St Theresa's Catholic Primary School

Overview

St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School is described as a place where pupils experience a “deep feeling of belonging” and feel “safe and loved.” The report highlights “strong” standards in attendance, behaviour, and personal development, with leaders being “determined and relentless” in supporting pupils. While achievement and curriculum delivery meet the “expected standard,” the inspection identifies specific areas for refinement in writing instruction and governance.

Strengths

• Leaders maintain a “strong standard” in attendance and behaviour, ensuring pupils are “fully engaged and attentive” with bullying being rare.
• Personal development is rated at a “strong standard,” featuring an “extremely well‑designed programme” that broadens horizons through trips, clubs, and community involvement.
• The curriculum is “ambitious, broad and balanced,” with a “sharp focus on communication, language, reading and vocabulary” that helps pupils access learning.
• Inclusion is effective, with needs identified “quickly and accurately” and personalised support, such as learning passports, ensuring pupils with additional needs make sustained progress.
• Staff feel “valued and well supported,” benefiting from professional learning opportunities and leaders who are “thoughtful about workload.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure the teaching of writing is “consistently effective,” addressing gaps in letter formation and providing opportunities for independent longer pieces.
• Staff require consistent support to use adaptations effectively for pupils with additional needs, as some current adjustments are “not effective enough.”
• Leaders and governors should strengthen the “structure and coherence of governor activity” to ensure it aligns closely with school development priorities.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an “open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility” and concerns actively managed.