St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The school is well led and managed by a committed headteacher who has very high expectations of all pupils. Supported by an able and dedicated leadership team the headteacher has ensured that the standards reached by pupils when they leave school have consistently improved over the last three years. Due to well focused support and carefully planned small-group teaching activities the school has ensured that standards have risen sharply this academic year, especially in mathematics and reading, and all groups of pupils are achieving well.

Senior leaders and the governing body carefully check the quality of teaching and learning. They ensu...re that any pupils falling behind are given the support that they need to catch up quickly. Teaching overall is good.

Teachers work hard to plan lessons which are interesting and imaginative. The introduction of an assertive mentoring scheme has created a sense of urgency and competition, which has led to an improvement in educational standards. Pupils are very well behaved, they say that they enjoy being in school and that they feel cared for.

The vast majority of parents agree that their children are safe at school and that they learn well. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The quality of teaching is not yet outstanding. Variations in its effectiveness means that rates of progress are not always consistent across the school.

Pupils, particularly the more able, are not always challenged sufficiently or given enough opportunities to use their skills and knowledge to take responsibility for their own learning.

Information about this school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium is above average.

A small but increasing proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups but very few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs who are supported at school action is average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus, or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.

The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school provides a well attended on-site breakfast club. Since the last inspection a new assistant headteacher has been appointed and there have been changes to the governing body, including the appointment of a new Chair.