St Monica’s Roman Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well and in recent years have reached above-average levels in English and mathematics by the age of 11.

Increasing proportions of pupils are making fast progress and are achieving better than pupils in 2012. Teaching over time is good because most activities are carefully planned to meet pupils' needs. Their work is very carefully marked, and teachers give very precise suggestions for improvement.

Governors are well informed and understand how well the school is doing. They are prepared to challenge as well as support school leaders. The headteacher understands what needs to be done to further improve the school.

...Her priorities include raising the number of higher level scores at the end of Key Stage 2. Staff and governors share her vision and ambition. Pupils speak very positively about their school, behave well and have a very clear sense of right and wrong.

Leaders promote pupils' reflections on behaviour as a high priority and as a result pupils are respectful and treat adults and each other with great courtesy. Provision in the school for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. It is not yet an outstanding school because: Teaching is not yet outstanding because : pupils who are capable of making more progress are not always set hard enough work or asked questions that make them think deeply about topics.

While many teaching assistants give good guidance in lessons, not all adults working with the youngest children are asking the right questions that help pupils to make maximum progress. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to assess their own work and set their own success criteria.

Information about this school

The school is an average sized primary school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage is provided in a Nursery and a Reception class. The proportion of pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium (extra money provided by the government for pupils including those eligible for free school meals) is twice the national average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is high.

The largest group is of African heritage with the next largest groups having Caribbean and other ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is also very much higher than the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is half the national average but the proportions supported at school action plus or with statements of special educational needs are higher than the national average.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school has, since the last inspection, made changes to the leadership team with new appointments this year to literacy and numeracy leadership roles. The school provides extended opportunities with breakfast and after-school clubs.