St Edmund’s and St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have maintained a good quality of education despite the recent number of unavoidable changes in staff. There is a shared commitment and vision which ensures that the majority of pupils achieve well from their starting points.

Pupils make good progress from Year 1 to Year 6. The proportions of pupils reaching the expected standards are at least in line with the national average in English and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils make more rapid progress because of improved monitoring and the more effective support they now receive.

Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities do not yet make the progress they sh...ould from their starting points. Teaching is good. Most teaching promotes good progress and development.

However, not all teachers set activities that allow pupils to extend their knowledge. Pupils feel safe and are looked after well by staff. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in different situations.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their appreciation of British values are promoted well. Pupils enjoy school. They enjoy a wide, topic-based curriculum in which they support and respect each other and are keen to do well.

The governing body is well informed of the school's work and provides good levels of support and challenge. Governors have been particularly supportive in the recruitment of new staff. Some subject leaders new to their roles lack the precision in their use of assessment information needed to understand how well pupils learn in their subjects.

The early years foundation stage requires improvement because staff do not yet work as a cohesive team. Some staff lack the necessary knowledge and skills to accurately record the progress that children make. The outside environment in the early years is underdeveloped as a place for children to extend their learning.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school is larger than the average primary school. There is full-time provision in both Nursery and Reception and a mixed Reception/Year 1 class.

A below-average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well below average.

However, the number of these pupils is growing. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below average. The school met the current floor standards in 2017, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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