St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher leads the school with energy and purpose.

She has focused relentlessly on improving the quality of education and raising achievement. Hence, improvement since the last inspection has been sustained and rapid. Governors provide strong oversight of the school's work to ensure that all pupils receive a good-quality education.

They skilfully challenge leaders to do even better. Pupils across the school, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are making good progress in their learning. Pupils' attainment at the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics is ...now above average by the end of key stage 2.

Although improving over time, not enough pupils are achieving greater depth or a high standard, especially in writing and mathematics. The curriculum for English and mathematics is planned and taught well. The leaders for English and mathematics promote their subjects effectively.

The curriculum in other subjects is not as consistently well developed. Many of the other subject leaders are new to their role. They are knowledgeable and keen to develop their subjects further.

Pupils are highly positive about school. This is because staff have successfully instilled a love of learning. Hence, pupils are often engrossed in their work in lessons and work purposefully to produce the best work they can do.

Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds get on exceptionally well with one another. They are sociable, reflective youngsters who are very well prepared for their next step in education. Children in the early years benefit from good teaching and make strong progress in their first year in school.

Their learning experiences outdoors are not as wide-ranging or interesting as they are in the classroom. Not all pupils' spelling and use of grammar in their writing are strong enough. On occasions, pupils who have grasped essential ideas are not moved on quickly.

Teachers have established a strong working partnership with teaching assistants, who provide skilled support to the pupils they work with. The teaching of phonics is a strength of the school and supports younger pupils' reading and spelling effectively.

Information about this school

The school is similar in size to other primary schools nationally.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. The majority of pupils are White British. About a quarter of pupils are from a White other background, mostly Polish.

Others are from a range of other minority ethnic groups. A little under a third of pupils speak English as an additional language and most are at the early stages of learning English when they start school. The proportion of pupils with SEND is in line with the national average.

A broadly average proportion have an education, health and care plan. The school is designated as a voluntary aided Catholic school. Its last section 48 inspection was in December 2016.