Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hartlepool

Inspection of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hartlepool Hart Lane, Hartlepool TS26 8NL

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 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 executive headteacher of this school is Bernadette Rizzi-Allan. The head of school is Amanda Palmer. This school is part of Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Michael Shorten, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Yvonne Coates. 16 and 17 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary is a school where everyone is respected. The school’s Christian values are at its heart. Around school, pupils work and collaborate in a calm and purposeful way. Pupils are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new leadership team is working successfully together. Leaders have high aspirations for what all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these expectations. Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are well-mannered and courteous, both in class and around school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and well cared for. Bullying is rare. Pupils know they have supportive friends and caring adults whom they can trust should they have any concerns. This makes the school a safe and enjoyable place to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has an ambitious curriculum, which begins in the early years. Pupils benefit from a wide range of visits and experiences. These experiences support pupils’ learning and further develop their interests. External visitors are welcomed into school to address issues faced by pupils, such as staying safe by water.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the variety of clubs available to them outside of the curriculum, including sports, pottery, drama and musical opportunities.

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better?

All leaders, including trust leaders, are highly ambitious for the school. They provide a clear vision and direction to support continuous improvements.

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better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. The curriculum is clearly sequenced. Teachers know exactly what pupils need to learn and in what order. However, there are some inconsistencies in how well staff deliver the curriculum. At times, the choice of activity or support provided does not help pupils to learn as well as they could. This means some pupils do not learn what leaders have intended.

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better?

Reading has a high priority in this school. Most pupils learn to read fluently at the earliest possible stage. Skilled staff teach phonics from children’s first days in the Reception class. Those at risk of falling behind receive extra support to help them catch up. Pupils read books that are matched closely to the sounds that they know. Most pupils are fluent readers by the time they leave key stage 1.

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better?

Pupils are enthusiastic mathematicians. Skilled teaching means that pupils gain a strong understanding of mathematical concepts. Pupils develop fluency with numbers. They can confidently approach increasingly complex problems as they 16 and 17 November 2023

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move through the school. Pupils use mathematical vocabulary successfully to explain their thinking. Pupils achieve well in mathematics.

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Systems are in place to identify and support pupils with SEND. However, sometimes these systems are not effective in helping pupils to receive the tailored support that they need. At times, some staff lack expertise. They are unable to swiftly identify pupils who need additional help or adapt lessons sufficiently well to help these pupils. Therefore, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

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In the early years, the curriculum prepares children for their learning in Year 1. Children quickly settle in Nursery. There is a well-organised and stimulating learning environment. Children talk to adults confidently. Adults use these opportunities to develop children’s speech and vocabulary. Children are well cared for. Relationships between staff and children are warm.

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The school has designed the personal, social and health education curriculum well. All pupils, including those with SEND, experience a broad range of opportunities that enhance their personal development. Pupils develop a secure, age-appropriate understanding of this curriculum. Pupils understand what a healthy relationship is. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils have a strong awareness of diversity and the protected characteristics.

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Staff establish effective routines for pupils’ behaviour from the moment they start school. As a result, pupils behave well. Pupils listen carefully to instructions and conduct themselves well in lessons. They have positive attitudes to their learning. The school encourages pupils to be independent and resilient. Pupils know that if they need help with their work, they should try first before asking for help.

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Attendance is a priority for all, including for pupils with SEND. The school’s new, robust systems to check on pupils’ attendance are helping to secure improvements.

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Trustees and local governors are dedicated to, and passionate about, their school. They offer appropriate challenge and support to ensure that the school continues to build on its successes. Staff are very happy, and supportive of one another. They highly value the help from leaders to manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not always delivered as the school intends. This means that some pupils do not have sufficient opportunities or guidance to build on prior learning. This slows pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that it provides 16 and 17 November 2023

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training so that all staff have the confidence and expertise to support pupils’ learning effectively.  The SEND provision does not always meet pupils’ needs. There are sometimes delays in identifying pupils with SEND. Some support plans do not align with identified needs and some staff struggle to adapt lessons successfully. This means that some pupils with SEND do not receive the support they need to achieve as well as they could. The school should review its current processes and provide specific training for staff so that they can successfully identify and meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.

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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). 16 and 17 November 2023

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CEO of the trust

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy school in December 2020. When its predecessor school, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged as requires improvement overall.  The school is part of the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in June 2018. Its next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years. 16 and 17 November 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.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and other staff members.  The inspectors met with the chief executive officer of the trust, the deputy chief executive officer, other trust leaders, members of the local governing body and a representative of the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and geography. For each deep dive, the 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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 reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s parent survey and spoke with a range of staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenny Parker Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 November 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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