Ladymount Catholic Primary School

Inspection of Ladymount Catholic Primary School Portal Road, Pensby, Wirral, Merseyside CH61 5YD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ladymount are very proud of their school. They enjoy the warm welcome that they receive from staff each morning. Pupils have strong relationships with staff. This makes them feel well cared for and also confident to share their feelings and thoughts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are exceptionally well-mannered and courteous to adults and to one another. Pupils know how important it is to treat everyone in the same way. They are kind and welcoming to pupils who are new to the school. Pupils have a very well-developed sense of right and wrong. They are confident to speak up when they need to do so.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school has high expectations of their learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit greatly from an impressive range of rich experiences that go beyond the academic curriculum. This helps them to develop as rounded young people. For example, pupils are kept well-informed about national and global events. This enables pupils to share their views confidently and listen to different opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils make a valuable contribution to the school through their leadership responsibilities. Prefects, play leaders and house captains support staff in the smooth running of the school day.

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better?

Most subject curriculums are very well-developed. They are ambitious and have been carefully thought-out. These curriculums identify what pupils are expected to know by the end of each topic. This enables teachers to use their secure subject knowledge to design learning that helps pupils to learn all that they should know. Staff regularly check how well pupils are learning what has been taught. They address misconceptions quickly. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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better?

In contrast, a small number of subject curriculums do not indicate what pupils should learn. This means that teachers do not have the information that they need to make sure that pupils learn the full breadth of the national curriculum. This results in some pupils having gaps in their learning. While the early curriculum is well designed, it does not, at times, have the full impact on children’s learning. This is because some of the activities that children complete do not help them to learn all that they should in readiness for Year 1.

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better?

The school prioritises the teaching of early reading. Children in the Reception class enjoy choosing their own books to read in the cosy reading corner. They enjoy learning new vocabulary through the books that their teachers read to them. Children are then able to use these words in their own writing. 11 and 12 June 2024

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Pupils in key stage 1, and children in the Reception class, progress well through the school’s phonics programme. They use their phonics knowledge to read books that are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils who need additional help are given suitable support to help them to keep up with the programme. As pupils move through the school, they become fluent readers. They enjoy reading and can talk easily about their favourite authors.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly. The school ensures that staff are well-trained to support pupils with SEND. This enables appropriate adaptations to be made to activities so that these pupils can learn alongside their peers. The school liaises with the local authority and outside specialists to ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate help. This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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The school places a very strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils have an impressive understanding of fundamental British values, for example, liberty and democracy. They are aware of the ways in which people are different. One example of this is the way in which pupils discuss different types of families with exceptional maturity.

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Pupils take advantage of an exciting array of clubs. These include football, fencing and Mandarin. Pupils especially enjoy taking part in sporting and choir competitions. The school is particularly accomplished at singing. In addition, pupils are given lots of opportunities to experience the arts. Visits to museums, the theatre and an orchestra all help to ignite pupils’ enthusiasm for art and music. All pupils in key stage 2 learn to play a tuned instrument. This has inspired some pupils to continue by playing in a regular ensemble.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. This includes children in the early years who are often engrossed in their learning. Across school, pupils try their best. They listen intently to their teachers and they enjoy working together with one another. Pupils are highly respectful of one another. The atmosphere in school is calm and focused.

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The school invests in developing its staff. This includes ensuring that staff receive the training that they need to teach with confidence and expertise. Governors know the school well. They offer support and challenge to help the school to continually improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In a small number of subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers have all the information that they need to make sure pupils learn the full breadth of the national curriculum. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that in these subjects, pupils are able to learn all that they should.  At times, in some areas of learning, the activities that children complete do not help them to learn all that they should. This prevents a few from being as well prepared as they could be for key stage 1. The school should ensure that staff receive the training that they need to deliver the early years curriculum consistently well.

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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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Its last section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, took place in July 2018. The next inspection is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 academic year.  The school offers a breakfast club and after-school provision each day.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 11 and 12 June 2024

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considered the extent to which the school has created and open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, looked at a sample of pupils’ work, spoke with teachers and talked with pupils about their learning.  Inspectors also spoke to some other subject leaders and spoke to some pupils about their learning in those subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. An inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  An inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour as they arrived at school and during

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lessons and breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their views of school life.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers. They looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke to a number of parents and carers at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils who responded to Ofsted’s staff and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Frith Murphy, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Clayton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 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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