St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School Calve Croft Road, Peel Hall, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5EU

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The head of school of this school is Elisabeth Simmons. This school is part of the Corpus Christi 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), Sacha Humphries and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Johnson. 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They value spending time with their teachers and their friends. They appreciate the care that staff provide. Pupils build strong relationships with the staff and with each other. They are confident and well mannered. They speak politely with visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well throughout the school. Classrooms are generally calm and purposeful. This allows pupils to try their best during lessons. They have positive attitudes to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for pupils’ achievement. These aspirations extend to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The personal, social and emotional support that the school provides contributes strongly to pupils’ academic success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that help to develop their individual talents and interests. For example, pupils spoke excitedly about residential trips and local visits to different religious buildings, which promote their understanding of other faiths.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their various roles and responsibilities. These include representing their classmates on the school council and acting as members of the eco-council. Pupils are proud of the positive contribution that they make to projects in the local community, such as serving refreshments to parishioners following a church service.

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better?

The school has worked effectively to secure improvements to the quality of the curriculum since the last inspection. These improvements are helping pupils to achieve well in a range of subjects, particularly reading. Members of the trust and the local governing body have a sharp focus on supporting and challenging the school to continue to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils from the early years to Year 6. Children in the early years get off to a strong start. They settle into school life quickly. The rich curriculum helps children in the Nursery and Reception classes to develop a love of learning through curiosity and sustained concentration. In most subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge that pupils should acquire. This knowledge builds on what they already know in well-ordered steps. Teachers have been suitably trained to deliver the curriculum. They use their strong subject knowledge to make sure that pupils learn the content of the curriculum successfully.

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better?

Pupils typically progress well through the curriculum and achieve well in most subjects. However, in a few subjects, the essential knowledge that should be taught 12 and 13 March 2024

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is not as clearly defined. This makes it harder for teachers to design learning and then accurately check that pupils are learning and remembering all that they should.

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The school prioritises reading. In the Nursery class, children have many opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes that develop their vocabulary. Staff deliver the well-ordered phonics programme effectively. They make sure that children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who are not keeping up with the programme and help them to catch up quickly. Pupils regularly visit the school’s library. Older pupils develop effective reading habits through a well-designed curriculum. They spoke enthusiastically about the books that they have read.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff check carefully that learning is adapted for these pupils as they move through the school. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well. They participate in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils rarely disturb the learning of their peers. They have a well-developed understanding of school routines. This helps them to work and play safely and purposefully. The school has created effective partnerships with families and developed clear procedures to manage attendance. As a result, attendance rates are improving towards the national average.

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The school supports pupils’ wider development and their welfare well. Pupils learn how to develop healthy relationships. They also learn about the differences between people and the importance of respect.

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There is a wide a variety of clubs that pupils can attend, including cookery, textiles, choir and different sports clubs. They have a strong understanding of how to stay safe online. Pupils learn about people’s rights. However, pupils have a limited knowledge of the fundamental British values. For example, they have a narrow understanding of democracy. Pupils do not have a secure understanding of how these values can prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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Staff are proud of the strong culture of teamwork that exists in the school. They are supported to fulfil their roles effectively. For example, the school considers staff’s workload when changes to the curriculum are introduced.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In a few subjects, the school has not clearly defined the important knowledge it wishes pupils to learn. This hampers the delivery of these subjects. It also makes it difficult for teachers to check that pupils have remembered their learning. This means that pupils’ knowledge is not as secure as the school intends. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies the key knowledge that pupils should learn.  Some pupils do not have a secure knowledge of fundamental British values. They do not understand how British values could help them to make positive life choices. The school should ensure that pupils gain a greater understanding of fundamental British values so that they are better prepared for life in modern Britain.

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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 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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

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

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.  The school provides a breakfast club for pupils.  Several new staff have been appointed since the last inspection.  This school is a Roman Catholic school in the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The last section 48 inspection of schools with a religious character took place in June 2018. The next section 48 inspection is expected during the 2025/26 academic year.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 12 and 13 March 2024

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Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. They also spoke with members of the multi-academy trust, the CEO and the local governing body.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and

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spoke with pupils. They also observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in some other subjects. They met with leaders and looked at examples of pupils’ work in these subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school. They also observed pupils at lunchtime, while they played outside at playtime and lunchtime and at the breakfast club.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also met with parents and carers before school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Davidson Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 2024

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