St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School London Road, North Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9DL

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 November 2023

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since October 2011. 29 and 30 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school each morning very eager to learn. They are excited to meet with staff and their peers. Pupils are safe here. They are happy and proud to be part of the school community. Pupils are clear on and fulfil staff’s very high expectations. Pupils love their learning and take part in lessons with enthusiasm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the care and support they get from all staff. They list the staff here as the number one reason they enjoy coming to this school. Staff expect the best behaviour of all pupils. As a result, pupils’ behaviour is impressive both inside and outside the classroom. Staff work well with families so that they get the best outcomes for each child. This stellar work starts in the early years.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak extremely highly of the school. They describe it as a welcoming family. Pupils participate in a lot of charity work during their time at the school. For example, working closely with a local hospice each year, pupils from Year 4 perform a Nativity play for the staff and patients.

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better?

Leaders have designed an aspirational curriculum. They have carefully considered how the teaching of each subject is sequenced. The school has identified what they want each pupil to know and remember from the Nursery onwards. Leaders have made staff training a priority. All subject leaders are passionate about, and knowledgeable in, the subject they lead. In turn, they provide training and support to ensure that teachers are confident when teaching all subjects.

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better?

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Through a range of assessments, staff check pupils’ prior knowledge carefully. They pick up and address misconceptions routinely. Teachers identify any gaps in pupils’ understanding and address these effectively.

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better?

Staff build on pupils’ earlier learning to enable them to reinforce and deepen their thinking. For example, in history, pupils in Year 2 used their prior knowledge about Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale to consider the contributions of significant people to modern society. In mathematics, pupils in Year 5 confidently discussed how their previous lessons helped them to order fractions. Children develop subject- specific vocabulary, for example, learning the language of algorithms in the early years. In computing, pupils in Year 4 built on their very strong foundations so that they used code and decomposing confidently.

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better?

Leaders have made the teaching of early reading a top priority. It is taught consistently well by all staff. Where necessary, pupils receive regular bespoke extra support in reading. This helps to make sure that pupils catch up quickly with their peers. Teachers across the school promote pupils’ love of reading. They have chosen books that interest pupils and reflect the school’s inclusive and diverse curriculum. 29 and 30 November 2023

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Leaders have made sure that the systems for identifying pupils with SEND are rigorous. The school works closely with parents of pupils with SEND. For instance, holding termly coffee mornings to which leaders invite local support services and other professionals. Parents of children with SEND were extremely positive about the school and the progress their children make here.

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Pupils behave incredibly well in lessons, around the school and in the playground. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their education and interact respectfully with each other. In the early years, children are confident with understanding routines. They join in self-directed learning and show high levels of concentration. Equally, they work with their peers collaboratively. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. In Reception, children are fully prepared before they move into Year 1.

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Leaders have carefully woven the school’s nine core virtues, which include tolerance, honesty, cooperation, self-respect and responsibility, into the curriculum and school life. Pupils are taught about how they can become exemplar citizens. Leaders make sure the school’s enrichment offer is strengthened through competitions and extra- curricular clubs. Pupils have opportunities to take part in many visits to the theatre, the local river and a number of sporting events in which the school excels. Leaders ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to benefit from the wide range of activities.

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Leaders work closely with families if a child’s attendance drops and provide the help and guidance needed to ensure that their attendance rapidly improves. Staff are extremely proud to work here and consider this school as part of their family. They value leaders going out of their way to support staff’s well-being. Governors are fully aware of and fulfil their statutory duties. They support and challenge school leaders regularly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 29 and 30 November 2023

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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). 29 and 30 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 October 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is a Catholic faith school. The latest section 48 inspection took place in January 2017.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair. Inspectors spoke to a representative from the diocese and a representative from the local authority. They met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team. 29 and 30 November 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing, and history.  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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Canniford Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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