St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Newman Grove, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1BN

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2022

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is a warm, caring community where leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils live the school motto, ‘With God in our hearts we love and learn’, in all aspects of school life. Pupils are happy and safe. They enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils achieve well academically and personally. They ensure that reading is well taught. A range of clubs, visits and activities allow pupils to develop their wider interests. Pupils deepen their knowledge of the Vikings by visiting Tatton Park. They enjoyed a performance of ‘James and the Giant Peach’ at a local theatre. Younger pupils enjoy visiting the Tooth Fairy House in the forest school. Year 6 pupils look forward to their Laches Wood residential and their cinema/bowling experience in the summer term.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils listen attentively and are fully engaged in their learning during lessons. During social times, pupils play well together. They are kind and caring towards each other. Incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that staff will resolve any issues or concerns they have. Parents and carers are positive about the quality of education their children receive. 14 and 15 September 2022

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

Leaders have created a well-structured curriculum that sets high expectations for all pupils. They have identified the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember in each subject. Teachers expect all pupils to do their best. They receive the training and resources they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers check on pupils’ learning regularly. They plan next steps carefully to meet pupils’ needs, based on what pupils know and can do already. Teachers recap prior learning to help pupils remember things they have learned before.

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

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained to identify pupils’ different needs. Teachers provide the right support to pupils who need it. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are well supported. They access the same curriculum as other pupils in school. As a result, all pupils achieve well.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. They make sure that staff are well trained. As a result, phonics is well taught. Pupils read regularly throughout the school day. Leaders have ensured that teachers have a good range of books and resources to teach reading well. However, pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to practise using sounds they know when reading. This is because some books they read are not matched to the sounds they are learning. Hence, some pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they should.

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

Children in the early years have just started at the school. They settle well into school routines. Staff work closely with parents to plan for children’s learning. Adults are supportive and sensitive to differing needs. They provide effective care and learning opportunities for two-year-olds. For example, children enjoy sorting a variety of soft toy teddy bears. Staff model language well. They carefully plan the environment to support these early stages of learning and development. However, there are not enough opportunities to support children’s early writing. This means that some children struggle with their pencil grip, which affects their ability to write. Leaders provide a rich set of varied experiences to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of positive and respectful healthy relationships. Opportunities such as becoming librarians, faith ambassadors and ‘Mini Vinnies’ allow pupils to take on responsibilities in school. In

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

doing so, they develop leadership and teamwork skills. Pupils develop their talents and interests through activities such as netball club, cricket club and learning to play musical instruments. They develop an understanding of democracy by debating curriculum issues and engaging with the school council. The school rules help pupils to understand right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe. Opportunities to learn about other cultures and religions help pupils to recognise and respect others’ differences. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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

Senior leaders, including governors, know what the school does well and they identify the right priorities for improvement. They want all pupils to have the best possible start to their education. Together, leaders work well as a team and make regular checks on the 14 and 15 September 2022

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work of the school. Staff are positive about the support they receive from leaders to manage their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise pupils’ welfare. They make sure that staff are well trained. This means that staff understand how to keep children safe. Staff record and report any safeguarding concerns, such as domestic abuse and neglect, swiftly. Leaders work effectively with external agencies so that children in need of help get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about child-on-child abuse, online safety and healthy relationships . They know how to raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that appropriate checks on staff are undertaken before they start working at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in the early years does not support children’s early writing as well as it should. This means that some children struggle with their pencil grip, which affects their ability to write. Leaders should support staff in the early years to improve curriculum opportunities and provision to develop children’s writing, including their fine and gross motor skills.  Pupils do not always have enough opportunities to practise sounding out the sounds they know when reading. This is because they do not have sufficient opportunity to read books that match the sounds they are learning. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they should. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils have sufficient opportunity to read books that match the sounds they are learning so that pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 14 and 15 September 2022

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2013.

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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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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. 14 and 15 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211170 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 12 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes provision for two-year-olds.  Two pupils attend local authority registered alternative provision.  The school’s last inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 for schools of a religious character took place in November 2021.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this inspection under section 8 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in history, mathematics and reading. These included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum guidance and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector also looked at work from a sample of other subjects. The inspector also discussed the curriculum with subject leaders. 14 and 15 September 2022

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 The inspector listened to pupils read and reviewed reading resources.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation on the school’s website.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, representatives of the governing body, the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, the pupils’ survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 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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