St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School St Elizabeth’s Road, Foleshill, Coventry, West Midlands CV6 5BX

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Inspection dates: 30 and 31 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding 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 headteacher of this school is Michael Doyle. This school is part of The Holy Cross Catholic Multi Academy Company, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the senior executive leader, Marina Kelly, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by John Teahan. 30 and 31 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. It is a happy place where all are included. Pupils do their best to live up to the high expectations placed on them. All pupils are mindful of the school’s ‘agreed right choices’. These include being ‘kind and respectful’ and to ‘listen and care for everyone’. Pupils feel safe. They benefit from having strong relationships with the staff. The school is determined that, through its Catholic values and ethos, pupils can become the best versions of themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in most subjects. All pupils are well supported in class. They are keen to share what they know and what they can do. They are open and honest with each other, with staff and with visitors to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular and leadership opportunities on offer. They also go on many educational visits, including to castles, botanical gardens and museums.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers value the school and praise the staff and school leaders. Pupils respect one another and develop confidence and resilience. Well-established routines ensure that learning is maximised and pupils are safe in all areas of the school.

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better?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. The curriculum is well planned. There is clear progression from one year to the next and pupils make effective use of previous learning. The curriculum identifies the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to have. In most subjects, pupils learn effectively and achieve well. The school is continuing to develop curriculum plans across all subjects.

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better?

Alongside ongoing checks of how pupils are doing, the school has a more structured assessment process to find out what they know and can remember. Where this works best, staff use this information to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers then adapt teaching to meet pupils’ needs. However, in some foundation subjects, assessment is not as strong, meaning that staff do not always recognise what pupils have understood or remembered.

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better?

Staff are well trained in identifying and supporting pupils with SEND. They work very closely with these pupils and provide appropriate support. Teaching is often adapted to the individual pupil’s needs. This ensures that pupils with SEND access their learning and can achieve well.

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better?

The school makes it a priority that children learn to read as soon as possible. This begins with high-quality phonics lessons in early years. Reception children listen with close attention to new sounds. As pupils begin to read books, these are well matched to the sounds they know. Staff are trained to identify when a pupil does 30 and 31 January 2024

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not know a sound well enough and appropriate support is given. Pupils quickly begin to understand texts and develop a love of reading.

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The school is determined that pupils will make more progress with their written work than they have in the past. Recent changes to the curriculum have provided pupils with opportunities to compose extended pieces of writing. Pupils’ skills are improving because of this work.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils gain a strong understanding of equalities and of fundamental British values. Staff promote an understanding of difference. All pupils feel included because they respect one another’s opinions and beliefs. Pupils have age-appropriate knowledge of healthy relationships and diversity. They learn about eating well and maintaining an active lifestyle. They also learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. The way in which the school develops pupils’ character is exemplary. Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 as responsible, respectful and active citizens.

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Most pupils behave well. At social times, the school is calm and purposeful. In lessons, younger pupils do not always readily understand the expectations the school has of them. Occasionally, this distracts them from their learning. The behaviour of older pupils is typically much better. Pupils’ attendance is above the national average. The number of pupils regularly missing school is very low.

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Governors and trustees know the school well. They challenge school leaders constructively. The trust provides high-quality support to develop leaders at all levels. Early career teachers are well supported. Staff feel that the school takes positive action to manage their workload and well-being. They are proud to work in this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, learning is not sequenced as well as it could be, which leads to pupils not always understanding key concepts. The school should continue to develop the curriculum so that pupils get the chance to improve their understanding. The school should make sure that there are processes in place for pupils to recall and use prior learning as they move forward with their studies. 30 and 31 January 2024

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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). 30 and 31 January 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority Board of directors

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School details

Website www.st-elizabeths.coventry.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy in September 2019. When its predecessor school, St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School, Foleshill, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provider.  The school is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in March 2018. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.

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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 30 and 31 January 2024

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school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing board, including the chair, and executive leaders from the trust. The lead inspector also spoke to representatives from the local authority and the Archdiocese of Birmingham, as well as a member of staff from the alternative provision.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and design technology. 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 pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to adults they knew.  The inspectors also looked at some other subjects, including English and science. They discussed the school’s curriculum, the early years curriculum and provision

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with leaders.  The inspectors observed pupils during breaktimes and lunchtimes and spoke with pupils and leaders about personal, social and health education and opportunities for pupils’ personal development.  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.  The inspection team took account of a range of other information, including the school’s development plans, school policies and governors’ minutes.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. He also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

David Buckle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Darren King Ofsted Inspector 30 and 31 January 2024

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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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