All Saints Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy

Inspection of All Saints Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy Green Lane East, Sowerby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1NB

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 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 Academy 25 and 26 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this safe and happy school. It is a school ‘built on love’. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils show a very high level of respect for each other. They play well together at social times. They enjoy each other’s company. Older pupils support younger ones so that nobody is left out. In lessons, pupils engage well and are keen to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Highly effective leaders have led the school through a period of rapid change. The trust has provided training and support to improve every aspect of the school since it opened as part of the trust. The curriculum is ambitious and well thought through. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well. Children in the early years get off to a strong start.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils attend an after-school club. Take-up of these opportunities is high, including for pupils who have SEND or are disadvantaged. Pupils particularly enjoy the different sporting competitions they can take part in. There are also opportunities to celebrate pupils’ achievements in music, for example, by singing at a local cathedral.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious and well planned. It meets the needs of pupils in mixed- aged classes well. Leaders break down the knowledge pupils need into small steps. Teachers re-visit important knowledge and skills to help pupils remember their learning over time. Staff check pupils’ understanding as they go along. They address any misconceptions that come up. This helps to ensure pupils learn well.

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better?

Pupils learn to read quickly. If they need extra help, they get the right support. In some phonics lessons, staff do not consistently follow routines carefully. This makes it harder to tell if any pupils are not keeping up. However, staff do take other opportunities to check what pupils have learned. Pupils have lots of opportunities to practise reading. Books match the sounds that pupils know. This helps them to become confident readers. Pupils enjoy reading. They are enthusiastic about books they have read.

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better?

Staff are very effective in teaching pupils with SEND. They know when and how to adapt learning so that all pupils learn well. Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. They also take part in the wider life of the school, for example, by attending clubs or joining the school council. Those pupils who need emotional and/or academic support get the help they need. The school works closely with external agencies to support pupils with SEND.

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better?

In the early years, staff are extremely effective at helping children learn vocabulary. A sharp focus on language development starts right from nursery. Staff make sure children get the most out of purposeful activities. Staff plan activities carefully to build on what children learn in their teacher-led sessions. Children enjoy learning. Academy 25 and 26 October 2023

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They play well together. Staff use checkpoints to check what children have learned. If a child needs more support or practise, staff make sure they get the right help to stay on track. Children are very well prepared for their next stage.

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Staff develop excellent relationships with pupils. Pupils behave well. If pupils fall out with each other, they either resolve it themselves, or adults will help them. Leaders have highly effective strategies for making sure that all pupils attend school regularly. When a pupil’s attendance has been lower, leaders work closely with the family to support them in getting their child into school. This work is highly effective and worthy to share.

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The school makes sure that pupils have wider experiences beyond the curriculum. For example, pupils learn about the world of work when visitors come in to talk about their jobs. They have opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being helpers at lunchtime, or pupil ambassadors. Pupils are very proud to take on these responsibilities. They serve as good role models for other pupils.

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The curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education is well thought through. Pupils have a secure understanding of topics such as democracy and staying safe online. Pupils believe that other faiths and cultures should be respected. However, they do not remember enough about other faiths and cultures. They have misconceptions about world religions. The school is aware of this. Leaders are in the process of re-designing the curriculum to help pupils to remember more.

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Governors and trustees know the school well. They provide excellent support and challenge to help leaders continually improve the school. There is a strong focus on training staff. Staff appreciate the opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. Leaders are highly effective in supporting staff. Morale is very high. Leaders prioritise parental engagement. Parents are extremely positive about the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not remember enough of their learning about wider faiths and cultures. They are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be. The school should develop strategies to ensure pupils learn and remember important knowledge about world faiths and cultures. Academy 25 and 26 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). Academy 25 and 26 October 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 Nicholas Postgate Catholic Multi-Academy Trust.  Since the school opened as part of the trust, in June 2019, a new executive headteacher and head of school have been appointed.  The school has a nursery. Children attend the nursery from the age of three.

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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.  The lead inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection. Academy 25 and 26 October 2023

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 The lead inspector met with four members of the governing body, the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer of the trust.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. An inspector also spoke to parents as they dropped their children off at the school gate.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktime. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.  The inspectors reviewed the responses received through the Ofsted online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Zoe Helman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cathy Lee Ofsted Inspector Academy 25 and 26 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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