St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Stockton

Inspection of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Stockton Fairfield Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS19 7PL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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 headteacher of this school is Steven Williams. The school is part of the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for the running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mike Shorten, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Yvonne Coates. 6 and 7 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have created a welcoming and safe environment in the school. The school motto ‘may Christ be seen in us’ prevails through the life of the school. There is a strong sense of fairness and equality. Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities so that they are prepared for the world beyond their school. Pupils show mutual kindness, genuine care and respect for each other. They say the best thing about their school is the people in it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. The school’s ambitious curriculum reflects these high expectations. Pupils work hard in lessons and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a calm and orderly school. Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. From an early age, pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour. This contributes to the positive culture in which pupils work and play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils beyond the curriculum. Pupils enjoy school. They take part in a variety of clubs such as sport, chess and debating. They also contribute to the school and community through raising money for charity and supporting the local food bank.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all. The curriculum identifies the exact knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. This starts in the early years and is sequenced carefully across school to Year 6. The curriculum prepares children for the next stage in their learning journey. In some curriculum areas, the order in which subjects are taught does not enable pupils to learn as deeply as they could.

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better?

In the early years, there is a strong focus on early language and early number that prepares pupils for learning in Year 1. Teachers choose activities and resources that enable pupils to secure and extend their learning. Children acquire the knowledge and skills that they need.

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better?

The school prioritises reading and has high expectations. The phonics programme starts in the early years and is taught with consistency. All staff are trained in the delivery of phonics. Pupils read books using the sounds they know. Staff make regular checks on pupils’ progression in reading. Pupils who need help to catch-up with their reading receive it and benefit from it. There is a love of reading across the school. Leaders ensure that pupils read and hear stories daily. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books that they have read. Parents come into school to support reading during reading coffee mornings.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers wherever possible. Support, adaptations and resources 6 and 7 March 2024

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help pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. Leaders use advice from professionals to support pupils with SEND effectively.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. There is a positive culture around behaviour with a focus on ‘catch them being good’. This is lived out in the daily life of the school. Pupils enjoy the rewards they receive and say these are always given fairly. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive in all lessons. Right from the start, in the early years, staff have established routines that children understand and follow. Pupils get on well with each other. Respect is important to pupils. It comes through in their relationships with each other and with adults in school. Pupils are courteous and well-mannered across the school day. Older pupils show care towards younger pupils.

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Leaders give careful thought to pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn important information about online safety, healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves safe. Pupils can attend ‘pupil parliament’ where they learn about democracy. A careers education programme helps pupils to learn about jobs for the future. Pupils are proud of the opportunities they have to help in their community, for example planting flowers, litter picking and singing in the local older people’s home.

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Pupils understand about equality and that it is important that everyone has the same rights as each other. Pupils have a strong understanding of difference and respect for diversity. They celebrate learning about different religions and cultures.

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The trust, diocese and local governing body have a clear and consistent vision for the school. They perform their duties with rigour. The trust supports the continuous development of the school. The school involves parents in life of the school. Staff enjoy working at the school. Leaders prioritise staff well-being and ensure that staff workload is manageable.

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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, the curriculum is not routinely taught in a sequence that enables pupils to build deep knowledge. The school should work with teachers to improve the teaching of the curriculum in foundation subjects. 6 and 7 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). 6 and 7 March 2024

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School details

Website https://stpatrickscp.npcat.org.uk

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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 the Bishop Hogarth Education Trust.  This is a Catholic School in the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. The last Section 48 inspection was in May 2016 before the school converted to an academy in April 2021. The next section 48 inspection is due within five years of this date.

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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

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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 6 and 7 March 2024

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff, the chair of the board of trustees and members of the local governing body, the CEO of the trust, and the director of the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, the 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.  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 Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff, and to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Nichola Irving, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Byrne Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 March 2024

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