St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe

Inspection of a good school: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe Barnsley Road, Moorthorpe, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF9 2BP

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Outcome

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They feel happy and safe. Pupils treat each other with respect. A strong community atmosphere is underpinned by the weekly virtues that pupils learn about, for example, kindness and generosity. Pupils learn about how to demonstrate these virtues in their day-to-day lives. They are rewarded on Friday if they have modelled the weekly virtue. Pupils understand the importance of these virtues in moulding their character. One pupil explained ‘they make us think about how to be better people’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The respectful culture that is evident around school means that pupils are considerate of each other. They talk firmly about empathy. Pupils explain the importance of ‘treating others as you would like to be treated’. Pupils do not feel that bullying is a problem at this school. They understand clearly what bullying is and how to challenge it. Pupils are confident that staff would take bullying very seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils enjoy the challenge of meeting these expectations. Pupils are encouraged to be independent and resourceful in lessons. If they are stuck, they do not expect to be given the answer. Teachers also encourage children in the early years to be independent. They help tidy up and zip up their own coats, for example.

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

Leaders from across the trust have focused on building a strong curriculum. Leaders have ensured that teachers are clear about exactly what they want pupils to learn. The curriculum is ambitious. Leaders have ensured that the knowledge pupils gain builds a strong foundation for future study. Leaders have also carefully considered the gaps that pupils might have as a result of the disruption caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Teachers make sure these gaps are addressed. This is particularly clear in mathematics.

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

Leaders have ensured that there is a strong focus on early reading. They have introduced a new phonics scheme. Staff have undergone training to ensure they teach this 29 and 30 June 2022

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effectively. Phonics is taught daily, and pupils read books that are well matched to their knowledge. Leaders have created a culture where pupils talk with enthusiasm about reading and their favourite books. Pupils also enjoy rewards for reading from the book vending machine.

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In most lessons, teachers’ explanations are clear and precise. Teachers use ambitious vocabulary in the classroom. Pupils often use sophisticated language in their work and their answers. Teachers in the early years insist on children using language precisely. They model high quality communication. Children benefit from these high expectations. There are clear routines in place in the early years to ensure that children are well prepared for their next steps. Teachers encourage independence and kindness.

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Teachers regularly use ‘flashbacks’ in lessons to help pupils remember what they have learned. Pupils find this helpful. In some classrooms, teachers use questioning effectively to uncover gaps in pupils’ learning. This is not consistent. In some classrooms, teachers do not routinely check what all pupils know. This means some gaps in knowledge are not identified quickly enough.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effectively supported to ensure they can access the same curriculum as their peers. Teaching assistants are used effectively to remove barriers to learning for these pupils. Pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported by teaching assistants who speak their native language.

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Pupils behave well in classrooms and around school. Pupils have high expectations of their own and each other’s behaviour. Pupils are keen and engaged in lessons. They want to volunteer answers. There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils believe teachers are caring.

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Pupils talk maturely about diversity and tolerance. They explain about respecting race, gender and nationality. Pupils value weekly circle time as a chance to explore important topics in a safe space. Leaders ensure pupils have a wide range of opportunities to contribute to their local community, including choir performances and tree planting. Pupils are being prepared to be active citizens.

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Despite recent changes in leadership, staff feel well supported at this school. They believe that leaders consider their wellbeing. Staff, including early career teachers, explain ways they have been supported to manage their workload. Staff appreciate the support of the trust. They value the training and resources that trust leaders provide. All staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a priority in school. Both staff and pupils clearly understand how to report any worries or concerns they might have. Pupils trust adults to 29 and 30 June 2022

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help them and keep them safe. Staff are vigilant in their attention to pupils’ well-being. They are knowledgeable about risks that pupils might face. Pupils are taught effectively about a range of risks, including road safety and online safety.

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Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the support that they need. Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies to keep pupils safe. Leaders work closely as a team to ensure they can maintain this strong focus on pupil safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, teachers are not systematically checking what all pupils know. This means that gaps and misconceptions are not always identified quickly. Leaders should ensure that, in lessons, teachers are regularly checking what all pupils have learned.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2017.

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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.

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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. 29 and 30 June 2022

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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 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211357 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 – 2 February 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust. The Executive Headteacher and Academy Council are shared with Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School.  There have been changes in leadership since the previous inspection.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school had its last section 48 inspection in November 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 29 and 30 June 2022

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 The inspector met with executive headteacher and the acting head of school. They also met and spoke with representatives from the trust. They spoke with the chair of the academy council by telephone.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. They looked at education, health and care plans, learner profiles and target support plans. They checked how pupils with SEND were supported in lessons.  The inspector met with the senior school improvement advisor from the local authority.  The inspector checked the single central register and documents related to safer

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recruitment practices.  The inspector met with leaders responsible for safeguarding and checked logs of actions taken to keep pupils safe. The inspector spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding procedures in school.  The inspector met with leaders responsible for personal development and looked at plans for relationships and sex education.  The inspector spoke with parents informally.  The inspector considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys. They also considered the responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Katie Spurr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 June 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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