St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Overview

Leaders are “aspirational for all pupils” and have created an “ambitious curriculum” that is “well chosen and clearly sequenced.” Pupils feel like “valued members of the ‘St Joseph’s family’” and benefit from “warm and caring relationships” with staff. However, inconsistencies in how staff implement expectations for behaviour and learning mean that pupils do not always achieve the high standards leaders intend.

Strengths

• The curriculum content is “well chosen and clearly sequenced,” with key knowledge and vocabulary “mapped out with clarity.”
• Staff have “good subject knowledge” and use effective strategies to help pupils “learn and understand key ideas.”
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities experience the “same curriculum as their peers” and receive timely, appropriate support.
• Leaders “prioritise reading,” delivering a “structured phonics programme” with confidence, while promoting a “love of reading” through various initiatives.
• Personal development is “comprehensive and carefully thought through,” offering pupils many opportunities to take on roles of responsibility.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure “high expectations for learning and behaviour are realised by all staff,” as current implementation is inconsistent.
• Leaders need to support teachers to deliver the curriculum in all subjects so that pupils can “know more and remember more” in the long term, particularly in areas like design and technology.
• Leaders must ensure all staff are confident in putting phonics training into practice, ensuring support is “sharply focused on increasing pupils’ phonic knowledge.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” with staff receiving regular training and leaders responding to concerns in a “timely manner.”