The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School

Inspection of The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School Kingsland Gardens, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN2 7BH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 29 and30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values sit at the heart of the school community. Pupils say that they love coming to this friendly and welcoming school. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils feel safe. They know that they can talk to adults if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

New leaders have the highest expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They are polite and courteous. Pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful towards their peers and adults. They say that bullying is rare. They say that staff deal with any problems quickly and fairly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on extra responsibilities. The school council meets regularly. Pupils enjoy taking part in sporting activities. They are especially proud of their participation in a recent cricket event. They are pleased to have come first in an oracy competition.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent spoke for many when they described the school as ‘a safe and welcoming place’.

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better?

Leaders have started to improve the quality of education in English. The curriculum is carefully planned so that pupils gradually develop the knowledge they need. However, leaders have not ensured that curriculum planning is well thought through in all subjects. They have not clearly identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn. In some subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious. For example, in music lessons, there are too few opportunities for all pupils to play musical instruments.

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better?

Leaders have introduced a well-sequenced phonics programme to support pupils at an early stage of reading. Books are closely matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge. Pupils who fall behind are swiftly given the support that they need to catch up. They quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident and fluent readers.

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better?

The reading ambassadors promote a love of reading and support new reading initiatives. All pupils are read to daily. Teachers choose books that broaden pupils’ experiences and vocabulary. Pupils are encouraged to read regularly at home.

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better?

Leaders do not always ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn as well as they could. Teachers do not consistently adapt the curriculum to address these pupils’ learning needs. Teachers do not routinely check that what they teach is being learned. 29 and30 June 2022

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Staff know the children in the early years well. They have positive relationships with the children and their families. Children behave well and enjoy playing together. They benefit from consistent systems and routines. However, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum in the early years is sequenced well enough. Some children do not get off to a good-enough start.

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Leaders make sure that pupils’ personal development is promoted well. Pupils have opportunities to learn about keeping healthy. They are taught how to look after their physical and emotional well-being. Pupils learn to respect differences. For example, they discuss different kinds of families. They say that anyone would be welcome and respected at their school. Pupils talk knowledgeably about their spiritual and moral development. They learn about different religions. Pupils enjoy different extra- curricular activities including sporting and musical activities, as well as the ‘knit and natter’ sessions.

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Governors are supportive of the school. They are developing a clear understanding of their role. However, they do not challenge and hold leaders to account when considering the quality of education and learning.

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Staff report that leaders are considerate of their workload. The positive ethos and team approach ensures that staff morale remains high. 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 make sure that safeguarding is a high priority. The relevant recruitment checks are carried out before adults start to work with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. They are vigilant and know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil’s welfare or safety. Staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. Leaders work with external professionals to make sure that pupils get the help they need swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils say that they understand how to be safe when out in the community and when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that curriculum planning in all subjects and in the early years is ambitious and clear. Planning does not set out the key knowledge that needs to be learned and the sequence that it needs to be taught. This means that pupils and children in the early years fail to acquire the knowledge and skills that they could. Leaders must ensure that all subject curriculums and the early years 29 and30 June 2022

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curriculum make it clear what should be learned and the order that it should be taught. They should ensure that pupils and children in the early years gain the knowledge and skills that they need.  Pupils who have SEND do not learn as well as they could in some subjects. They are not prepared well for the next learning stage in these curriculum areas. Leaders must make sure that the curriculum is adapted appropriately to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They should regularly check that the curriculum is working for these pupils. They should ensure that pupils with SEND acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed across all subjects that they study.  Governors’ understanding of the quality of education is not as strong as is needed. They are not always well informed. They sometimes rely too much on information provided by leaders without checking its validity. Governors must be sufficiently well trained to hold leaders to account, so that all pupils receive a

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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 and30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227391 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.thegoodshepherdcatholicprimarysc hool.org.uk Date of previous inspection 16 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a new senior leadership team and a new governing body.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school is part of the Our Lady Immaculate Academies Trust.

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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. The 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 met with the headteacher, other leaders and members of staff. Inspectors also met with representatives from the trust and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and music. For each of these subjects, inspectors held discussions with 29 and30 June 2022

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subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils, and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation. These included action plans, policies, curriculum documents, SEND records and minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons, during breaktimes and at lunchtime. They spoke to a range of staff about their views of behaviour, their workload and well-being. The inspectors spoke with pupils to consider their views.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. They reviewed safeguarding records, documentation and the single central record.  Inspectors analysed the survey responses of staff and pupils. They spoke with parents and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-

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text responses.  Inspectors looked at information published on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Westmoreland Ofsted Inspector 29 and30 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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