St Paulinus Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Paulinus Catholic Primary School Temple Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF13 3QE

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Paulinus are encouraged to see themselves as important citizens of the community and the wider world. The school’s values of faith, family, respect and achievement are understood by everyone. They say that they enjoy being part of what is seen as a family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, staff and pupils show great respect for each other. Relationships are strong throughout the school. Staff have high expectations for behaviour and pupils are polite and well mannered. Pupils have an excellent understanding of what bullying is and is not. They say that it rarely happens in the school, but if it does, teachers deal with it quickly and fairly. Pupils say that they feel safe and cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that pupils are well prepared for life beyond the school. Year 6 pupils have recently taken part in the ‘Dare 25’ programme. They have learned life skills such as resilience and how to manage worries or anxiety, as well as how to keep themselves safe. Pupils say that they enjoy the opportunities they have to take on roles of responsibility. They enjoy being playground buddies, helping to teach younger pupils to play kindly and taking part in initiatives such as ‘silver stories’, when they read to members of the local community.

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

Leaders recognised that improvements were needed to the teaching of reading and mathematics. They have introduced new approaches that are helping teachers to plan more effective delivery of the curriculum. However, there is still more to do to ensure that these are used consistently across school. Further work is also needed to improve what pupils learn in some subjects in the wider curriculum. This will ensure that learning is better matched to pupils’ needs and capabilities. 8 and 9 December 2021

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Leaders have implemented a new mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics. This has been firmly embedded across the school over the past four years. Teachers follow this approach in all year groups, including Reception. This is helping pupils to develop confidence as mathematicians. Teachers follow the approach with fidelity; however, they do not always adjust the work well enough to meet the needs of all the pupils. This means that some pupils find work too easy or too hard. Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to check learning is secure. Teachers need more support to adapt work and to check that all pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), fully understand what is being taught.

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All staff in the school are passionate about ensuring pupils can read well. Teachers in key stage 2 read inspiring texts to pupils regularly. Pupils in the early years enjoy stories, rhymes and songs daily. Leaders have recently introduced a new, more systematic phonics teaching programme. All staff have received training, but this approach is not yet embedded. Leaders recognise that staff need more support to help all pupils blend sounds fluently.

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Some pupils in key stage 1 have considerable gaps in phonics learning caused by COVID 19. They have benefited from repeating some of their learning in phonics in class and in catch up sessions. However, teachers are not always assessing learning regularly enough and moving pupils on to new learning. Leaders are aware that this must be addressed quickly to help these pupils get back on track.

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The wider curriculum has been improved in all subjects. There are plans in place that match the ambition of the national curriculum. However, some of these plans, in subjects such as geography, lack detail. This means that teachers are not always clear about the key knowledge they should be teaching. Consequently, pupils cannot build on prior learning. They do not always understand and remember important knowledge.

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Leaders have enriched the curriculum in the past with residential visits to places such as the Houses of Parliament or Leeds Cathedral. They are keen to reintroduce these as soon as they are able. Parents and pupils are also looking forward to a greater number of school clubs beginning again soon.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that further development of the wider curriculum and assessment may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed effective policies and procedures for safeguarding. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and understand the various local risks that are present for pupils. Staff are clear about what they should do if they have a concern about a child. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive help if they need it. Leaders are proud of the nurturing nature of the school. Parents say they feel 8 and 9 December 2021

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that the school goes over and above to help them with their children, their parenting and their lives.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The programme used by the school previously to support pupils with early reading has not been successful. Some pupils were not taught to read well enough. Not all elements of this legacy have yet been eradicated. School leaders recognise the need to ensure the effective teaching of phonics is prioritised and have very recently introduced a new programme. Leaders should monitor the roll out of this programme carefully to ensure it meets the needs of the pupils.  Leaders have not identified the key knowledge and concepts they want pupils to remember in some subjects. In geography, for example, teachers include content, or focus on areas that are not on curriculum plans. This means that pupils do not make links to prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers have sufficient subject knowledge and are clear about the curriculum. This will ensure that pupils are supported to know and remember more.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers are not always clear about what they want pupils to know and remember. This means that assessment in some curriculum subjects is not used effectively to plan learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to ensure pupils’ learning is sequential. This will ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported to make greater progress.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 8 and 9 December 2021

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 8 and 9 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200467 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 6 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Paulinus Catholic Primary School has a Catholic ethos. It is part of the Diocese of Leeds. It had its last section 48 inspection in June 2017.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, other members of the leadership team and staff. Further meetings were held with representatives of the governing board, including the chair and vice chair. The inspector also held a meeting with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central record, and staff training and safeguarding records.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. These deep dives involved discussions with subject leaders and teachers, visiting 8 and 9 December 2021

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lessons and talking to pupils about their work in these subjects. The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work.  The inspector monitored pupils’ behaviour around school, at lunch and breaktimes, and during lessons. She also met with groups of pupils to listen to their views about their work and school life.  The inspector evaluated the responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, along with responses to the free-text facility. She met with parents at the start of the school day to gather their views about the school. The inspector also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Andrea Batley, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector 8 and 9 December 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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