St Jude's Catholic Primary School Wigan

Inspection of St Jude’s Catholic Primary School, Wigan Worsley Mesnes Drive, Worsley Mesnes, Wigan, Lancashire WN3 5AN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of belonging at St Jude’s Catholic Primary School. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are happy at this school. Pupils comment that they are well looked after by staff. This helps them to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that, if they experience problems, they can tell any member of staff. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive and trusting. Parents and carers value the support that their children receive from staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have continued to make key improvements to the quality of education for pupils. Leaders have developed an aspirational curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, respond well to the high expectations that leaders have set for their behaviour. Their conduct around school is calm and orderly. Pupils are respectful of one another, and they work purposefully together. Any misbehaviour, including rare incidents of bullying, are dealt with effectively by staff. Pupils work hard in lessons, and they achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of leadership responsibilities. Those pupils who act as digital leaders play an important role in promoting online safety across the school. Such opportunities help to build pupils’ confidence and prepare them well for life beyond the classroom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra learning opportunities. For example, they hone their talents and pursue their interests through activities such as sports clubs, choir and crafts.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. In recent years, they have redesigned the curriculum to ensure that the key knowledge that pupils should acquire is carefully organised from the Reception Year to Year 6.

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better?

Leaders are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which teachers will deliver curriculum content. Leaders make sure that teachers are equipped well to design and deliver learning. Added to this, in most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies successfully to check that pupils’ earlier learning is secure. Over time, pupils achieve well. However, in a few subjects, teachers are not clear enough about whether pupils have acquired the specific knowledge that leaders intend for them to learn. This means that some pupils have gaps in their learning. This hinders them in making links with new content. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Leaders have clear systems in place to identify the additional needs of those pupils with SEND. They ensure that pupils with SEND are supported well by staff to access the same curriculum as their peers. For example, leaders have made sure that staff receive appropriate information about the needs of these pupils. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life.

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Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme. Leaders place a high priority on children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1, developing a secure knowledge of phonics. Children in Reception readily learn the sounds that letters represent. Leaders ensure that pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they are learning.

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Leaders and teachers routinely check on what pupils understand and have learned in phonics. Those pupils who are struggling to learn to read are quickly identified by staff. Staff ensure that these pupils receive additional support to help them to catch up quickly. Almost all pupils become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2. Older pupils encounter a wide range of authors, and they talk enthusiastically about the works of their favourite authors. They enjoy listening to their teacher read to them.

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During lessons, pupils follow teachers’ instructions. When low-level disruption happens, teachers deal with it quickly. Pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted. Children in the early years settle into school well. This is because staff make sure that the learning environment is calm and well organised.

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Pupils have a secure understanding of respect and tolerance, and they learn about faiths and cultures that are different to their own. They understand that discrimination should not happen and that everybody should be treated equally. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They attend lots of clubs and have a variety of responsibilities. For example, pupils are eager to act as play leaders and school councillors. Older pupils enjoy looking after and helping younger pupils. They do this well.

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Staff comment that they feel well supported and are proud to work at the school. Governors offer an appropriate level of challenge and support to leaders. Governors ask pertinent questions to understand the impact of leaders’ decisions on the quality of education for pupils.

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For the most part, pupils attend school regularly. However, some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, do not attend school as often as they should. This prevents these pupils from learning the intended curriculum and achieving as well as they should.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Leaders have ensured that there is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. They have made sure that staff are vigilant to potential safeguarding issues. Staff receive regular training that helps them to identify pupils at risk of harm. All staff understand how to respond if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare or safety.

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Leaders respond to safeguarding concerns in a timely manner and work effectively with external agencies when needed.

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Staff support pupils’ emotional needs effectively. They enable pupils to feel safe at school. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online or out in the community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers do not check routinely that pupils have learned the knowledge that leaders intend. This means that some pupils do not have the key building blocks of knowledge that they need for their future learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers know if pupils have learned the intended key knowledge so that pupils’ learning builds securely over time.  Some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, are absent from school too often. This means that they miss out on important learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

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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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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10286266 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.saintjudeswigan.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders use one registered alternative provider for pupils.  There is a before- and after-school club, which is led by school staff.  The school is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in March 2019. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 25 and 26 April 2023

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also heard pupils read to a trusted adult.  Inspectors also spoke with pupils about the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day and took into account the views of those who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey.  Inspectors took into account the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors looked at the documentation provided by leaders, including the school improvement plan and school self-evaluation. They also reviewed minutes from meetings of the governing body and a range of documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They considered a range of documentation and spoke to leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about whether they feel safe in school.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and when walking round the school. They discussed behaviour and bullying with pupils, senior leaders and other staff.  Inspectors also spoke with members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and a representative of the archdiocese.

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Inspection team

Clare Baron, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Ridsdale Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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