St Patrick’s R.C. Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

St Patrick's R.C. Primary School is a happy, inclusive school that places a high priority on the well-being of its pupils.

Nearly all pupils feel happy and safe in school and know whom to ask for help should they need it. Pupils show high levels of interest and enjoyment in their lessons and the many clubs and additional activities they attend. Nearly all pupils behave very well within lessons and at break times.

Most pupils, including those with additional learning needs and those learning English as an additional language, make strong progress in their learning. They develop effective literacy and numeracy skills and make particularly good progress in their speaking and listening skills. Most pupils develop and use an ef...fective range of digital skills and show high levels of confidence in accessing learning materials online.

Teaching across the school is good and nearly all teachers have high expectations of pupils. Lessons are tailored to match pupils' needs well. This helps to keep challenge high for learners, including the more able.

The school is developing a highly engaging curriculum which includes cooking skills, cycling lessons and sessions in the forest area of the school. Lessons are brought to life very successfully through 'immersion days' when pupils enjoy a range of trips, visitors to the school and interesting learning experiences. Classrooms are well organised, calm and attractive.

However, in a few areas, they require further development. For example, learning areas designed to support younger pupils to learn through play are underdeveloped and provision to encourage pupils' independent reading is inconsistent. Senior leaders identify aspects of the school's work that are in need of improvement and the steps that are needed to achieve this effectively.

Leaders have worked with the school community to create a clear vision of high expectation and continuous improvement for all, rooted in Christian values. Recommendations R1 Ensure that younger pupils have effective opportunities to become independent learners through play and exploration R2 Strengthen provision across the school to ensure that pupils develop their engagement with, and enjoyment of, independent reading What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection. Estyn will invite the school to prepare a case study on its work in relation to developing equity and enjoyment in the curriculum, through highly engaging immersion and innovation days.