Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Inspection of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Lockwood Road, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 9JY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 3–4 March 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have worked hard to create a school which values pupils, staff and the community. Pupils enjoy the challenge of their teachers’ high expectations and the interesting curriculum, such as studying the origins of the National Health Service. Teachers are passionate about their work at the school. One parent was typical of many when they said, ‘I’m so glad both of my children attend Sacred Heart. My children are very happy and content here. All staff are friendly, helpful and care about children’s education, happiness and well-being.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and say that they feel safe. Staff motivate pupils to behave well and enjoy the support of friends. As one pupil said, ‘We work together – we work as a team.’ They are attentive in lessons and are resilient. Pupils have a clear understanding of bullying, which they say is rare. If it does happen, staff deal with this quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to be confident and independent. Pupils can take part in after-school clubs. They can work towards ‘Faith in Action’ awards by being prayer leaders. Pupils shine when demonstrating their skills to others at the end of units of work, for example performing their dances to federation schools.

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better?

Leaders have shown determination in improving the effectiveness with which pupils learn the curriculum and the progress they make. This has required relentless effort in improving the quality of education through building a strong team. Leaders have empowered staff to become knowledgeable and passionate subject leaders. Staff have designed ambitious units of work, which pupils enjoy. Leaders consider the needs of their pupils. They have created a curriculum which meets the needs of all pupils. Consequently, pupils are eager and well prepared for the next stage of their education and to be positive citizens.

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better?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils. They plan lessons which build pupils’ knowledge and skills. In history, pupils in Year 2 consider primary and secondary sources of evidence, such as those that record the great fire of London. In physical education, pupils in Nursery develop and improve their skills and are beginning to understand how to keep healthy. Pupils experience a well-sequenced and coherent curriculum. Staff are clear about what they will teach and, because of this, pupils know more and remember more. The breadth of the curriculum is clear in pupils’ well-presented books.

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better?

There is a love for reading. Pupils read well. The few who struggle to read are able, with the support of expert staff, to catch up and keep up. Younger pupils experience success in reading. This is because teachers are clear about the sounds, words and texts pupils should be able to read by the end of each term. They start this teaching as soon as pupils arrive in school. For a minority of pupils who are not reading with 3–4 March 2020

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fluency by key stage 2, the texts they read in reading lessons are too challenging. This hinders them from being able to develop fluency at a faster pace. The timetable ensures that pupils have many opportunities to read with adults and to hear high- quality stories read aloud. Children talk with interest and enthusiasm about the range of books and stories that they have read.

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Due to inconsistencies in the quality of education in the past, some pupils in key stage 2 have gaps in their learning. This is particularly noticeable in mathematics. Leaders have identified this. They are supporting staff through high-quality training. New approaches provide opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning.

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Pupils behave well in school because they understand the school’s clear expectations. Behaviour and attitudes are strong because staff are fair and consistent. Relationships between pupils and staff are very positive. When bullying does happen, staff deal with it well. Attendance compares favourably with the national average, and there are effective systems in place to promote the benefits of regular attendance.

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Staff are passionate about pupils’ personal development. The well-considered curriculum prepares pupils well for work and life in modern Britain. Pupils explore interesting themes such as coping with dementia and understanding prejudice and racism. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop strong characters.

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Children get off to a strong start in the early years. They develop, at pace, the personal, physical and social skills they need to succeed in the next stage of their education. This is because leaders have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. Staff have very positive relationships with children and families. Children know adults’ expectations. They thrive on well-established routines. For example, when they arrive in the morning they consider and record their own emotions. This work contributes to their good attitudes to learning and behaviour towards each other. As a result, children are fully prepared for the challenges that await them in Year 1.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The head of school does not shy away from difficult conversations in her mission to safeguard pupils and their families, staff and visitors. Staff and governors are well trained in a range of issues that pupils may face. They are aware of safeguarding duties and priorities. Records are precise.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum is rich in opportunities. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about visitors to school, such as police officers and firefighters.

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Safeguarding

There is an open culture in the school in which pupils feel safe to talk about their worries. This is a strength of the school’s work. 3–4 March 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The quality of education has improved since the last inspection. However, some pupils have fundamental gaps in their knowledge and understanding. This is particularly the case in mathematics. This means that new concepts are not always securely understood. Leaders need to address these gaps and rigorously check the implementation of new approaches to ensure their effectiveness.  The teaching of early reading has improved since the last inspection. However, texts used in reading lessons are sometimes too ambitious for some pupils. These pupils find it difficult to read them accurately and understand what they are reading. Leaders need to review the reading curriculum, particularly for lower- attaining pupils at the start of key stage two, so that they develop fluency in reading more quickly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 3–4 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121669 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a number of new staff have joined the school.  The school is of Roman Catholic denomination. The school received its last section 48 inspection in July 2017. The next section 48 inspection will be due in 2022.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the head of school, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders. Meetings also took place with four governors, including the chair and vice-chair, a representative of the local authority and a representative of the Diocese of Hallam.  We focused on the quality of the curriculum in reading, mathematics, physical education and history. We met the curriculum leader of each subject, visited lessons, talked to pupils, looked at a sample of work and talked to teachers. 3–4 March 2020

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 We inspected the school’s safeguarding records, including the single central record and evaluated the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding procedures. This involved talking to staff and pupils about their understanding of safeguarding, bullying and health and safety.  An inspector spoke to parents informally at the end of the school day.  A range of documentation was considered. This included the school’s plans for improvement and its self-evaluation.

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Inspection team

Marcus Newby, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kirsty Godfrey Her Majesty’s Inspector 3–4 March 2020

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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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