St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School Glastonbury Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6RD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 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 Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well supported at St John Vianney’s Catholic Primary School. They particularly value the support that staff provide for their emotional well-being. Pupils told inspectors that this helps them to feel happy at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the many activities that the school provides to develop their self-confidence and resilience. Pupils are keen to earn the many rewards that are on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke highly of the opportunities that are available to them to develop their leadership qualities. For example, older pupils support others at breaktimes and in their learning through their many ambassador roles. The ‘Mini Vinnie’ group, and others, make a tangible difference to their school and wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. It ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well. Pupils achieve well, especially in reading. They are ready for the next stages of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years quickly settle into well-established routines. Pupils across the school understand the high expectations that staff have of them. Pupils focus intently on their learning during lessons. They behave well as they move around the school.

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better?

Overall, the school provides an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum for pupils. In the majority of subjects, this enables pupils to build on what they have learned before as they progress from the Nursery Year to Year 6. In these subjects, staff are well trained to deliver the curriculum with confidence and expertise. They typically design learning and choose activities that support pupils to learn the curriculum successfully.

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better?

In the main, teachers regularly check that pupils have a secure understanding of their learning. They provide effective support to ensure that all pupils, especially those with SEND, can access the curriculum equally well. For example, teachers place a high focus on ensuring that pupils learn key vocabulary. This supports pupils, especially those who speak English as an additional language, to develop a rich body of subject-specific knowledge in many subjects.

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better?

In a small number of subjects, however, the school has not made sure that teachers are clear enough about the important information that pupils should learn. This sometimes hinders pupils from learning as deeply as they should. From time to time, some pupils’ achievement in these subjects is not as strong as it could be. 21 and 22 November 2023

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Reading is a top priority for the school. In the early years, children revel in the stories, rhymes, and songs that they learn in the Nursery classes. They are well prepared to begin to use phonics to read words by the time that they reach the Reception Year.

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Skilled staff support pupils to practise and refine their reading knowledge. As a result, most pupils can read with accuracy and fluency by the end of key stage 1. Any pupils who continue to struggle with their reading benefit from carefully targeted additional support, which enables them to catch up quickly with their peers. By the end of key stage 2, pupils become accomplished readers who enjoy reading both contemporary and classic literature.

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The school ensures that staff know how to accurately identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff are adept at adapting the delivery of the curriculum to enable pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their classmates.

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Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They were keen to talk to inspectors about their achievements. They told inspectors how their learning and other activities in school help them to work towards the high aspirations that they have for themselves later in life.

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Pupils learn how to manage their own feelings. They told inspectors how they can use areas such as the ‘nest’ or other quiet areas around the school to help them when they feel anxious or overwhelmed.

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The school ensures that pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs and other opportunities that support their wider personal development. Pupils learn how to make a positive contribution to society. For example, they learn to recognise examples of inequality or injustice. Pupils take part in a wide range of charity work in their local and wider community. Through activities such as these and others, pupils learn about the qualities and attributes needed to be a responsible citizen.

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The school carefully considers staff workload when it makes decisions about changing policies and procedures, such as when making refinements to the curriculum. Governors work closely with staff and leaders to provide effective support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the school has not clarified the essential knowledge that they expect pupils to learn. This means that pupils’ learning in some aspects of the curriculum is not as strong as it is in others. The school 21 and 22 November 2023

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should make sure that, in these subjects, teachers are clear about what pupils should learn and when this content should be taught.

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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). 21 and 22 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Lancaster. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in March 2018. It is awaiting confirmation from the diocese about its next section 48 inspection.  Many pupils in the school speak English as an additional language.  A new headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school operates a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 educational provision. 21 and 22 November 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection that 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.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. An inspector also spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, physical

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education, geography and music. They spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  Inspectors also visited lessons and spoke with pupils about their learning in other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around the school. An inspector scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  An inspector visited the school’s breakfast and after-school club.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Claire Cropper, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 November 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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