St Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School, Walton-le-Dale

Overview

This ungraded inspection confirms that St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Primary School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a school where pupils feel “happy and safe” and benefit from a “welcoming environment” underpinned by strong community values. Leaders have successfully maintained high expectations for behaviour and attendance, ensuring pupils are “well prepared for secondary school.”

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “confident, positive behaviour” and are “proud of the school’s diverse community,” actively engaging in activities that extend their talents.
• The school has developed an “ambitious curriculum” with clear knowledge steps, ensuring pupils “typically achieve well.”
• Staff are described as “supportive and approachable,” fostering strong relationships with families and helping pupils who are falling behind in early reading.
• Governors “know the school well” and provide valued support, while staff feel the school cares for their “well-being and workload.”
• Early years provision is strong, with a “firm focus on communication and language” that prepares children well for Year 1.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum is not always delivered as intended; teachers sometimes fail to select activities that match pupils’ needs, meaning some do not learn as securely as they could.
• Staff do not always spot misconceptions quickly enough, leading to “gaps in pupils’ learning” as lessons move on too rapidly.
• The identification of specific needs for some pupils with SEND, particularly those with “social, emotional and mental health difficulties,” is not precise enough, resulting in insufficient support.

Safeguarding

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