St Joseph's RC Primary School

Inspection of St Joseph’s RC Primary School St Joseph’s Drive, Ordsall, Salford, Greater Manchester M5 3JP

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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 29 and 30 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Joseph’s are happy. They make lots of friends at school. Pupils feel safe because leaders and staff care for them. Pupils learn to be kind to each other. They show respect for the diverse culture in the school and in the wider community. Pupils have a good understanding of the different relationships and family groups in society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy their learning. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. The carefully planned curriculum is delivered well by staff. This means that pupils achieve well. From the start of the early years, and through the rest of the school, children and pupils begin to learn challenging new words that help them to talk about their knowledge of different subjects. Pupils spoke with enthusiasm and understanding about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to leaders’ high expectations for their behaviour. Pupils behave well in school. They understand what bullying is. Pupils are confident that leaders and teachers deal with any incidents effectively. They know that they can talk to adults if they have a problem.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the opportunity to work and play in the extensive school grounds. These outdoor experiences enrich the curriculum and support their personal development. Pupils also access a range of trips out of school and clubs in school to broaden their experience of the world around them.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND, is challenging, ambitious and enjoyable. Leaders and staff, including those in early years, have carefully identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Leaders have strong subject knowledge. They support teachers effectively so that most subject curriculums are delivered well. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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better?

In a few subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is not as secure. They have not had enough training to ensure that they are well equipped to teach the ambitious curriculums. This hampers them from designing learning that helps pupils to deepen their knowledge. In these subjects, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning do not identify what pupils know and can do well enough. This limits the progress that pupils make in some areas of the curriculum.

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better?

Typically, teachers choose activities that help pupils remember what they have been taught. Teachers ensure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to revisit concepts and recall their learning. For instance, children in the early years are introduced to 29 and 30 March 2022

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the work of a chosen artist. Pupils revisit the artist’s use of technique and colour in Year 3. As a result, pupils can confidently build on their prior learning.

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The communication-rich environment in the Nursery and Reception classes promotes children’s early language skills well. Leaders have high expectations of what they want children to learn. This provides children with an ambitious curriculum which prepares them well for Year 1. Children have a secure understanding of routines and rules. This allows them to explore their surroundings with safety and confidence.

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Leaders focus successfully on the development of pupils’ reading. They have ensured that pupils can access a range of suitable materials. Staff have been well trained to deliver the new phonics programme effectively. This helps children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 to build their phonics knowledge securely. Reading books are matched well to the sounds and letters that pupils are learning. Staff quickly identify those pupils who struggle to read. These pupils are provided with effective support to help them catch up. Pupils read with accuracy and fluency. They talked with enthusiasm about the books that they have read.

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Pupils are polite, respectful and caring. They behave well in lessons and around school. This means that teachers can usually teach the curriculum without disruption. Pupils were involved in the writing of ‘golden rules’ to guide behaviours for everyone. This means that most pupils feel that staff treat everyone fairly.

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Leaders teach pupils to value diversity in their school life and in the wider community. Staff enrich the curriculum with events and activities that build pupils’ respect and understanding of different beliefs, faiths and abilities. The school regularly engages with outside agencies to enhance pupils’ awareness and understanding. For example, pupils visit the ‘Crucial Crew’ where they learn about keeping themselves safe both online and in the wider world.

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Pupils with SEND, including those in early years, are included fully in school life. Leaders and staff accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND and work closely with other professionals to ensure that these pupils are well supported. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers.

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Leaders make sure that staff have a reasonable workload. Governance has been strengthened. Governors are now well informed about the schools’ performance. They use their skills to support and challenge the leadership of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff receive appropriate training to ensure that they remain vigilant and able to respond to concerns. Leaders work well with external agencies and families to support vulnerable pupils. They rigorously follow up any safeguarding concerns. 29 and 30 March 2022

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Year 6 pupils talked enthusiastically about the activities that have supported their understanding of risks and safety in the local community. Pupils said that staff listen to and act on their views or concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of curriculum areas, teachers are not as confident in their subject knowledge. They have not received sufficient training to enable them to teach the curriculum as well as leaders intend. This hampers pupils’ achievement. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to deliver all subject curriculums consistently well.  In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to identify what pupils know or where they have gaps in their learning. This stops teachers from designing learning that builds on what pupils already know. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise to check pupils’ learning across different subjects.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211694 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 1 and 2 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2018.  This is a Catholic school. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school took place in December 2015.  The school does not place any pupils in alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and music. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 29 and 30 March 2022

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 Inspectors also reviewed the curriculum for other subject areas. They spoke with pupils and staff about these subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils reading to a trusted adult.  Inspectors evaluated parents’ responses, including free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors.  Inspectors met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leaders and checked how leaders record and respond to safeguarding concerns. Inspectors checked the safeguarding policies and leaders’ records of checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils. Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, leaders and other staff about safeguarding procedures and training.

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Inspection team

Iain Sim, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise McArdle Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

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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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