Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Burlington Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 4ND

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Outcome

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are cheerful at this safe and caring school. They share any concerns with adults and know that the staff look after them. Adults are quick to help solve any problems, including any rare incidents of bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils. Pupils know that all staff expect them to work hard and challenge themselves. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils work hard and show high levels of self- control.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop their personal and social skills. Pupils enjoy taking on positions of responsibility, including as sunshine representatives, celebration champions and music captains. Staff encourage pupils to share any ideas and initiatives, and support them in making positive choices and decisions. Pupils are proud to represent their school in various ways. This includes participating in community events and sporting tournaments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers broaden pupils’ experiences through a range of educational visits and themed days. These help to immerse pupils in purposeful and practical learning. Pupils enjoy the variety of clubs that develop their skills and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The views of parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive. They valued the strong links leaders establish with the community.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that identifies essential content for pupils to learn in most subjects. The curriculum ensures that pupils’ knowledge develops systematically. For example, in physical education, pupils become increasingly knowledgeable in how to apply tactics to various games. Leaders think through carefully how experiences in early years set the foundations for learning. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Teachers help pupils to understand new content with clarity. They check pupils’ knowledge and address any misconceptions in a timely way. This helps pupils to be ready for future learning. For example, teachers support pupils in developing their knowledge of mathematical concepts in a methodical way. In Reception, children showed confidence in representing numbers to 20 in different ways, for example through words, pictures and tallies.

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Leaders work closely with subject leaders to ensure the curriculum is ambitious. Recent changes to curriculum thinking in subjects have been positive. As a result, subject leaders have clear end goals for what they want pupils to achieve. In some subjects, leaders new to the role lack the expertise in supporting teachers to implement leaders’ curriculum thinking securely.

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Reading is treated as a priority by leaders. Staff speak positively about the new phonics programme introduced this academic year. Training has helped staff to teach phonics sounds with accuracy. Adults check which sounds pupils know effectively. They use this information to identify and support any pupils who may be falling behind in reading. Staff ensure that the books that pupils read match the sounds they know. Pupils enjoy reading for pleasure. Staff help them to read with confidence and fluency.

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Leaders identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND from when they start school. They work closely with parents and external agencies to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and are well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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Staff have high expectations of how pupils conduct themselves. Pupils are polite, confident and articulate. Teachers inspire pupils to want to learn. This begins in the early years. Adults provide engaging learning opportunities that foster children’s personal, social and emotional development. Children express their feelings and consider the opinions of others. Pupils become highly motivated, enthusiastic and independent learners. They concentrate with intensity in lessons, which proceed without disruptions.

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Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual development very well. Staff teach pupils about the importance of caring about everyone. For instance, pupils are taught about different cultural celebrations, festivals and religions. Teachers encourage pupils to aim high. Pupils shared their aspirations for the future, including to become digital engineers, veterinarians and designers. Staff encourage pupils take the initiative in raising funds for charities and school resources.

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Leaders consider staff’s well-being and workload. Staff celebrate the opportunities that leaders create in helping them to develop further, including those at the start of their careers. Adults are extremely proud to work at the school. Those responsible for governance are aware of the strengths of the school. They have a clear vision for what they need to focus on next, and offer support and challenge to school leaders. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders use robust systems to make sure they keep pupils safe. Staff know their responsibility to report any concerns, and do so. They are well trained and proactive in helping pupils who may be at risk or in need. Leaders carefully track and analyse records any incidents of concern. They take swift actions in dealing with them.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are knowledgeable about keeping safe online. They are taught not to share any personal information. Parents agreed that their children are kept safe at school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, where subject leaders are new to the role, oversight of the curriculum is not consistent. As a result, teaching does not implement leaders’ curricular aims securely in these subjects. Leaders should continue to develop subject expertise and leadership to support teachers effectively in implementing the ambitions of the curriculum securely and consistently in all subjects.

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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 first 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 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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269103 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs of governing body Blon Byrne and Jonathan Roberts

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 and 22 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2019.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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 met with one of the chairs of the governing body, a local authority representative, the headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector considered information provided about safeguarding arrangements. The inspector scrutinised safeguarding records and the record of pre-employment checks. 21 and 22 March 2023

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The inspector reviewed procedures and processes by talking to leaders and staff, and through discussions with pupils.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 21 and 22 March 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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