St Mary & St Joseph Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of what pupils will learn across the curriculum at St Mary and St Joseph's Academy.

Pupils are happy, feel safe and achieve well.

Pupils discuss their learning well in subjects such as science and history. Carrying out science experiments helps pupils to know how to keep their teeth clean.

Pupils understand that correct diet and exercise are key to good health.

In lessons and around the school, pupils behave well. They like to collect team points so that their team will receive the team point trophy.

They are respectful to adults and each other. If bullying happens, adults resolve it promptly.

Pupils vo...te to elect school council members.

All members of the school community embrace equality of opportunity. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone fairly. To support Catholic Aid for Overseas Development, pupils are proud to raise money.

They know this money will improve the lives of less-fortunate communities.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their talent and interests. Educational visits linked to the curriculum help pupils gain a deeper knowledge about the subjects they study.

Pupils enjoyed the visit to Eden Camp as part of their learning about the Second World War.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has put in place a well-sequenced curriculum in all subjects. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Curriculum leaders have strong knowledge from training they have accessed. Trust leaders have empowered curriculum leaders to make improvements in the teaching of their subject.

In lessons, teachers choose tasks that help pupils to remember key knowledge from the curriculum.

Teachers use appropriate resources, which helps pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum. All pupils learn together.

In foundation subjects, teachers know to check what pupils can remember.

However, the approach to doing so is inconsistent and not fully effective. This is because the school has not yet exactly identified what pupils need to know and remember at some specific points in time. Although the school is aware of this, and work to address it is underway, further work is needed.

Early reading is delivered with consistency. It starts straight away in Reception. Pupils enjoy taking part in phonics lessons and learn to read quickly.

The books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. All staff, including those who teach extra phonics, teach it with the same approach. This means that pupils catch-up quickly in reading.

Reading is celebrated in many ways across the school, such as listening to class readers. Pupils are motivated to read by taking on the '100 book reading challenge' during their time at the school.

The curriculum in early years is well organised and sequenced.

Through stories, adults identify vocabulary they want children to know and use. Story time is very exciting. Children are especially attentive.

Adults ask questions that extend children's language. Children respond to adult requests and behave well. In small groups, children concentrate at length when drawing and cutting.

They independently recall songs and rhymes they have learned, such as 'The Wheels on the Bus'. Children have many opportunities to be active outdoors. They move and play around the area well.

There is a carefully considered personal, social, health and economic curriculum in place to support pupils' well-being. Pupils develop good character by following the 'Superhero Challenge' They show perseverance with comments like 'Keep it up Captain'.

Pupils understand how to stay safe online, while bicycling and in water.

They enjoy taking part in a variety of sports in physical education. Pupils participate in a cross-country competition with other schools. There are many after-school clubs that pupils like to attend, such as choir.

Pupils learn how to play board games or dance.

Leaders have been thorough in making sure attendance has improved. They promote the importance of attending school to parents.

Pupils' high attendance ensures they are able to access the curriculum offer fully.

Trustees perform statutory duties diligently. They hold senior leaders to account for the quality of education in the school.

Teachers feel well supported. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Across the foundation subjects, the approach to checking what pupils know and can do is inconsistent and not fully effective. This hampers the school's ability to identify and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school needs to ensure that what they want pupils to know at specific points in time across all foundation subjects is clear and that all teachers check this effectively.

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