St Paul's Primary School

Overview

St Paul’s Primary School and Nursery Unit is described as having a “high level of capacity for sustained improvement” with an inclusive ethos serving a community of high deprivation. The inspection found “Outstanding” outcomes for learners and leadership, alongside “Very good” quality of provision, noting that almost all staff and parental responses were positive.

Strengths

• Children make “excellent progress” and attain “high standards in literacy and numeracy” by the end of Key Stage 2.
• Behaviour is “exemplary,” with children showing respect, empathy, and “very good dispositions for learning.”
• Leadership provides “very effective strategic leadership” with a “well-embedded culture of self-evaluation.”
• The nursery unit offers a “stimulating and language-rich learning environment” where children develop independence well.
• Most lessons observed were “very good or outstanding,” featuring high expectations and effective differentiation.

Areas to improve

• Children’s “understanding and application of the mental mathematics strategies require further development” in mathematical lessons.
• The foundation stage play programme “lacks the extent of variety, challenge and progression” seen in the nursery unit.
• Health and safety issues include compromised fire doors, lack of visibility panels on classroom doors, and no disabled access.

Safeguarding

The report states that arrangements for safeguarding “reflect the guidance issued by the Department of Education” and that children feel safe and know what to do if they have concerns.