St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Overview

This ungraded inspection confirms that St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a “caring and compassionate school” where pupils are “safe and happy” and benefit from a “calm and peaceful atmosphere.” Leaders and the trust are acting effectively on strengths and areas for development.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with children getting off to a “strong start” and developing important social skills and vocabulary.
• The teaching of early reading is “very secure,” with most Year 1 pupils reaching expected phonics standards and effective support for those falling behind.
• Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “effectively,” ensuring the curriculum allows all pupils to achieve well.
• Recent curriculum redevelopment has improved pupil knowledge, particularly in mathematics, where pupils “confidently solve problems.”
• Behaviour is “well established,” with pupils demonstrating “considerable maturity” and treating others with “kindness and respect.”

Areas to improve

• The development of pupils’ writing skills is “variable” across some subjects and year groups, with improvements being slower than in other areas.
• In some classes, expectations for writing are limited, mistakes go “unchecked,” and some pupils do not form letters correctly, affecting fluency and confidence.
• The school should ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to develop pupils’ writing so they write with “accuracy and fluency across the curriculum.”

Safeguarding

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