and playing well together during social times.
• The curriculum is well sequenced and planned, with teachers presenting knowledge clearly and consistently across year groups.
• Provision for pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well planned, with clear targets leading to good progress.
• There is a sharp focus on reading, featuring an effective phonics programme and targeted intervention activities for those requiring additional support.
• Opportunities for broader development are exceptional, including active pupil groups and visits from external speakers.

Areas to improve

• The school needs a robust strategy to address the high persistent absence of vulnerable pupils, which hinders their progress.
• Leaders should ensure rigorous practices for monitoring progress and providing feedback in some subjects, so pupils know how to improve their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with accurate pre-employment checks, comprehensive staff training, and pupils confident in reporting concerns to trusted adults.