St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School, Weymouth

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

St Augustine's is a good school. It has a number of outstanding features. Children in the Reception Year make very good progress because of excellent provision.

By the time pupils leave the school, their attainment is high and pupils' achievement is outstanding. Pupils' progress accelerates rapidly in Year 6 but is uneven throughout the school. This is because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning, specifically in the way tasks in lessons match the different abilities of pupils and in how well marking shows pupils how to improve.

The school recognises this, and regular monitoring procedures and precise self-evaluation, leading to the correct priorities, are bringin...g about improvement. Rigorous tracking of pupils' progress has been implemented and good use is made of accurate assessment data. All teachers are becoming more accountable through the introduction of pupil progress meetings.

Strategies for improving teaching and learning this year, such as teachers pairing up to observe and share good practice, are ensuring that all groups of pupils have an equal opportunity to make the progress of which they are capable. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils for whom English is not their first language. An original, innovative and extremely well planned curriculum, enabling all pupils to practise their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills widely, is particularly successful.

This is good improvement since the last inspection. Strong leadership from the senior team and governors, based on an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses, and a willing staff mean there is a strong determination to ensure that pupils in all classes achieve as well as they can. All of these developments are ensuring that the school has a good capacity to sustain further improvement.

The school's strong Christian ethos and excellent relationships underpin all its work and provide a very positive climate for learning. Parents endorse this judgement, making such comments as: 'We chose St Augustine's for its very strong Christian, pastoral ethos. We have been extremely happy with our choice of school for our son.'

Very good partnerships with parents and other agencies, and strong links with local and international communities, especially the church, make a substantial contribution to pupils' outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the cohesive nature of the school. Using the experience gained through the E-Twinning Quality Label, pupils have good opportunities to meet pupils and teachers from other countries and extend their understanding of cultures other than their own. There are fewer opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of the diverse cultures that exist in the United Kingdom.

The school has rigorous procedures to deal with absenteeism but holidays taken in term time adversely affect attendance rates. Pupils are extremely polite and behave well. This supports the good progress they make and helps them to enjoy school to the full.

They show respect for one another and make a significant contribution to the life of the school and the local community. They have a very good understanding of what constitutes an unsafe situation, knowing clearly how to keep safe. They demonstrate their full commitment to a healthy lifestyle as they take part enthusiastically in all the sport offered to them and make positive choices about the food they eat.

This is confirmed by the school's Healthy Schools Award.

Information about the school

St Augustine's is an average size primary school situated in Weymouth. Pupils are drawn mainly from the surrounding area including Portland.

The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. Most pupils are of White British heritage and a very small minority are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.

The school has achieved several national awards, including the Healthy Schools Award, Bronze Artsmark and the E-Twinning Quality Label. The school has its own swimming pool. There is a privately run Nursery, breakfast club and after- school club on site.

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