St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Teachers plan and deliver work that matches pupils' needs and interests effectively. They display good subject knowledge.

Teaching assistants have a positive effect on pupils' learning and personal development. Evidence in books shows that current pupils make strong progress across the curriculum. Pupils take pride in their work.

Handwriting and presentation in books and the work displayed around school are of high quality. Leaders' and staff actions to address weaknesses in pupils' progress in writing are bearing fruit. In the vast majority of year groups, pupils are now making at least good progress.

Leaders make effective use ...of funding to support disadvantaged pupils. This has a positive effect on their personal development, progress and attendance. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are generally well met.

Consequently, pupils with SEND make strong progress with their personal development. However, their academic progress is more variable across the school. Well-structured and effective teaching of phonics from early years and in key stage 1 ensures that, by the end of Year 1, pupils have strong phonics knowledge.

Children make strong progress throughout early years due to good-quality teaching. However, where children choose learning activities, sometimes opportunities are missed to extend their learning. Parents and carers value staff's welcoming approach and opportunities to be involved with their child's learning.

The headteacher, governors and staff have a shared ambition to steer a course of ongoing improvement. They regularly review the curriculum to ensure it meets pupils' needs. However, leaders' self-evaluation judgements have not taken sufficient account of where pupils' progress has needed to improve.

Well-targeted support and challenge from the Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT) assist the school in addressing its priorities and developing governance. Pupils' personal development and welfare are major strengths. The rich curriculum, opportunities for responsibility and links with the community all develop pupils' citizenship qualities and widen their horizons.

Staff expectations, caring relationships and clear behaviour management approaches ensure that pupils' behaviour is exemplary. The school provides an oasis of calm for learning and personal development.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.

The majority of pupils at the school are White British, with the next largest group being Asian or Asian British. The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is above that found nationally. The proportion of pupils with SEND is below that found nationally.

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is similar to that found nationally. The headteacher was appointed in September 2013. This Catholic primary school's last section 48 inspection was in July 2018.

The school has been an academy since November 2015. It has been part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT) since September 2018. NPCAT has a board of trustees and there is a local governing body.