Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Inspection of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Eden Way, Argie Avenue, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS4 2TF

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 27 and 28 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although the school has many strengths, there are weaknesses in safeguarding practice. The school has not made sure that statutory safeguarding responsibilities are fulfilled. There is insufficient oversight of how safeguarding concerns are reported, recorded and followed up. This means that the school does not sufficiently safeguard pupils from the risks that they may face. Despite this, pupils say that they feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for pupils’ academic success. Pupils meet these expectations. They benefit from a good quality of education. Pupils are happy and respectful towards each other and adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the experiences the school provides for them. They fundraise, volunteer and compete in sporting competitions. These activities develop pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils develop strong communication skills. They debate moral issues and enter debating and public speaking competitions. This supports pupils’ character development. For example, pupils recently interviewed a Member of Parliament while on a trip to the Houses of Parliament. This empowered the pupils. Pupils understand that their opinions matter. They believe in themselves and their capacity to change the world for the better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying does happen. In these cases, pupils feel comfortable to speak to an adult, knowing that adults will address it and sort it out. Pupils learn how to stay safe online. They know what steps they might take if they felt vulnerable online.

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better?

The school has put a system in place to record and report safeguarding concerns. However, this is not used effectively. On occasion, pupils do not receive the help they need. Leaders do not check how well safeguarding procedures are being used. This means that they are not sufficiently aware of whether appropriate action has taken place to support pupils. Leaders are not fulfilling their responsibilities to keep pupils safe.

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better?

The governing body is not aware of its statutory safeguarding responsibilities. Governors do not have an effective system for holding leaders to account and are not assuring themselves that suitable safeguarding procedures are in place and are followed.

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better?

There are many strengths in other aspects of the school’s work. Leaders have high ambitions for what pupils learn. They have largely created a curriculum that allows pupils to build on what they learn and understand. Teachers regularly check what pupils have understood. They use this information to revisit learning when needed. This helps pupils to continue to progress and develop. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access learning alongside their peers. 27 and 28 June 2023

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The school ensures that there is an effective process to identify pupils who need extra help. This enables appropriate support to be put in place promptly.

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Leaders prioritise the importance of reading. They assess pupils’ reading abilities regularly. They use this information to match teaching to what the pupils need to learn next. Staff identify when pupils struggle with reading and give these pupils the support they need to improve. Pupils learn to decode texts and read with increasing fluency. Teachers read to pupils each day. The books teachers read have been chosen carefully. They include stories about different faiths and cultures. This supports pupils to respect and celebrate differences.

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Leaders have a strong overview of children’s learning in the early years. Staff meet regularly to review what the children have learned. They set up purposeful learning activities. This helps children’s understanding to grow over time. As a result, children are in a strong position when they enter Year 1. Staff prioritise the teaching of communication and language. They model and develop new vocabulary. This supports pupils in their reading and writing. Staff embed routines and expectations successfully. Staff are skilled at engaging pupils in learning activities. As a result, the time pupils spend learning is used well.

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Pupils talk about what they learn in personal, social and health education. This includes a clear understanding of healthy relationships. Pupils learn about equality and tolerance. Pupils apply this understanding well in their day-to-day lives. They accept and celebrate differences. Leaders make sure that pupils meet inspiring role models. Visitors to the school include players from Sheffield United women’s football team. This motivates the pupils to join the school football team. It also helps them to develop high ambitions.

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Staff are positive about the support that they receive from leaders. Leaders consider the amount of work staff are asked to do in reasonable ways. Staff say that they have a positive work-life balance. They say that this supports their well-being. Parents are positive about the school. This includes the amount of information they receive about what their children are learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a lack of clarity in the processes used to report concerns about pupils’ safety or welfare. When concerns are reported, they are not always followed up effectively. Staff are not clear on who is responsible for reporting and following up concerns. Staff do not consistently record the actions taken to keep pupils safe in a clear and effective way. At times, steps taken to safeguard pupils are not timely, and in some cases, pupils do not get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff have completed appropriate training. This gives staff the ability to identify safeguarding concerns. 27 and 28 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not fulfilled their statutory duties relating to safeguarding. This means that pupils are at increased risk of harm. Leaders must ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet all statutory requirements. This includes robust systems for reporting and recording concerns over pupils’ safety. Leaders must regularly monitor procedures and follow up on any referrals regarding pupils’ safety in a timely and effective way.  Leaders and those responsible for governance do not have sufficient awareness or understanding of their statutory responsibilities. This means that they are not suitably assured that pupils are kept safe. Governors need to establish suitable procedures for holding school leaders to account and ensure that safeguarding procedures are suitably robust and applied consistently.

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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. 27 and 28 June 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust in the Catholic Diocese of Leeds.  The school was judged to be outstanding at its most recent inspection of denominational education and the content of the school’s collective worship under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. That inspection took place in November 2017. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next section 48 inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.  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

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform. 27 and 28 June 2023

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Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy converted to become an academy school in October 2020. When its predecessor school, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

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 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 lead inspector held meetings with the chief executive officer of the multi- academy trust, the vice chair of trustees, governors and representatives of the Diocese of Leeds.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding and SEND.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and physical education. As part of the deep dives, inspectors visited lessons, listened to pupils’ read, spoke with curriculum leaders, pupils and teachers and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited lessons and observed pupils at various times during the school day.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils, staff and

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parents. This included any free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Andrew Yeomans, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Jennings Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 June 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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