St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy

Inspection of good school: St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy Swainsea Lane, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 8AR

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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?

Pupils are friendly, happy and feel safe in this school. Leaders strive to make the school a place where everyone can succeed. Pupils who join St Joseph’s in key stage 2, having had difficult educational experiences elsewhere, are supported exceptionally well. Their future educational opportunities are transformed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning from a wide range extra-curricular clubs. Activities such as boxercise, cooking and archery are well attended by all. Leaders encourage teachers to use the many opportunities in the local area to support the curriculum. Pupils benefit from trips, including to Dalby Forest and a steam train journey to Goathland.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school; the school is a calm and orderly. This is because all adults have high expectations and pupils know what is expected of them. Where pupils make poor behaviour choices, adults support them skilfully to make better choices next time. All pupils know one another in this close school community. Pupils know to speak to adults should they have any concerns. They trust staff to listen to them if they have any worries. Bullying is rare. If any incidents of bullying do occur, pupils know that adults will deal with it quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are hugely positive about the school. They feel that their children are supported effectively under the care of the headteacher and school staff.

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

Leaders have planned their curriculum to build from the earliest foundations in Nursery. They have worked with local secondary schools to ensure that what pupils study in Year 6 prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and remember in most subjects. Leaders are mindful that each subject should be developed to a high standard. They are clear that the 4 May 2023

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curriculum is work in progress. Leaders from the multi-academy trust (the trust) provide effective support to school leaders in this regard. Opportunities for subject leaders to monitor and evaluate their subjects across school is limited. This limits their ability to see what is not working as well as they hoped, and make improvements where needed.

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Teachers’ expert knowledge is strong in most subjects. Where there are gaps in knowledge, teachers are supported through the use of regular training and high-quality schemes and resources. Leaders are creative in their approach to mixed-age teaching. However, some approaches being trialled are less effective as adults do not always possess the necessary subject knowledge to teach effectively.

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Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to the teaching of phonics. Teachers and support staff are well trained in teaching phonics lessons. As such, most pupils progress well; they read with accuracy and are able to correct themselves if they spot any errors. Pupils who require additional support access timely interventions and support. Effective assessment means that this support is bespoke and effective. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to experience a range of books, for instance through the summer reading challenge. However, older pupils told inspectors that they crave the opportunity to read or listen to books being read purely for pleasure. This is a much-enjoyed feature of the reading experience for younger pupils in school.

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Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Leaders ensure that teachers follow the sequence and rigour of their chosen approach well. Teachers check pupils’ progress regularly. However, teachers are not confident in their own ability to stop, reflect and, where required, allow pupils to benefit from additional practice or exploration before moving on.

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Leaders make sure that they identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Teachers make adaptations to pupils’ learning so that these pupils learn successfully alongside their classmates. The school is inclusive. Pupils with SEND enjoy all that the school has to offer. However, leaders do not consistently check that the support these pupils receive is impacting positively on their learning.

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Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils’ attitudes are positive in lessons and around school. Clear and effective routines for managing pupils’ behaviour begin in the early years. As a result, pupils behave well and act with consideration for the needs of others. Leaders’ bespoke strategies to support a small number of pupils are highly effective.

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Pupils enjoy learning from a carefully considered range of extra-curricular activities. Diverse activities are well attended. Leaders carefully track pupils’ attendance at each activity to ensure opportunity for all. They are keen to encourage pupils’ aspirations. There are a range of interesting assemblies throughout the year where guest speakers inspire pupils by talking about their jobs.

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Staff have positive relationships with leaders, including with leaders from the trust. Leaders are increasingly mindful of staff workload. Their actions to provide staff training to further develop the curriculum are well considered. The trust plays a valuable role in 4 May 2023

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identifying and celebrating strengths while supporting areas which need further development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff have up-to-date training in safeguarding. This helps staff to understand and follow the school’s safeguarding procedures. Staff know the likely signs of risk and how to report their concerns. Leaders follow up any concerns with appropriate and timely actions. They work effectively within the trust and with external agencies to ensure pupils and their families get the right support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about keeping themselves safe, including online, but would like to learn more about how to look after their own mental health.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all statutory pre-employment checks are carried out when recruiting new staff. The school’s safeguarding policies and procedures take account of the latest statutory guidance and are regularly updated.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders lack detailed knowledge about the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning, including pupils with SEND. This prevents leaders from accurately evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum, its implementation and identifying where improvements could be made. Leaders should develop systems to support subject leaders, and those with responsibility for SEND, allowing greater understanding of the effectiveness of the curriculum.  Pupils generally achieve well. However, in some subjects, teaching does not sufficiently match pupils’ needs. This is, in part, because teachers are not always confident to step away from the suggested timings in curriculum plans. As a result, pupils are sometimes moved on to new learning before they are ready. Leaders should ensure that teachers feel confident in their ability to accurately assess whether pupils are ready to ‘move on’, and to make appropriate adjustments to their teaching as a result.

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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 predecessor school, St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School to be good in May 2016.

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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. 4 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268746 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.st-josephs-pickering.n-yorks.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust in 2022.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The last section 48 inspection of the school was in March 2022. The timescales for reinspection have been extended because of COVID-19.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders and other staff. Inspectors spoke with representatives of the trust, a representative from the diocese and members of the local governing body.  As part of this inspection, inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. Inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss curriculums, visited lessons, reviewed samples of pupils’ work, spoke with teachers and 4 May 2023

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spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects. Inspectors also heard pupils read.  Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils about their learning and experiences of school. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour at social times.  Inspectors met with those responsible for governance, leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in the school. Inspectors checked on leaders’ safeguarding procedures, including recruitment checks made on new staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents provided by the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and pupils. Inspectors also considered the views of the parents and carers who responded to Ofsted Parent View, and spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Steve Wren, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Kerry Partington Ofsted Inspector 4 May 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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