St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School Tewkesbury Close, West Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 5NH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 18 and 19 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish and succeed at St Edmund Campion School. They receive an exceptional level of care. Staff take time to get to know every child well, including their interests. The well-considered programme for pupils’ personal development ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully immersed in the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Classrooms are busy and purposeful. Pupils relate exceptionally well to one another and with staff. Older pupils help their younger peers learn how to play board games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Diversity is celebrated. Pupils learn to value the human characteristics that make people different as well as what unites them. They mimic the warm, positive and respectful relationships that all staff model. Pupils feel confident to share any worries they may have. They feel safe to learn from their mistakes in a supportive environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate how they are involved in their child’s learning. As one parent commented: ‘This school provides an outstanding education to pupils. We will not find another that provides the education, opportunities and pastoral care that this school gives. Our children are polite, well educated, healthy, outward-looking citizens in society.’

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. In reading, writing and mathematics, pupils confidently build on what they have learned before. Teachers skilfully connect new learning with knowledge that pupils have already acquired. In these subjects, pupils achieve well, including those who speak English as an additional language.

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better?

Subject leadership is strong. These leaders have an accurate understanding of what is working well and what needs to be further improved. Leaders continue to refine the curriculum for pupils with more complex SEND needs. In lessons, teachers provide clear explanations when introducing new ideas. They choose appropriate tasks that engage pupils’ interest. Teachers make frequent checks on how well pupils understand what has been taught. However, aspects of a few subjects are not as well developed. In these aspects, pupils do not always make meaningful links. It inhibits them from building on concepts and ideas as securely as in the rest of the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders invest in the development of staff knowledge and expertise. They use research-informed approaches. For example, leaders have successfully applied their knowledge from professional learning to enhance the school’s policy and systems for managing pupils’ behaviour. Attitudes to learning are consistently positive, including for pupils with SEND, because staff’s expectations are crystal clear. 18 and 19 July 2023

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A love of literature is central to the school’s learning culture. Everyone loves to read in the school. Leaders are relentless in their drive to ensure that every pupil, including those with SEND, learn to read quickly and accurately. Early reading is taught well by all staff. Every reading lesson begins with a recap of key knowledge. This helps teachers to address any misconceptions pupils may have. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they have learned. Pupils with SEND read books that reflect their interests and starting points. Children in the early years eagerly share stories in their play and through adult-directed activities.

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All pupils look forward to taking home the ‘letter writer’s backpack’. This promotes pupils’ understanding of high-quality writing. It also helps them to articulate their thoughts and emotions in their own writing. Some choose to write to members of their family who are special to them. Others write to famous authors or other role models in society.

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In the early years, children develop positive attitudes to learning. They respond positively to their teachers’ high expectations for learning and behaviour. Many confidently use what they learn from their early reading and mathematics lessons to independently write simple sentences and rehearse number facts. Adults skilfully support children in purposeful activities as well as through play.

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Leaders work extensively to provide pupils with a wide, rich set of experiences. Pupils enjoy opportunities to develop leadership through the wide range of roles on offer. Staff strongly encourage pupils to try new experiences. For example, pupils enjoy and gain in confidence from singing performances at local community events. Some play in football competitions at the Stade de France. Other pupils showcase their ‘masterpieces’ at national art galleries.

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Trust leaders and school governors work collaboratively to help drive school improvement. They are well informed and are proficient at holding leaders to account.

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Staff feel well supported. Leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff feel honoured to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have transformed their safeguarding systems and processes. They ensure that all required checks are made for the recruitment of new staff.

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Safeguarding

All staff receive extensive safeguarding training. They are alert to the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. Staff understand well the school’s expectations for the recording and reporting of safeguarding concerns. Leaders make sure that pupils, and their families, receive the right help at the right time, including from specialist services. 18 and 19 July 2023

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Pupils learn about online safety. Parents also receive information about how they can help their child to be safe when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In aspects of a few subjects, pupils do not incorporate new knowledge and concepts into larger ideas. This stops them from fully developing meaningful links across the subject area or the school’s curriculum. Leaders must continue their work on refining the school’s curriculum so that all subjects enable pupils to develop their knowledge in meaningful ways.

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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. 18 and 19 July 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10288332 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust.  The last Section 48 Diocesan Canonical inspection for this school took place in May 2017. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the school’s special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinators. The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust, including the chief executive officer and the local governing body. 18 and 19 July 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these curriculum areas: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors sampled leaders’ curriculum documents for computing and design and technology. They also sampled documentation relating to aspects of the school’s curriculum for personal, social and health education.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, during social times and as they moved around the school site. They also spoke to pupils to gather their views of the school.  The inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks and

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holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils. They spoke to governors and trust members about the school’s safeguarding culture and checked leaders’ records.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. They also spoke to parents and staff on site.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

CT Atwal Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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