St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School

Overview

This ungraded inspection confirms that St Kentigern’s Catholic Primary School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a “nurturing school” where pupils feel “happy and safe,” supported by “strong, caring relationships” between staff, pupils, and families. Leaders have implemented an “ambitious curriculum” and improved the school environment, ensuring staff feel “valued and trusted.”

Strengths

• Pupils are “academically and emotionally well prepared for high school” and demonstrate high levels of respect and politeness.
• Staff teach phonics “effectively,” ensuring pupils who struggle with reading receive support to become “confident, fluent readers.”
• The curriculum is “ordered logically,” with staff delivering content in a “clear and imaginative way” that engages pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Personal development is “strong,” with pupils learning about “fundamental British values,” showing tolerance, and taking pride in roles such as play leaders and charity work.
• The trust and governing body provide effective support, with subject leaders strengthened to check subject delivery efficiently.

Areas to improve

• The school must develop an “agreed approach for teaching handwriting” to ensure pupils master accurate letter formation and improve writing fluency and legibility.
• Teachers need to “swiftly identify and address” knowledge gaps in a small number of subjects resulting from weaknesses in the previous curriculum.

Safeguarding

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