St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, Prudhoe

Overview

This is a “welcoming school where pupils are nurtured and supported to be confident learners.” The report highlights that recent curriculum changes are “paying off,” with pupils achieving well and demonstrating “exceptional” behaviour. Leaders and governors work effectively to ensure staff feel valued and pupils are well-prepared for future learning.

Strengths

• Pupils’ behaviour is described as “exceptional,” with “low-level disruption” being “extremely rare.”
• The curriculum is “ambitious” and “clearly sequenced,” helping pupils remember important knowledge in core subjects.
• Personal development opportunities are “exemplary,” including initiatives like ‘Lifesong Legacies’ assemblies and community fundraising.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “fully supported to access all subjects” and are “well prepared for future learning.”
• Reading provision is strong, with activities like ‘Reading breakfasts’ helping pupils develop a “love of books.”

Areas to improve

• The school must implement systems to assess pupils’ knowledge in “a small number of recently revised foundation subjects” to identify and address gaps.
• Leaders must ensure staff check younger pupils’ misconceptions in writing and provide “timely and clear feedback” to improve spelling and handwriting.

Safeguarding

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