St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The headteacher has shown outstanding leadership.

She has been relentless in her efforts to ensure that pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy receive a high- quality education and feel safe and happy. Leaders at all levels, including the governing body, are uncompromising in their pursuit of excellence. They have embedded a very strong ethos which sets and achieves high expectations for all pupils.

The curriculum is outstanding. It is designed to equip pupils with a broad range of knowledge and experiences across a full range of subjects. It ensures that pupils develop the learning skills they need to confidently problem ...solve and embrace learning challenges with enthusiasm.

Teachers are well supported to develop and to flourish. There is a culture within the school that empowers teachers to share their good practice, learn together and focus on the things that have the most impact on pupils' progress. Pupils are ambitious, keen to learn and determined to achieve the very best that they can.

Pupils' achievement is much higher than national averages at key stage 1 and 2. Teaching assistants make an outstanding contribution to pupils' learning. They are highly skilled and have excellent subject knowledge.

Pupils' progress is accelerated as a result of their work. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. They ensure that no lesson time is wasted.

Every effort is made so that the precise learning needs of each pupil are met. Pupils' behaviour is impeccable. They listen to their teachers and pay great attention in lessons.

Around school, they show each other care, consideration and kindness. Attendance is rising. Expectations of pupils are high and pupils live up to the expectations their teachers set.

All groups of pupils achieve above others nationally. Children are welcomed into the early years, shown a great deal of care and are quickly supported to settle to their learning. Some of the most able children make less progress than they should.

Parents are overwhelming in their praise for the school.

Information about this school

The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. This is the first inspection for the school since it became an academy in October 2014. The school is part of the Aquinas Catholic Academy Trust.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is lower than the national average. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language are well above the national averages. In 2016, the school met the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The headteacher provides school improvement support to local schools on behalf of Derbyshire local authority. She is also involved in school improvement work within the Aquinas Catholic Academy Trust. The key stage 1 leader and the deputy headteacher are specialist leaders in education (SLEs).

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