The Rosary Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and members of the multi-academy company have not focused on some important aspects of the school's work, especially safeguarding. Consequently, weaknesses in safeguarding practices exist and are a serious cause for concern. Leaders do not ensure that pupils are kept safe.

They have also not ensured that pupils benefit from a good quality of education.

Leaders' expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are not always high enough. Their learning needs are not consistently met, and they do not routinely receive the support they need to be successful in school..../>
Pupils are happy in school. They are polite and respectful of each other. Leaders ensure that pupils follow the school rules.

They deal with incidents of bullying effectively. Pupils are confident that staff respond to any concerns they raise. Parents are positive about the school.

Reading is taught well. Pupils love reading, and they have access to a wide range of books. Pupils enjoy the trips, visits and residential opportunities that help them to broaden their experiences.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Leaders do all they can to make sure pupils attend regularly.

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

Leaders, including leaders of St Teresa of Calcutta Multi-Academy Company, do not have a clear understanding of how well the school is performing.

Senior leaders have significant areas of responsibility. This impacts on their capacity to check how well the school is performing with the necessary thoroughness. For example, leaders do not know how well the curriculum supports pupils' learning.

In addition to this, some subject leaders do not have a clear picture of how well pupils achieve. This is because they have not established ways of checking how well teachers are delivering the curriculum in these subjects.

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum.

They make sure that teachers have the resources and training to deliver the curriculum. Teachers present new learning clearly. However, they do not routinely adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND or those who speak EAL.

Their expectations of the quality of these pupils' work are not as high as they should be. As a result, some pupils with SEND and those who speak EAL do not make the progress they are capable of.

Some teachers do not check and assess what pupils know and remember in lessons and over time well enough.

Consequently, they do not identify and address gaps in pupils' learning. Pupils do not always know what to improve or how to improve it.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Pupils get off to a good start in their early reading. Leaders have carefully planned the reading curriculum. They train staff in how to teach phonics well.

Pupils who fall behind in their reading are quickly identified and supported effectively to catch up. Pupils' reading books match the sounds they are learning. Leaders make sure that pupils can access the resources they need to help them with their learning.

A broad range of books and the school library help pupils to develop a love of reading. As a result, pupils become fluent readers.

Children in the early years have a positive start to school life.

Staff carefully identify and plan for the learning needs of all children. Staff communicate effectively and support the youngest children extremely well. This helps children to settle well and engage positively and happily in their learning.

A range of exciting activities help children to develop their early communication, reading and mathematical skills. Children have regular opportunities to practise and apply their phonics, mark-making and counting skills. As a result, the youngest pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Leaders provide a wide range of experiences to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of positive, respectful and healthy relationships. Opportunities such as the eco-council and faith council allow pupils to take on leadership responsibilities in school.

In doing so, they develop an understanding of democracy. Pupils are well behaved in school. The school rules help pupils to understand the difference between right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe.

For example, workshops run by the fire service inform pupils about safety in the home. Visits to places of worship, such as a synagogue and gurdwara, help pupils to learn about other cultures and religions. Because of these experiences, pupils learn to recognise and respect people different to themselves.

Pupils enjoy fundraising for chosen charities, supporting their faith community. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Staff enjoy working at the school and say that their workload is manageable.

They feel that leaders are considerate of their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

There are serious shortfalls in the school's safeguarding processes that leave pupils at risk of harm.

Leaders do not respond robustly enough to reported concerns about pupils' welfare. Because of this, pupils do not receive the help they need at the right time. Record-keeping is weak and does not provide a clear audit trail or build up a picture of concerns about pupils' safety and well-being.

This leaves pupils at risk of harm. Leaders do not evaluate safeguarding practices and do not take prompt action to remedy weaknesses in the school's safeguarding procedures. The multi-academy company has poor oversight of the school's safeguarding arrangements and has not ensured that the safeguarding policy has been implemented effectively.

Pupils learn how to keep safe when working online and when out and about in the local community. Leaders undertake appropriate checks on all staff before they start work at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Safeguarding practices are weak.

Safeguarding records are not detailed or accurate enough. It is not always clear what actions, if any, leaders have taken after a concern has been raised. This means that pupils are left at risk of harm.

Leaders should urgently strengthen safeguarding systems and procedures. They should make sure that all systems in place are robust and ensure that all pupils are safeguarded from potential harm. Members of the multi-academy company should ensure that they have a strong oversight of the school's safeguarding arrangements.

• Some subject leaders have not developed a consistent method of checking how well the intended curriculum is being taught. This means that they do not always know what or how well pupils are learning. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop the necessary expertise to carry out their roles so that they are able to identify what is working well and what needs to improve in their subject areas.

• Teachers do not use assessment systems well enough to check what pupils know. Consequently, teachers do not consistently identify and address gaps in pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessments to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively.

• Staff do not consider the needs of pupils with SEND and those who speak EAL well enough. This means that some pupils do not get the help and support they need to achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teaching is well matched to the needs of pupils with SEND and those who speak EAL and that they get the help and support they need to be successful.

• Senior leaders, including leaders of St Teresa of Calcutta Multi-Academy Company, do not routinely undertake checks on the performance of the school with the thoroughness they should. As a result, safeguarding arrangements are not effective and the school is not providing a good quality of education. Senior leaders, including leaders of St Teresa of Calcutta Multi-Academy Company, should ensure that leaders have the necessary skills and resources to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively.