St Edward's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Edward’s Catholic Primary School Eastbourne Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough TS5 6QS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding 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 Mary Brown. This school is part of Nicolas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Hugh Hegarty, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joseph Hughes.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected St Edward’s Catholic Primary School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 5 and 6 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who attend this school speak proudly of being part of the ‘St Edward’s family’. The school teaches pupils that all are equal in the eyes of God through their Catholic ethos. Pupils therefore know that difference should be respected. All are welcome at this inclusive school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils receive a strong start in early years that quickly establishes routines. Children in the early years swiftly rise to adults’ high expectations. Older pupils model exemplary behaviour. Classrooms are purposeful and focused. There is no lost learning time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has designed a curriculum that prepares pupils well for their future education. In published outcomes, reading is a particular strength. Staff have ambition for all pupils to achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a very large number of opportunities for pupils to become leaders in school and pupils thrive in these roles. They have a positive impact on life in the school. Lunchtime supervisors politely remind younger pupils to wash their hands. The school council successfully campaigned for a reduced speed limit outside of the school. All pupils, including those with SEND, have the opportunity to represent the school in sporting events. This is achieved through a well-considered programme of inclusivity in sport.

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better?

The curriculum in all subjects has been carefully considered. Subject leaders have sequenced the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they want pupils to know. The school ensures that there is ongoing work to review and evaluate curriculum areas. In subjects such as physical education there are clear and consistent structures in place. These ensure that pupils are clearly shown what skill they will be developing before putting it into practice. In some foundation subjects pupils can recall lots of their prior learning. However, this is not the case for all of their subjects. There is continued work to support pupils to remember the content they are learning.

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better?

In mathematics, areas for development have been identified through evaluation of outcomes. Staff have ensured that there is accurate identification of gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This is also the case for writing. There are clear strategies in place to support pupils to improve their writing and achieve the aims and ambitions of the curriculum. Pupils with SEND are identified and suitable adjustments are put into place to ensure that they access the curriculum.

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better?

Language and communication have high priority. From early years, children are prepared for their formal phonics teaching. Staff ensure that children become very familiar with well-chosen books and rhymes. There is lots of repetition. Children are 5 and 6 December 2023

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excited by, and engaged in, a range of well-chosen stories. Staff are trained well to deliver the school’s phonics programme. Pupils who struggle to keep up are quickly identified and receive precise support to close gaps. There is a sharp focus on reading for older pupils. Every day pupils spend time on their reading skills. They complete activities using challenging texts. These build their analytical and inference skills well.

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Behaviour and attitudes of pupils are exceptional. There is a sharp focus on character development which comes from the school’s values. Pupils are explicitly taught about their moral development. They quickly learn right from wrong and are strong in their conviction that they should treat others as they wish to be treated.

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There is great emphasis on developing pupils’ learning beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils show maturity when discussing why tolerance and respect are important. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. There is an array of extra-curricular activities on offer. The school ensures that pupils who are disadvantaged attend these activities. Pupils have set up their own clubs. Polish club is an example of this and pupils also want to set up and lead a Spanish club. Pupils take part in educationally focused trips and visits, such as to ‘the big borough book fair’ and Beamish Museum.

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Governors know the school well. There is clear oversight from the trust as well. The trust provides many opportunities for staff development. Staff are proud to be a part of the school community. They appreciate initiatives to reduce workload, such as adjustments to the marking policy. Many staff in school have leadership roles and they are supported to carry these out effectively.

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The majority of parents and carers are positive about the support that their children receive at school. There are parental engagement events to inform parents of aspects of the curriculum, such as reading and mathematics.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum areas, outcomes are not as high and pupils’ recall of knowledge is not as strong as in other curriculum subjects. This means that some pupils remember more in some curriculum subjects than in others. Leaders should continue to make sure that the planned curriculum is implemented as intended and that all curriculum areas focus on planned retrieval and recall of knowledge. 5 and 6 December 2023

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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). 5 and 6 December 2023

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School details

Headteacher Mary Brown (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Nicolas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust.  The school makes use of two registered alternative providers for a very small number of pupils.  The school is a Catholic school. Its most recent inspection for schools of a religious character took place in June 2019.

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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. 5 and 6 December 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, physical education and art. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff, pupils, representatives of the governing body and the chair of the board of trustees. The lead inspector also spoke with the CEO of the trust and other members of staff from the trust. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the diocese by telephone.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  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.  Inspectors met with pupils and spoke with them about their views on learning,

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safety and behaviour.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff questionnaire, as well as the views of pupils that were gathered throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jessica McKay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Murray Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 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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