St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Ryhope

Inspection of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Ryhope Smith Street, Ryhope, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR2 0RQ

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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

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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 head of school of this school is Joanne Jobling. This school is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Brendan Tapping, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Daniel O’Mahoney. There is also an executive headteacher, Jane Ward, who is responsible for this school and one other. 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embody the school’s values, including compassion and tolerance. They are proud to be part of the St Patrick’s community. Pupils have a keen sense of equality. In this small but multicultural school, pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for others. They understand the school’s motto of ‘small but mighty’. A pupil reflected the words of others by saying that ‘everybody together makes us strong through friendships and harmony’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are positive. A purposeful learning environment pervades the school. Adults deal with any issues around behaviour quickly and effectively. Pupils are safe. Well-trained adults support them well when they are worried. Pupils benefit from a wide range of educational experiences to develop their understanding of safety. Pupils are inquisitive and welcoming to visitors. One parent summed up the feelings of many others by saying, ‘The school creates a safe environment where my children are comfortable to be themselves and accept everyone.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the high expectations and aspirations of leaders. Leaders’ high expectations for achievement are evident in teachers’ classroom practice and pupils’ understanding of their learning. The school’s curriculum is tailored to the local area. Pupils at St Patrick’s are proud of Ryhope and its heritage.

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better?

Leaders in the school have worked effectively with colleagues across the trust to develop a high-quality curriculum. This is relevant and exciting for pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities meets their needs. Procedures for identifying pupils’ individual needs are thorough. Adults put effective support in place for pupils who need it.

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better?

Children in Reception quickly adapt to the routines and expectations of school life. They benefit from a strong focus on communication and language. This helps them make progress across the early years curriculum. They are articulate and keen to discuss their learning with adults. The school’s provision for phonics is effective. As a result of consistent teaching, pupils develop secure phonics knowledge. They become confident and fluent readers. Pupils across school have a tangible love of reading. They enjoy numerous opportunities to read for pleasure, including a visit to a large local bookshop for World Book Day.

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better?

Lessons enable pupils to embed their learning and apply their prior knowledge to new contexts. In geography, for example, pupils build on their understanding of erosion. They discuss knowledgeably how the Grand Canyon was formed. Pupils link this to their knowledge of climate and different biomes when exploring climate zones, rainfall and temperature profiles across North America. 12 and 13 March 2024

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Pupils’ outcomes from the key stage 2 statutory tests in 2023 are not an accurate reflection of the school’s current quality of education. Leaders’ high expectations ensure pupils learn the intended curriculum well. However, assessment in some subjects is not used well to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and inform teaching.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance is high and persistent absence is low. Leaders are vigilant when following up on any absence. The school has robust procedures in place to improve pupils’ attendance even further. These procedures have demonstrable impact. Pupils show high levels of respect for one another. Their behaviour is positive across the school. The youngest children play together with consideration and care. Leaders have constructed a curriculum that enables pupils to understand the different forms of bullying and the impact that bullying can have. Older pupils act as lunchtime buddies. They are proud to help the Reception children play at lunchtime as ‘it makes them feel welcome when they’re really young’.

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The school’s intentions for high-quality personal development are clear. Leaders plan rich opportunities that extend beyond the academic curriculum. These include pupils performing at Durham Cathedral and visits to a residential home for the elderly. There are opportunities for pupils to develop their awareness of other faiths and religions, including an educational visit to a Sikh place of worship in Sunderland. Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. These are well attended by pupils. The school has close links with the neighbouring church. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is strong.

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Leaders at all levels, including governors and trustees, have a clear understanding of the school. They put pupils at the heart of all decisions. Staff are well supported in terms of workload and well-being. Leaders have implemented curriculum open mornings and ‘family club’ sessions after school. Parents are very involved with the school. One parent summed up the thoughts of others by saying, ‘St Patrick’s is very much part of the Ryhope community.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some subjects is not used to precisely identify pupils’ misconceptions and inform teachers’ future planning. This means that gaps in pupils’ learning are not identified quickly enough. The school should ensure that its approach to assessment identifies and addresses gaps in learning quickly so that pupils’ progress in these subjects closely matches the school’s intentions. 12 and 13 March 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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy in April 2021. When its predecessor school, St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is one of 30 schools in the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.  The executive headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast and after-school club.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The last section 48 inspection of the school was in June 2023.

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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.  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 the executive headteacher, the head of school, other school leaders, school staff, representatives of the governing body, representatives from the trust and a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. 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.  An inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar

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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.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. An inspector also spoke with some parents.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online staff survey, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hannah Millett His Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 March 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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