St Edmund’s RC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told the inspector how much they enjoy belonging to this vibrant, diverse and caring school community.

They are keen to make the most of the many opportunities that leaders provide for their personal development. For example, older pupils develop strong leadership skills. Their diligence in sup...porting other pupils contributes well to the school's friendly culture.

Many pupils said that the best thing about their school is the strong friendships that they forge with each other. For example, pupils enjoy active playtimes together. Staff quickly intervene if any minor squabbles break out.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying thoroughly. They make sure that pupils feel safe and happy at school.

Pupils respond well to leaders' expectations for high standards of behaviour.

The atmosphere around school is calm and harmonious. In lessons, pupils listen to their teachers attentively.

Leaders expect all pupils to achieve well.

Children benefit from a secure start in the early years. Pupils across the school develop high aspirations for themselves. However, these aspirations are not fully realised.

Leaders do not make sure that gaps in pupils' knowledge, including in reading, are addressed well enough. In some subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Some pupils who struggle to learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not receive the support that they need to catch up quickly.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that captures pupils' interests. However, some pupils have considerable gaps in their knowledge. These pupils do not learn as well as they should.

Leaders have thought carefully about how learning needs to be broken down so that teachers can support pupils to steadily build up their knowledge. They have also considered the logical order in which pupils need to learn new information. However, leaders do not make sure that teachers check that pupils have secured one piece of learning before moving on to the next.

This is particularly true in reading. There are pupils across the school whose gaps in reading knowledge hinder how well they access the wider curriculum.

Children gain an awareness of phonics knowledge in the Nursery class.

They are attentive to the stories, rhymes and songs that staff share with them. This helps children to develop effective listening skills. In this way, they are well prepared to learn how to develop their phonics knowledge in the Reception Year.

Staff are well trained in delivering the school's established phonics programme. They use agreed approaches consistently well in the early years and key stage 1. Some pupils benefit from this support.

They develop secure phonics knowledge and learn to read with accuracy and fluency. These pupils go on to enjoy reading. They apply themselves well in lessons and develop a wide range of knowledge.

Other pupils continue to struggle to read as they progress through the school. This is because teachers do not identify or address gaps in these pupils' phonics knowledge quickly enough. This makes it harder for these pupils to access other learning.

Some of these pupils lose the motivation to focus during lessons.

Generally, pupils across the school maintain the high standards of behaviour that leaders expect. Low-level disruption to lessons is rare.

Leaders do not make sure that pupils who struggle to learn have their difficulties identified or addressed in a timely manner. This results in some pupils with SEND not receiving the support that they need to learn well. Some pupils with SEND, for example, do not benefit from the additional support that they need to develop their phonics knowledge.

Pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Leaders have thought carefully about how pupils can benefit from the rich diversity of the school's locality. For example, pupils learn about local history, faiths and cultures.

They develop a secure understanding and appreciation of their community. Pupils are proud to represent their school in a range of activities, including competitive sport and musical events.

Leaders and governors have an accurate picture of what needs to be done to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

Staff value the support that they receive from leaders and governors for their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors have a strong oversight of safeguarding across the school.

Staff and governors are well trained in how to keep pupils safe. Staff are vigilant in checking that pupils feel safe and well cared for. Staff diligently pass on any safeguarding concerns that they have about pupils to the leaders with overall responsibility for safeguarding.

Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils receive timely and appropriate support.

Leaders make sure that teaching pupils to stay safe has a high priority in the curriculum. Pupils learn how to recognise risks and avoid putting themselves in potentially dangerous situations.

They know how to stay safe while online. Pupils learn how to develop safe and healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not ensure that teachers accurately identify and address gaps in some pupils' phonics knowledge.

This hinders how quickly these pupils learn to read and how well they access the wider curriculum. Leaders should make sure that teachers check that pupils' reading knowledge is secure before moving on to new learning. ? Leaders do not identify the additional needs of some pupils with SEND quickly or accurately enough.

This prevents staff from providing these pupils with the support that they require to learn well. Leaders should ensure that they identify pupils' SEND in a timely manner and that staff are fully equipped to support these pupils well.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013.