St Jude's Catholic Primary School Wigan

Overview

St Jude’s Catholic Primary School is rated as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, marking an improvement from its previous ‘Requires improvement’ judgement. The report highlights a “strong sense of belonging” where pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), feel happy and well supported by staff. Leaders have established an “aspirational curriculum” that enables pupils to achieve well, supported by high expectations for behaviour and a calm, orderly school environment.

Strengths

• Pupils benefit from an “ambitious curriculum” where key knowledge is “carefully organised” from Reception to Year 6, ensuring secure learning progression.
• Staff are “well trained” in phonics, ensuring almost all pupils become “confident and fluent readers” by the end of Year 2.
• Relationships between pupils and staff are “positive and trusting,” with pupils feeling safe and knowing they can approach any staff member with problems.
• Pupils develop a “secure understanding of respect and tolerance,” learning about diverse faiths and cultures while being well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Governors provide an “appropriate level of challenge and support,” asking pertinent questions to evaluate the impact of leaders’ decisions.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, teachers do not routinely check if pupils have learned the intended key knowledge, leading to gaps that hinder future learning.
• Some pupils, particularly disadvantaged ones, are absent too often, preventing them from accessing the full curriculum and achieving their potential.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a “strong culture of safeguarding” where staff are vigilant, well-trained, and respond to concerns in a timely manner.