St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster

Inspection of St George’s Catholic Primary School, Warminster Woodcock Road, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 9EZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 7 and 8 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has experienced an unsettled period mainly due to changes in staffing and leadership arrangements. The school has begun to address some of the weaknesses in provision that are evident in published outcomes. However, pupils do not learn effectively.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school encourages pupils to celebrate difference and to be respectful of one another. Pupils recognise how the school values of faith, courage, honesty, respect and love help them to know how to treat one another. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are polite and well mannered.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of after-school clubs, such as dance and drama, craft, mindfulness, Little Troopers and cinema club. These help pupils to develop talents and interests. Pupils value leadership opportunities, such as the school council. This helps them to have a say in how to improve the school and to learn about responsibility.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. They value the friendly ethos and know that there are adults and children who look out for them. As a result, pupils feel safe. Most parents and carers are positive about the school’s supportive and caring culture.

p.2

better?

The school has prioritised curriculum developments in English and mathematics. It is currently updating the curriculum in many foundation subjects. Most teachers are new to the school. Most subject leaders are new in post. Changes are, therefore, in the early stages. Nonetheless, the school is making some headway.

p.2

better?

The school has implemented a new programme to improve the provision for phonics. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. The school provides extra support to help pupils to catch up in phonics. However, the quality of this support is inconsistent. While some teaching supports pupils to learn to read well, this is not always the case. As a result, some pupils do not become confident and fluent readers quickly. The school has identified a range of high-quality texts for pupils to read so that they experience a depth of genres and authors. However, some pupils do not read widely.

p.2

better?

Pupils do not know and remember the depth of knowledge they need across the curriculum. This is because the curriculum does not always reflect what pupils know and can do. Some content and learning activities are not well sequenced. They do not provide the appropriate small steps in learning pupils need to take. Activities do not always enable pupils, particularly pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to build on what they already know. As a result, pupils do not develop a secure understanding. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.2

3

New systems for assessment are in the early stages of development. Teachers do not routinely check what pupils know. Teaching does not ensure that pupils recall and revisit their prior learning. As a result, pupils struggle to remember what they have learned.

p.3

3

The school is developing its provision in the early years, including updating the curriculum. However, it has not yet identified essential content that children need to learn throughout the year. Recent changes to the provision, including the outdoor environment, are positive. However, there is more to do to ensure that all resources and provision support pupils’ learning across the early years foundation stage curriculum effectively.

p.3

3

The school is calm and orderly. There are high expectations for behaviour. Pupils understand the school’s expectations. In class, learning is mainly purposeful and most staff manage any disruptions quickly.

p.3

3

The school’s vision: ‘in the light of Christ, we will learn what we need to be the difference in our world’, underpins the curriculum for personal development. Pupils benefit from activities that are designed to extend their learning beyond the academic. This supports pupils with becoming responsible citizens. For example, through fundraising activities, such as the Poppy Appeal. Pupils understand about keeping healthy, both mentally and physically. They speak confidently about different strategies for supporting their mental well-being, including resilience and self-esteem. Pupils learn about relationships and consent. They are confident that there are adults who will help them if they have a concern.

p.3

3

Staff value the support that leaders provide and the consideration of their workload. However, staff do not always have the training they need to develop curriculum expertise.

p.3

3

The governing body have worked with the diocese and the local authority to begin to address the areas in need of improvement. However, governors have an over generous view of the school’s strengths. Improvements are beginning to take effect but the impact is not yet evident.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Subject leadership is not fully developed. Many subject leaders are new to their roles. They do not yet have curriculum expertise. The school needs to strengthen leadership of the curriculum. The school must ensure that staff receive the 7 and 8 November 2023

p.3

4

training and support they need to secure improvements in the curriculum and pupils’ outcomes.  Some content and learning activities do not match the curriculum intention. Activities do not enable pupils, especially pupils with SEND, to build on what they already know. The school must ensure that teaching supports all pupils to sequentially build their knowledge over time.  The school does not routinely check what pupils know and remember. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified, so they persist. As a result, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of the curriculum. The school needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively so that pupils know and remember more over time.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 7 and 8 November 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Co-Chairs of governing body Laura Billington and Neil Clarke

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has experienced a significantly turbulent time in the last year. This has included temporary changes in leadership and changes to majority of teaching staff.  A smaller intake of pupils and challenges in recruitment have led to the temporary closure of the nursery, a reduction in the number of classes and the reorganisation of the class structure.  St George’s Catholic Primary is a smaller than average school.  St George’s Catholic Primary is part of the Diocese of Clifton. The school had its last denominational education inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in May 2018, where it was judged to be good overall.  The school uses one registered alternative provider and one unregistered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.5

6

 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 inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of the school’s senior leadership team. They held meetings with governors, representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in art and history.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

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 inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted’s Parent View online survey. They also spoke with parents at the end of the school day. The inspectors considered the responses to surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Laura Bennett Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7