SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School Dimbles Hill, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7NH

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Outcome

SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and happy school, typically described by parents and carers as being, ‘like a family’. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. It is clear how much pupils are cared for and nurtured. Pupils are proud of their school and say that they feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in school. Pupils rise to these expectations. Pupils behave well in lessons and on the playground. They treat each other with respect, listen to teachers and work hard. Leaders do not tolerate bullying, and when it does occasionally occur, it is sorted out quickly. Pupils know whom to talk to if they have a worry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote pupils’ wider development in a variety of ways. Pupils participate in a range of activities, such as raising money for charities of their choice and taking part in whole-school theatrical productions. Pupils willingly take on leadership roles, such as those of school councillor and eco-committee member. This is an inclusive school where pupils achieve well. Leaders ensure that pupils have a wide variety of high-quality sports activities available in which to participate, including inclusive sports such as boccia.

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

Leaders are passionate about making sure that the school is a positive place to be. They take great care in supporting staff to fulfil their roles. Governors support leaders and are fully committed to ensuring that all pupils receive a broad and ambitious curriculum.

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

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum has been carefully designed and implemented for all pupils. The curriculum is organised in such a way that it builds on pupils’ prior learning. Important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn are well sequenced. Staff teach the curriculum successfully in most subjects. They adapt the way in which the curriculum is taught for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, some subject leaders have not checked how well teachers 17 January 2023

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are implementing the intended curriculum. This means that they are not clear about how well pupils are doing in their subjects. As a result, pupils are not always reaching the expected aims of the curriculum.

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Leaders work with a range of external agencies to identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. This starts from early years. Most pupils who need to catch up and pupils with SEND are well supported to access the curriculum. However, some staff lack the expertise to support some of these pupils successfully.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Teaching pupils to read fluently and accurately is at the heart of what the school does. There is a drive to extend this to develop pupils’ wider appreciation of reading. Governors share this drive and focus on reading. Leaders engage parents in reading through initiatives such as the reading café and reading workshops. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they are learning. Teachers use assessments well to identify pupils who need additional support to catch up. Staff support pupils with daily reading practice, which helps them to catch up successfully.

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Children in early years get off to a good start. Relationships are nurturing, and children respond well to this. They listen attentively and respond to adults positively. Staff have a good understanding of how to develop early speech and language, and children benefit from this. Children are well cared for, and relationships between staff and children are warm. The curriculum for early reading is appropriately sequenced. Children take part in regular opportunities in the learning environment to practise their phonics skills. They learn to read with developing accuracy and confidence. Children enjoy listening to adults reading stories. Leaders have given careful thought to making the indoor and outdoor learning environment exciting and appealing. This means that children access high-quality learning opportunities. Children work effectively both independently and with adult support. As a result, the vast majority of pupils are well prepared for Year 1.

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Pupils learn about fundamental British values and other religions and cultures. For example, they take part in annual visits to a local multi-faith trail. They understand and respect the different opinions and beliefs of others. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extracurricular activities, such as choir, multisports and football. Pupils attend residential visits that are inclusive. Music plays an important part in pupils’ personal and spiritual development. The recent introduction of musical instrument tuition has been welcomed by pupils. Pupils appreciate the opportunity to attend musical concerts.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff receive appropriate training so that they can recognise signs that may indicate that a pupil is at risk of harm. There are robust systems for reporting concerns that all staff know, understand and use when necessary. Leaders act swiftly when concerns arise. They work closely with families and external agencies to make sure that pupils are kept safe. 17 January 2023

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Pupils learn about how to stay safe when online through the curriculum. They also work with the police to learn about risks and how to stay safe in the local community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not have a comprehensive understanding of how well the curriculum is delivered across the school. They are unclear about where further improvements are needed. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders know how well the curriculum is being implemented and how well pupils are achieving.  Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum for a small number of pupils who need to catch up and a small number of pupils with SEND is expertly delivered. This means that the specific needs of these pupils are not being well met. Leaders should ensure that all pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is implemented effectively.

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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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.

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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. 17 January 2023

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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. 17 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

6 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use alternative provision.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was in December 2022. The school’s next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  The inspectors reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, governors (including the chair of the governing body), representatives from the Archdiocese of Birmingham and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, spoke to teachers, visited 17 January 2023

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lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work, where available.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead. Pupils’ case files were reviewed. The single central record of the checks on staff’s suitability to work with children was scrutinised.  The inspectors met with staff to discuss their workload and the support they receive to carry out their roles.  The inspectors spoke to pupils about how safe they feel in school and how they learn to keep themselves safe.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the responses to the staff questionnaire.  There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Emma Titchener, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Hardman His Majesty’s Inspector 17 January 2023

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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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