St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School Harting Road, Mottingham, London SE9 4JR

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened in St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School’s effectiveness before it closed. Changes in the effectiveness of St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School may have happened at any point since it opened. 3 and 4 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Vincent’s is a friendly and welcoming school. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils behave well in the classroom, around the school and in the playground. Older pupils show care and compassion for younger pupils. This means that pupils feel safe. Pupils understand what bullying is and know what they would do if they felt unsafe. Pupils are confident that staff would resolve any problems that might occur, although these are rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak enthusiastically about attending after-school activities in science, football, needlecraft, drama and art. Pupils are proud to take on additional responsibilities and are aware of their importance. For example, the ‘mini-Vinnies’, who work to make a positive contribution to the school and local community, have organised the harvest collection and distribution and are planning a Christmas performance for the local nursing home. Similarly, the ‘eco club’ checks how environmentally friendly aspects of the school site are each week.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard and produce work of a good quality in most subjects. This is because the curriculum is well designed. There are, however, some subjects in which pupils struggle more to remember and apply what they have learned previously.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading and listen attentively to the stories they have read to them. They are knowledgeable about a range of authors and their works. Teachers have been well trained to teach phonics accurately. This begins in Reception, where children learn and practise their sounds. This helps them become fluent readers. Pupils who struggle to read are identified swiftly and given additional help. This supports many of them to catch up. However, a small number of staff deployed to support these readers are less precise and accurate. Misconceptions are sometimes taught, and errors not identified or corrected.

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better?

The curriculum matches the scope and content of the national curriculum. In each subject, leaders have identified the important knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to learn. The curriculum is designed so that pupils revisit and practise these ideas. This supports them to apply their understanding in more challenging work. For example, in mathematics, pupils add mixed numbers successfully because their previous understanding of multiplication, division and fractions is secure. Similarly, in history, pupils talk confidently about the concept of ruling power by drawing on different examples of monarchies, empires and dynasties they have studied.

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better?

In art, pupils practise drawing portraits. Older pupils can identify how their drawing has improved over time. However, pupils have not developed a secure understanding of the artists or of other techniques they have learned. Teachers do not identify this before moving on. Pupils struggle to understand new ideas or link them to what they have learned. Similarly, in music, pupils sing with enthusiasm and control because they practise regularly. However, pupils are less confident about the 3 and 4 November 2021

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musical features they use when composing or hear when listening to the work of different composers.

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Children in the early years engage well with their learning. Staff model spoken language precisely, and children are given opportunity to talk with adults and to each other. As a result, children are confident to talk and to share their experiences. Staff support children’s mathematical learning effectively. For example, children practise their counting, and this enables them to understand the idea of more and less. Although children practise their letter formation, staff do not routinely identify and correct the mistakes children make. As a result, these errors persist in Years 1 and 2 pupils’ writing.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified swiftly. Teachers are well supported to modify activities or provide additional resources to ensure all pupils benefit from a full curriculum. For example, in art, pupils are given larger brushes that can be more easily controlled. This enables them to create their own watercolour paintings alongside their peers. Although all staff have received training in supporting pupils who may struggle, some staff do not always apply this fully. As a result, misconceptions are not always identified and persist in pupils’ work.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and engage enthusiastically with their learning. Leaders manage attendance and punctuality effectively, supporting families to ensure their children attend school daily and on time. The curriculum for personal, social and health education has recently been rewritten. This includes increasing pupils’ understanding of diversity, equality and discrimination.

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Staff are proud to work at St Vincent’s and are appreciative of the development opportunities they are given. They feel their workload is well managed. Subject leaders have been well supported by senior leaders. As a result, they have an accurate understanding of the strengths and priorities for the areas they lead.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable about their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. This ensures any support pupils and families might need from the school and other professionals is provided. Pupils feel safe in school and have a clear understanding of the different ways they keep themselves safe when online. All parents who completed the online survey agreed that their children were safe in school. When safeguarding concerns arise, action is taken in a timely way, including liaising with agencies. However, systems for recording these cases could be sharper. Leaders have already started to make improvements. 3 and 4 November 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in all subjects identifies the knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to learn. It has been designed to ensure that pupils regularly return to and practise these ideas. However, in art and music, pupils struggle to understand new ideas or link them to their previous learning. Leaders should ensure the curriculum in art and music is as well implemented as it is in other subjects. This is to ensure that pupils remember and understand the important knowledge and vocabulary identified in curriculum plans.  Senior and subject leaders have provided training to support the delivery of the planned curriculum. As a result, most teachers are knowledgeable and support pupils effectively. However, this is not the case for all staff. Leaders need to check that the training staff receive, including in reading, is understood and applied appropriately so that misconceptions and errors are identified and corrected

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 and 4 November 2021

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School is an average-sized primary school.  The school converted to academy status in October 2014.  An above-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and speak a range of languages.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There have been recent changes to the leadership of the school. The headteacher was appointed in September 2020 and the chair of the governing body in July 2021.  The school is part of the Catholic Diocese of Southwark. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school took place in February 2018. 3 and 4 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and music. To do this, they met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered leaders’ plans for history and science.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with two governors - the chair and vice-chair of the governing body. They also spoke with the school improvement consultant commissioned by leaders.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and

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Inspection team

Nick Turvey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ellie Whilby Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 November 2021

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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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