St Chad's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Chad’s Catholic Primary School Hospital Street, Newtown, Birmingham, West Midlands B19 3XD

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Outcome

St Chad’s Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, staff and governors are highly aspirational for pupils. They all work together to help pupils achieve the very best that they can. Pupils do well socially and academically. Pupils learn how to contribute to their community and how to be successful in the subjects that they study. Parents speak very highly of the school and describe it as ‘like a family’. Pupils are well cared for and families are well supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with an inspiring and interesting curriculum based on the school’s strong values. Pupils enjoy a range of high-quality experiences. Pupils work with the Welsh National Opera and professional dance companies. They take part in the Shakespeare school festival. Leaders provide a wealth of after-school activities so that pupils can develop their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have established very positive relationships with pupils. They have high expectations and clear routines that pupils follow well. Pupils are polite, well behaved and respectful. They say that there is rarely any bullying. If there is any, leaders deal with it well. Pupils speak proudly about their school. They are keen to share with visitors how special their school is.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum they provide. They ensure that pupils are well equipped for the future and the next stage of their development. Pupils enjoy their learning, especially in subjects such as Spanish, art, mathematics and science. The curriculum is strongly linked to the school’s faith curriculum. It is underpinned by the school’s values of being compassionate, truthful and active.

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

Leaders make sure that pupils learn basic skills well in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, often do better than other pupils across the 27–28 November 2019

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country. Children in Reception make strong progress from low starting points. Leaders use current research to continually develop early years provision and practice.

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Leaders have further improved the teaching of reading. They help pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy reading and discuss their understanding of books and stories with adults. Younger pupils are developing their ability to read fluently. They learn to read with expression because adults show them how to do it well. Adults ensure that pupils understand what words mean. Older pupils use ambitious vocabulary and engage in high- quality discussions about reading.

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Phonics is well taught. Teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn. They ensure that pupils secure their knowledge and understanding in phonics well. In Reception, children practise their sounds and use them to spell words. Teachers show children how to form letters accurately.

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Learning is well structured and carefully sequenced so that pupils develop their knowledge and understanding well. For example, in science, pupils in Year 5 use accurate scientific language to explain their understanding of evolution. Pupils in Year 1 use their knowledge about the seasons to compare the number of daylight hours. In mathematics, pupils have developed a range of strategies to check and explain their understanding. They describe how the methods they are learning help them. Pupils in Year 2 identify patterns in number bonds that help them to work out other calculations.

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Pupils’ books show a breadth of work across the curriculum. On occasions, however, pupils’ handwriting and presentation is not as good as it could be.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Pupils receive targeted support to build their confidence and enable them to be successful.

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Pupils are proud of the responsibilities they have such as being a school captain, a play leader or a member of school council. After-school clubs, including netball, tag rugby, choir, football and memory club, are well attended. A large proportion of pupils access the school’s breakfast club. They enjoy taking part in ‘wake up, shake up’ activities.

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Pupils are almost always exceptionally well behaved. Pupils demonstrate respect and courtesy as a matter of course. Pupils who need extra help to make the right choices about their behaviour are supported well. Staff keep detailed records of any behaviour incident and how it has been dealt with. They want behaviour to be of the highest quality. The pastoral support for pupils and families is strong. Families are helped with essentials such as food and transport costs when they need them.

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Governors have a very clear view of the work of the school. They hold leaders to account and offer valuable support and appropriate challenge. Leaders and governors are highly supportive of the staff team. They are mindful of staff workload and take positive steps to reduce it where they can. Staff appreciate the carefully planned training and support they receive. They are proud to work at St Chad’s. 27–28 November 2019

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding of pupils is a high priority. Staff are vigilant and diligent. Procedures for the recruitment of staff are thorough and well organised. Staff show a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Leaders respond swiftly to safeguarding concerns. They ensure that pupils and families get the right support at the right time.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained especially in safeguarding issues that are pertinent to their community. Leaders and staff ensure that they address local issues through the school’s curriculum. Staff provide parents with helpful advice and support to keep their children safe when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently provided updated handwriting training for staff. Despite this, the quality of pupils’ handwriting varies. Leaders should continue to embed the school’s approach to handwriting. Teachers should insist that pupils maintain a consistent quality of handwriting and presentation in all their work and support them to do so.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged St Chad’s Catholic Primary School to be good on 7–8 May 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 27–28 November 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 27–28 November 2019

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7–8 May 2015

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Information about this school

 St Chad’s Catholic Primary school is a voluntary aided Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.  Since the last inspection governors have appointed a new deputy headteacher and a new assistant headteacher.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, the lead inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the pastoral support team and school governors. The lead inspector also spoke to a representative of the local authority, a representative of the diocese and the school’s improvement partner by telephone.  Reading, mathematics and science were considered as part of this inspection. These subjects were looked at in detail. The lead inspector spoke to leaders about them, visited classes in all key stages, looked at curriculum plans, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils about their work in these subjects. The lead inspector also met with the arts leader and looked at curriculum plans.  The lead inspector checked the school’s record and procedures for the safe recruitment of staff. She met with the headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead, other 27–28 November 2019

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senior leaders and the pastoral support team to discuss safeguarding practice and check school records. The lead inspector discussed safeguarding arrangements and practice with other staff and governors. The lead inspector checked pupils’ understanding of how to keep themselves safe and considered how safeguarding was taught through the curriculum.

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Inspection team

Sue Cameron, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27–28 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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