St Antony's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Antony’s Catholic Primary School Upton Avenue, Forest Gate, London E7 9PN

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Outcome

St Antony’s Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a thriving school community rooted in strong Christian values. Pupils are proud to attend this school and enjoy celebrating each other’s achievements. Music, drama and song are part of everyday life at St Antony’s. Pupils value diversity and say that those of all faiths, or none, are welcomed at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Leaders are ambitious for every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are eager to learn and value their education greatly. Behaviour in lessons is exemplary. Pupils are kind to each other and say they feel safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders successfully nurture a deep sense of social responsibility. Pupils are expected to make a contribution, and they do so with enthusiasm. They are taught the value of service and take pride in their actions to serve others. Parents and carers say they are proud of what their children achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff provide many different extra-curricular opportunities for pupils to nurture their talents and interests. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to take on roles of responsibility. Leaders work hard to ensure that pupils are exposed to a wide range of rich experiences.

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

Leaders have embedded key values and a strong ethos that drive the quality of education. Pupils know that staff have high expectations for their learning. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. The aims for each subject are clearly set out. This begins in Nursery, where pupils learn the key knowledge they need to prepare them for Reception, and then 3 and 4 July 2023

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for Year 1. Where pupils fall behind, this is quickly picked up, and pupils are helped to catch up. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders identify pupils’ needs early, and appropriate support is provided.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Leaders have developed a mutually supportive culture. Staff value the opportunity to work collaboratively to refine and improve the curriculum. Staff are happy here, and their well-being is prioritised.

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Teachers use effective questioning and short activities to check pupils’ understanding. Pupils are given lots of opportunities to revisit their learning to check that their knowledge is secure. Teachers encourage pupils to use subject-specific words to talk about their learning. For example, in Year 5, pupils describe how to convert fractions using key mathematical terms. As they gain confidence, pupils are able to demonstrate the solution of mathematical problems to their peers.

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The curriculum is sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. In geography, for example, pupils develop their map reading skills in Reception, where they learn how to identify key features of their local area. They then move on to learn directional terms, identify symbols, and then how to use compass points to follow routes on a map.

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Pupils are polite and respectful to one another. Interactions between staff and pupils are positive. From Nursery, pupils are attentive and listen carefully in class. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Pupils know that leaders and staff have high expectations for behaviour, and they strive to meet them.

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Pupils make excellent progress in learning to read. Staff deliver the phonics programme with consistency. Pupils are taught to sound and blend, with regular opportunities to practise. Pupils who need extra help are quickly identified and supported. Parents say the phonics workshops help them to support their child with reading at home. Stories are carefully linked to the curriculum. Pupils look forward to ‘Marvellous March’, where they get to enjoy a wide range of texts, including poetry and non-fiction, and meet with authors.

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Leaders are highly ambitious for pupils’ personal development. Leaders have established a well-designed programme of personal, social, health and economic education, and pupils look forward to their lessons. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities to learn about citizenship. There is a strong focus on building confidence and resilience so they can achieve their ambitions. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to take on roles of responsibility. For example, older pupils help with breakfast club and parent workshops. Younger pupils help to lead singing during morning assembly. As a result, pupils are considerate of their peers and communicate with maturity. They have a global outlook and demonstrate compassion for those in need, including through their charity work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 July 2023

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Leaders maintain a culture where staff are vigilant about safeguarding. Staff receive regular training, including about the issues that affect pupils and families in their community. Leaders communicate regularly and promptly with external agencies. Staff are clear about the procedures for reporting concerns and do so swiftly.

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Leaders have ensured that pupils learn about how to stay safe. This includes learning about how to manage the risks online and how to stay safe on public transport. Pupils say they feel safe at school and have adults they can talk to about their worries and concerns.

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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 Antony’s Catholic Primary School, to be good in March 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.

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268862 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.stantonyscatholicprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Antony’s Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2020. It is part of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, also St Antony’s Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school had its last section 48 inspection in June 2018. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.  Leaders do not make any use of any alternative education providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body and the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with 3 and 4 July 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  The inspector considered responses from pupils, parents and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with leaders with responsibility for safeguarding and considered safeguarding documents and records. These included the school’s records and plans for supporting pupils who have been referred to outside agencies.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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