Caton St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Caton St Paul’s Church of England Primary School Moorside Road, Brookhouse, Lancaster, Lancashire LA2 9PJ

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Outcome

Caton St Paul’s Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enter this welcoming school with a buzz of excitement. They are greeted warmly each day by school staff. Pupils feel cared for. They try hard to live out the school’s motto ‘one family, belonging, believing and learning together’. No one is left out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, are happy in school. They are polite and enthusiastic and behave well. Pupils know that leaders want them to do their best and they live up to this aim.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of any differences. Pupils said that bullying does not happen at the school. They trust that if it should happen, staff will sort it out quickly. Pupils appreciate being able to talk to staff if anything bothers them. They know that staff will do their best to help them. This makes them feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate taking on additional roles. These include being a school councillor, a sports leader or a sports photographer. Pupils said these responsibilities help them to prepare for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils can access a range of opportunities. Trips to places such as the theatre and local towns and cities help pupils gain new experiences. Pupils spoke eagerly about their recent exciting adventuring trips, where they toasted marshmallows, learned about nature and scrambled over rocks.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects their high aspirations for all pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is planned so that pupils extend their vocabulary in each subject. In most subjects, learning builds on what pupils already know 4 and 5 May 2022

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and understand in well-ordered steps as they move through the school. This starts in the early years. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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In a small number of subjects, leaders have not considered fully the small blocks of knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that teachers are less certain about the knowledge that should be taught. As a result, over time, some gaps emerge in pupils’ learning in these subjects.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They present information clearly. Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ work to see how well they are developing their knowledge and understanding. They use this information to address pupils’ misconceptions and inform teaching.

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Leaders have placed reading at the centre of the school’s curriculum. They have thought carefully about which high-quality books pupils will encounter as they move from the early years to Year 6. As pupils begin to read independently, staff ensure that their reading books are closely matched to the phonics that they are learning in class. The phonics curriculum is well organised and ambitious. However, some staff lack confidence in supporting those pupils who struggle with their early reading skills. As a result, some pupils are not as well supported as they could be.

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Leaders know pupils well and are quick to identify the needs of those with SEND. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers where possible. Leaders and staff work closely with other professionals to help meet these pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils with SEND achieve the same as others in the school.

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Pupils are well mannered and they conduct themselves well around school. In the early years, children play and learn together happily. Leaders create a positive culture where pupils thrive. Pupils work hard, in a calm and focused learning environment.

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Leaders enhance the personal development curriculum with opportunities to nurture pupils’ talents and interests outside of the school day. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about these opportunities. They are proud of their achievements.

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Governors know the school well. They ask challenging questions of leaders so that they can hold them to account. Governors have provided considerable support for leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that pupils continue to learn well.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They said that leaders and governors treat them with respect. This helps them to feel valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant of any signs of potential abuse or neglect. This is because leaders’ robust procedures and effective training for staff have created a strong culture of safeguarding. 4 and 5 May 2022

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Leaders act swiftly on any concerns. They work effectively with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive any additional support that they might need.

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Leaders have made sure that, across the curriculum, there are a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy relationships and how to stay safe. For example, pupils have a detailed understanding of how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff lack confidence in using their phonics training to support pupils with their reading. This means that some pupils who struggle do not receive appropriate help. Leaders should ensure that staff have the support that they need to deliver the phonics curriculum confidently and effectively.  In a small number of subjects, leaders have not given enough thought to the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Therefore, teachers are not always clear about the most important knowledge that should be taught. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge over time. Leaders should make sure that teachers know the important knowledge that pupils should learn.

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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 March

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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.

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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. 4 and 5 May 2022

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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. 4 and 5 May 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://catonstpauls.com Date of previous inspection 19 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been a significant number of changes to the leadership team since the previous inspection. A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed.  The governing body manages the before- and after-school provision.  The school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection was carried out in March 2012.  School leaders do 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 leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese. 4 and 5 May 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. These involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing the subject curriculums, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. He also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector held discussions with the subject leaders for art and design, history and geography.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtime and during lessons. The inspector also talked to pupils about their views of the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and spoke with parents and carers. He also considered responses to the pupil and staff questionnaires.  The inspector checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. He viewed a range of safeguarding documentation and looked at how incidents are managed and recorded.

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Inspection team

James Blackwell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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