St Joseph and St Bede RC Primary School

Inspection of St Joseph and St Bede RC Primary School Danesmoor Drive, Bury, Lancashire BL9 6ER

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 20 and 21 April 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and eager to learn. They feel valued and safe due to the nurturing ethos of the school. Parents and carers appreciate the work of leaders and staff, especially in regard to pupils’ personal development. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly positive. Staff and pupils talked about being part of the ‘SJSB family’. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop into confident, independent learners and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. Pupils behave well and take pride in their work. They said that staff treat them fairly. Pupils also said that bullying is rare. They are confident that the clear procedures in place to deal with any bullying would resolve any issues quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make the most of the varied and extensive opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Clubs are very popular. Pupils across all year groups take part in extra-curricular activities. These include film-making club, podcast club, sports clubs and music clubs. Pupils apply to become mental health ambassadors, school councillors, and charity representatives. In these roles they contribute to leaders’ work to consider pupils’ well-being.

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better?

Leaders have a clear vision for the school. The curriculum outlines what pupils are expected to learn step by step in each subject. Pupils gain secure knowledge and understanding in most subjects. In addition, they apply what they have learned in different contexts. For example, in science, pupils use their mathematics skills to successfully collect and interpret data. Effective communication and training have helped staff to understand and deliver the curriculum effectively. Leaders have thought about what they want children in the early years and pupils in the rest of the school to learn. However, the curriculum structure in a few subjects has been revised more recently. The impact of these changes on pupils’ learning in these subjects is not clear.

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better?

Leaders and staff are alert to identify any pupils who may have SEND. Teachers routinely check that pupils with SEND have understood what they are being taught. This results in pupils receiving suitable extra support when they need it.

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better?

Children start to learn phonics as soon as they start school in the early years. These children and pupils in the rest of the school take books home to practise their reading. The books match closely to children and pupils’ phonic knowledge. Older pupils develop a love of reading and they read widely and often. They build their reading confidence and fluency. Pupils read more-challenging texts as their reading improves through the school. Some pupils in key stages 1 and 2 still have gaps in their phonics knowledge as a result of the pandemic. Leaders have introduced a new 20 and 21 April 2022

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phonics curriculum which is helping these pupils to catch up. However, there is sometimes an inconsistent approach to the delivery of this new phonics curriculum.

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In the early years, children learn mathematics and early reading through a well planned and sequenced curriculum. In these subjects, children build understanding and knowledge effectively over time. However, as in the rest of the school, some curriculum areas have recently been revised. As a result, a minority of children are not ready for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum.

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The work to promote pupils’ personal development is praiseworthy. Staff have great success in developing pupils’ character. Leaders have prioritised pupils’ well-being. Pupils respect and celebrate the differences in others. They experience a wide range of opportunities to promote their wider personal development. For example, during their time at the school pupils visit museums and places of worship and participate in an extensive range of sporting activities. They learn about diversity, how to manage relationships and the importance of respect. They are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Pupils are polite and well mannered. They behave well and treat each other with consideration. Pupils concentrate on their learning without disruption.

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Governors provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. They hold them to account for the quality of education in the school. They recognise the positive contribution that the school makes to pupils’ personal development. Teachers appreciate the ways that leaders consider their workload. They appreciate the revised methods of marking pupils’ work. Staff feel supported to improve their knowledge in different subjects. This develops their confidence in delivering the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are trained well to identify any issues which might suggest that pupils are at risk from harm. Leaders respond to any concerns quickly, referring pupils to other agencies when required. Leaders make sure that all safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and are adapted to the needs of the pupils. Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They are effective in dealing with any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work cooperatively with parents and outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils to be safe. The culture of safeguarding in the school is strong.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe when online and outside school. They told inspectors that they know who to speak to if they have any concerns. 20 and 21 April 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, including in early years, the curriculum has been developed quite recently. Pupils do not know and remember as much of their previous learning in these subjects as they do in others. Leaders should embed the curriculum in these subjects to help ensure that pupils know and remember more.  Leaders’ approach to the delivery of the new phonics curriculum is not followed consistently by all staff. This means that a minority of pupils do not learn phonics as quickly as they should. Leaders should ensure that all staff deliver the new phonics curriculum as intended.

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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. 20 and 21 April 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226255 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Babbs

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Catholic primary school, within the Diocese of Salford. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in December 2015. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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.  Inspectors completed deep dives in reading, mathematics, English, science and history. This involved meeting with senior and subject leaders, scrutinising the curriculums and visiting lessons in these subjects. Inspectors met pupils from the lessons visited and looked at their work. They also met with the teachers from the classes visited.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading. 20 and 21 April 2022

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 Inspectors looked at the single central record and checked the school’s systems for monitoring and reporting safeguarding concerns. They also met with the designated safeguarding leader.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator to help evaluate provision and practice for pupils with SEND in the school.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff and pupils to find out what it is like to be a pupil or to work in this school.  Inspectors met with a representative group of governors.  Inspectors reviewed key documents, including the school’s self-evaluation form, school action plans and monitoring records.  An inspector checked all survey responses, including those from pupils, staff and parents. This included taking into account 26 responses to Ofsted Parent View. They also met with some parents on the second day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Simon Hunter, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Joyce Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 April 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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