St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Hurst Green

Inspection of St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Hurst Green Whalley Road, Hurst Green, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QJ

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 16 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 1 and 2 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They described their school as a welcoming place where people take good care of each other. Pupils value the encouragement and support that they receive from staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look forward to spending time with their friends. They enjoy learning during lessons and relaxing together at social times. Pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes contribute well to the calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils were keen to tell inspectors about the impressive range of activities provided by the school which enhances their personal development. For example, pupils carry out numerous roles of responsibility diligently. These include belonging to the eco- council, acting as an ambassador or being part of the chaplaincy team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school also provides a vast array of clubs and trips. These support pupils exceptionally well to develop new talents and interests. Pupils embrace the opportunities available to them to support their local and wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for the academic achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum. They become avid readers. The school makes sure that pupils receive extra support when they need it.

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better?

The school provides a well-crafted and ambitious curriculum that captures pupils’ interests. Through their learning, over time, pupils build up a rich and secure body of knowledge in most aspects of the curriculum.

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better?

The curriculum is an effective vehicle through which the school enhances pupils’ personal development. The school skilfully weaves opportunities for pupils to learn and wonder about the world around them. This begins in the early years and builds successfully as pupils progress through the school. Pupils benefit from the range of thought-provoking topics that they study. By the end of key stage 2, pupils demonstrate a mature understanding of how their choices and actions impact on the natural world and on other people.

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better?

The school has defined the key knowledge that it expects pupils to learn. It also makes sure that teachers know the order in which learning should occur. Typically, teachers deliver the curriculum well. Most of the time, pupils can recall important facts with ease. This makes it easier for them to learn new information.

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better?

The school expects teachers to check that pupils have a firm understanding of their learning before moving onto something new. In many subjects, teachers do this successfully and pupils build securely on what they know already. Occasionally, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not do this rigorously enough. When this 1 and 2 May 2024

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happens, some pupils do not build up their knowledge as well as they could. From time to time, some pupils’ recall of their learning is not as secure as it could be.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Teachers expertly incorporate the use of high-quality texts across the school to strengthen and extend pupils’ reading and wider knowledge. Pupils recognise how important reading is in helping them to learn new information. They read widely and with enthusiasm. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy times when they can immerse themselves in their favourite books.

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Children begin to learn how to read words using phonics in the Reception Year. This builds on the firm foundation laid in the Nursery Year where children develop their understanding of sounds through songs, rhymes and well-loved stories. Staff are well trained and deliver the school’s phonics programme effectively. Pupils benefit from practising their reading knowledge with books that are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. The school ensures that pupils who find reading more difficult benefit from additional support. As a result, most pupils can read accurately and fluently by the end of key stage 1.

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The school does not ensure that teachers have a shared understanding of how to accurately identify different types of SEND. The school is not consistently proficient at discovering the underlying reasons why some pupils struggle to learn. At times, this reduces the timeliness and effectiveness of the support that teachers provide for these pupils. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

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Pupils behave sensibly during lessons and as they move around the school. Most pupils rarely miss a school day. Pupils respond well to the support provided by the school if they need to improve their attendance or focus during lessons.

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Governors support the work of the school well. They ensure that the school remains committed to providing a high-quality education for all pupils. The school makes sure that staff are not overwhelmed when improvements are being planned or implemented.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variation in how well the school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. This makes it more difficult for teachers to provide the most effective support for these pupils so that they achieve as well as they can. The school should ensure that teachers receive all the support that they need to identify pupils’ additional needs accurately and swiftly. 1 and 2 May 2024

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 In a small number of subjects, at times, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that sometimes, pupils do not learn and remember the key information that they need to be ready for their next steps in learning. The school should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before introducing new learning.

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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). 1 and 2 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-josephs-hurstgreen.lancs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Salford. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in March 2015. It has not been notified when its next inspection will take place.  There has been a new headteacher appointed since the last inspection.  The school provides a before- and-after-school club for pupils.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision for pupils.

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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 educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection that 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. 1 and 2 May 2024

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. An inspector spoke with a group of governors. She also spoke with the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the diocese and a representative of the local authority.  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.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. They spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  Inspectors also spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about learning in other

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areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes and when they moved around the school. An inspector scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  An inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.

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Inspection team

Claire Cropper, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Annie Douglas Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 May 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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