St William's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Inspection of St William’s Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Young Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD8 9RG

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Fiona Parker. This school is part of Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andrew Morley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joe McDonnell. 18 and 19 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a highly inclusive school that serves a diverse community. Pupils say that newcomers are welcome and ‘soon feel part of the family’. The school ensures that pupils are safe and well cared for. Through the school’s key virtues, such as kindness and respect, pupils learn how to become good citizens. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in significant improvements in attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Staff strive to remove any barriers to learning. Many pupils achieve well, but some do not achieve in line with the school’s expectations. Where this is the case, the school takes swift action to address it. The impact of this action is beginning to be seen in some areas, such as phonics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave very well. They are polite and respectful of their peers and adults. They interact well with each other at social times. However, pupils report that learning in classrooms is occasionally disrupted by poor behaviour. Adults’ expectations for behaviour are not consistently high across the school. Pupils say that bullying does sometimes happen, but that adults sort it out quickly.

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better?

The teaching of early reading and phonics has rightly been a priority for the school. Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start school. The school has trained all staff to teach phonics. As a result, adults teach it consistently. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. Adults read to pupils regularly to encourage them to love reading. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards reading. They know that they are expected to read regularly at home. Adults quickly spot pupils who are finding learning to read difficult. They support them to catch up with their peers.

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better?

The school has a broad curriculum in place. In many subjects, for example mathematics, the curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced. The school has thought carefully about pupils’ starting points. Lesson structures are in place that support pupils to build on previous learning. As a result, pupils can talk about their learning with confidence. In early years, children have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. For example, they use mathematical language such as ‘taller’, ‘next to’ and ‘higher’ in their play. In some subjects, such as geography, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Here, pupils find it more difficult to remember what they have been taught. In all subjects, systems are in place to check what pupils know and remember. The school is now refining some of these systems so that teachers are clearer about what the specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge are.

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better?

The school and the trust support staff with their professional development. As a result, staff have secure subject knowledge. Sometimes, staff do not choose the 18 and 19 October 2023

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best teaching approaches and resources to support pupils in lessons. This means that pupils do not learn the key knowledge and skills that they need to know.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively. They have full access to the curriculum and the wider curriculum offer. The school is tenacious about securing the support that these pupils need. The school trains staff to support pupils with a range of different needs. Staff quickly identify children in the early years who may have additional needs.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. They have strong relationships with adults in school. The school offers pastoral support to pupils and their families. The support the school offers to parents and carers for attendance is a particular strength.

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The school offers pupils a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. There is a broad range of clubs on offer, both at lunchtimes and after school. Pupils can participate in sporting events with other schools, for example the trust’s football tournament. There are opportunities for pupils to take part in educational visits, including residential ones. As part of their learning about different faiths, pupils have recently visited a mosque. They talked enthusiastically about this during the inspection. Pupils show respect for the protected characteristics. They know that it is wrong to discriminate against people because of, for example, their age or race.

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Governors are passionate about supporting the school. They carry out their duties effectively. They offer appropriate levels of support and challenge to leaders. Governors are conscious of staff workload and well-being. Staff appreciate this. Trust leaders have an accurate view of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not consistently choose the best resources and materials to help pupils to learn key knowledge and skills. This means that, in some subjects, pupils do not acquire the key knowledge that they need to and do not retain learning long term. The school should develop teachers’ pedagogical knowledge so that they consistently use teaching approaches, materials and resources that support pupils to develop detailed knowledge and skills.  Adults’ expectations for behaviour are not consistently high. While there is consistent use of the strategies outlined in the behaviour policy, the extent to which pupils are expected to comply with these varies. As a result, learning is occasionally affected by poor behaviour. The school should ensure that all adults have the same high expectations to eradicate any disruption to learning. 18 and 19 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 18 and 19 October 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St William’s Catholic Primary School, A voluntary academy, converted to become an academy in November 2020. When its predecessor school, St William’s Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is a Roman Catholic primary school within the Diocese of Leeds. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in June 2018. The next inspection will not take place before 2025.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  There is a relatively high proportion of pupils at the school with SEND.  The school has high levels of mobility. A higher-than-average number of pupils join or leave the school throughout the year.  The school runs a breakfast club which is operated by the governing body. 18 and 19 October 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, as well as the chair and other members of the governing body. They also met with trust leaders, including the chief executive officer, the director of Catholic education and a trustee. Inspectors spoke with the director and deputy director of education for the Diocese of Leeds.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils

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Information about this inspection

about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Pupils were observed reading to familiar adults.  The school’s offer for pupils’ wider development was considered.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during breaktimes was observed.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The responses made by parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments, were considered as part of the inspection. Inspectors also considered the responses to the staff and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Philippa Kermotschuk, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Turner Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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