St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School 1 Pierrepoint Road, Acton, London W3 9JR

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 28 and 29 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this nurturing and supportive school. The school develops pupils’ knowledge and confidence through a rich curriculum and thought-provoking experiences. Pupils excel in their learning. This is because the school has high academic ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are rightly very proud of the work that they produce in different subjects. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They listen attentively, are highly motivated and show respect and kindness to adults and each other. This begins in early years, where children are quick to learn and follow daily routines. As pupils get older, they increasingly take responsibility for their own behaviour and support each other’s well-being.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a diverse range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils learn about helping others by, for example, engaging in fundraising activities or working with a variety of charitable organisations. The school places great importance on boosting pupils’ confidence and communication. This work is focused on developing pupils’ fluency in expressing themselves. Pupils articulate their views and consider the perspectives of others exceptionally well.

p.2

better?

The school’s curriculum thinking is highly developed and ambitious for all, including pupils with SEND. The curriculum is designed to build and deepen knowledge over time. It enables all pupils to learn successfully and embed new concepts and vocabulary securely and quickly.

p.2

better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Highly effective training is in place to ensure that staff have expertise across all curriculum areas. Teachers check pupils’ understanding systematically and address any misconceptions quickly. This helps pupils to learn and remember more over time. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception have repeated opportunities to practise counting and grouping numbers in different ways. Older pupils use this growing knowledge of number to solve increasingly complex problems. Another example is in art, where the curriculum promotes pupils’ progression as artists in a step-by-step manner. For instance, children in Reception begin by creating their own portraits with chalk. These skills are further developed and extended year on year, and by Year 6, pupils are skilled in producing portraits using the techniques and mediums that they have learned about.

p.2

better?

Staff also receive extensive training on how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They use a range of well-chosen strategies to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well. Leaders swiftly identify any additional needs that pupils may have and ensure bespoke support is put in place. 28 and 29 November 2023

p.2

3

Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils learning to read from the very start of Reception. Staff continuously monitor and assess pupils’ learning to ensure they swiftly identify any pupils falling behind. They provide precise and highly effective support so that these pupils catch up and keep up. This helps pupils to read with fluency and confidence. The school ensures that books for pupils at the early stages of reading are well matched to their phonics knowledge.

p.3

3

Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to learning. They are highly focused and engaged during lessons. In early years, children are also highly motivated. They share and cooperate well with each other. Leaders ensure that attendance is high. They have robust procedures in place and work closely with parents and carers to support pupils to attend school regularly and on time.

p.3

3

The school has developed a thoughtful and well-planned personal development programme that is rooted in the values of the school. Pupils are supported to contribute positively to both the school and local community. For example, pupils visit a local care home and work together with the residents on a variety of arts and crafts projects. By Year 6, every pupil is encouraged to participate in school life through taking on ambassador roles. These responsibilities range from caring for the school pet, to serving as a librarian or acting as an eco-warrior. To nurture pupils’ well-being, leaders have established weekly coaching groups. These sessions foster an environment where pupils feel confident to express their feelings and understand the importance of caring for others. Embedded within the curriculum are purposeful educational outings, visits, and workshops that further enrich pupils’ education.

p.3

3

The school provides pupils with an exceptional education. The priority given to high- quality professional development for all staff plays a key role in the school’s success. Staff enjoy working here. They respond positively to leaders’ commitment to developing and refining the excellent provision on offer continually. Leaders listen to staff and work with them to ensure that workload is manageable.

p.3

3

Parents hold a very positive view of the school and the education it offers.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 28 and 29 November 2023

p.3

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). 28 and 29 November 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 St. Vincent’s is a Catholic school within the Diocese of Westminster.  The most recent section 48 inspection, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in December 2019.  The school runs its own breakfast club and after-school club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 28 and 29 November 2023

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching and support staff, governors and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and computing. 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. Other subjects were also considered as part of the inspection.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.  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.

p.6

6

 The inspectors took account of the views of pupils, parents, and staff as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Rutinderjit Mahil-Pooni Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 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