St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Masbro Road, London W14 0LT

p.1

Outcome

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing school where there is a strong sense of community. Pupils are happy and kept safe. They know that there are adults they can talk to if they have any worries. Pupils have confidence that staff will listen to them and sort things out when needed.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has developed a positive culture and ethos that emphasises respect. Pupils follow well-established rules and routines and as a result, behaviour around the school and in lessons is exemplary. Parents and carers are also positive about the caring and kind environment the school promotes.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set high expectations and pupils consistently rise to meet them. Leaders ensure that pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils enjoy being taught new things and take pride in their work. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in their learning across the curriculum.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have planned many opportunities to enrich the curriculum. Pupils enjoy taking part in clubs, educational visits and wider opportunities such as subject masterclasses at a local secondary school. The school council and religious education chaplains play a key part in the life of the school. As well as regular collective worship, they also led assemblies during Black History Month.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s focus on early reading is at the heart of the curriculum. In early years, staff have created a purposeful environment where children can develop their reading and writing skills. Children start learning phonics as soon as they start in Reception. Staff are well trained and ensure pupils practise reading books that match the sounds they know. This means that pupils learn to read confidently and fluently. Pupils’ reading is assessed 23 and 24 April 2024

p.1

2

regularly and accurately. As a result, any pupils who need to catch up receive appropriate support.

p.2

2

In most subjects, leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils. The most important knowledge pupils need to learn and remember is typically well defined and sequenced. For example, in geography, pupils in learn about continents and how to locate them on a globe and a world map. This helps older pupils to use a range of resources, including relief maps and atlases, to find seas and mountains in different localities.

p.2

2

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum well. For example, teachers introduce new ideas with precision and have high expectations for pupils to use precise subject-specific vocabulary when speaking and writing. Teachers typically use assessment well to check that pupils are secure and to address any misconceptions before moving on to new ideas. In most subjects, pupils are given regular opportunities to practise and revisit what they have been taught. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum has not been designed as carefully. In these instances, pupils do not build on their learning as successfully over time. This limits the depth of knowledge some pupils secure in these subjects.

p.2

2

Pupils with SEND are identified at the earliest opportunity. Support from specialists helps staff to understand how to meet their needs. Classrooms are inclusive spaces and pupils are very respectful and understanding of each other’s needs. Pupils with SEND typically access the curriculum alongside their peers because teaching includes careful adaptations and high-quality support.

p.2

2

Pupils demonstrate impeccable attitudes to learning. During lessons, they are attentive and work well with one another. There are well-established systems and routines for behaviour, and pupils understand why it is important to listen to staff. Governors have supported and challenged leaders in their drive to improve attendance. Leaders have put a wide range of effective strategies in place to support pupils and families with low attendance. As a result, attendance is rapidly improving.

p.2

2

The school provides an extensive range of well-thought-out enrichment opportunities. This includes a range of clubs based on pupils’ interests. A programme of visits underpins the curriculum, including, for example, to the Royal College of Music and art exhibitions, fieldwork and learning about subjects they could study at university. These help pupils to be inspired and have high aspirations for their future learning and possible careers.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not clearly identified the most important subject- 23 and 24 April 2024

p.2

3

specific knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. This means that in these instances, the opportunities for pupils to revisit and practise curriculum content are not consistently coherent. This limits the depth of knowledge some pupils secure. The school needs to identify and sequence the most important knowledge in each subject so that pupils revisit and build on their knowledge and skills over time.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2014.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 23 and 24 April 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Headteacher Imogen Lavelle (Executive Headteacher) Lucy Black (Headteacher) Website www.stmarysrc.lbhf.sch.uk

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 31 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school has a Roman Catholic religious character and is part of the Diocese of Westminster. The school had its last section 48 inspection in March 2022.  The head of school and executive headteacher started their roles in September 2023.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

p.4

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. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with members of the board of governors, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also held a meeting with the school’s improvement partner. 23 and 24 April 2024

p.4

5

 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector took account of a range of other information, including the school’s improvement plans, policies and minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

p.5

Inspection team

Sabrina Edwards, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 April 2024

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6