St Catherine's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Catherine’s CofE Primary School Musket Road, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6SB

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 9 and 10 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the heart of the community. Staff provide a nurturing and caring environment. The school’s values of justice, compassion, perseverance, courage and friendship underpin everyday life. Pupils are polite and kind. They respect individual differences and describe their school as inclusive. Pupils say they feel happy and safe in school. They know they have trusted adults to speak to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular activities available to them. For example, pupils enjoy scuba diving and caving, as well as having overnight camps. This helps them to develop interests beyond the academic. In the local community, pupils help out at church functions, for example serving drinks to local residents. In school, pupils have roles of responsibility such as school councillors and helping in school worship. These roles help pupils to appreciate their community and to understand what it means to be an active citizen in society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View say their child is happy at the school.

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better?

School leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. Following weak published outcomes for mathematics in key stage 2, the school and the federation worked strategically to improve the quality of teaching of mathematics. Governors have supported improvements by monitoring the impact of actions taken by school leaders. However, published outcomes do not yet reflect the improved quality of education that pupils receive in mathematics.

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better?

Children learn to read as soon as they start Reception class. In the early years, school leaders have identified the important vocabulary they want pupils to know and remember. These words are linked to a range of well-designed activities that help deepen children’s understanding of what they are learning. For example, as part of their topic on transport, children use guttering to create imaginative waterways to funnel boats across their playground. Activities extend children’s interests. Children are calm and show sustained levels of attention.

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better?

The school has an effective curriculum to teach reading. It sets out clearly the sounds that pupils should know by the end of each term. Pupils learn phonics successfully as teaching matches what they know and can do. Staff make regular checks on pupils’ progress to ensure those pupils who need extra support receive it. This means those pupils who struggle quickly catch up. Teachers regularly read to pupils. They have chosen books that ignite pupils’ imagination and develop pupils’ love of reading.

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better?

Most subjects are designed well. For example, the curriculum for mathematics has set out the key knowledge and skills it wants pupils to know and remember. Staff 9 and 10 July 2024

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know what pupils can do and when they are ready for more complex work. Teaching ensures any gaps in knowledge are revisited regularly. This helps pupils to be secure in their learning. However, some subjects in the wider curriculum are not as well developed or delivered as effectively. This means that pupils do not develop a deep understanding of these subjects.

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Teachers use assessment at the beginning and end of units of work to find out what pupils know. However, in some subjects, staff do not routinely check pupils’ understanding or adapt learning to ensure it matches what pupils are able to do. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. They work alongside their peers and learn the full curriculum. Pupils with SEND are also involved in all aspects of school life. For example, they act as library monitors and eco-councillors. These roles help them to develop confidence and independence.

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Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. The strong relationships pupils have with staff means that pupils want to try their best. When low-level behaviour does occur, there are school systems in place to help reduce incidents of behaviour over time. To improve rates of attendance the school and its pastoral team work closely with those families who need extra support. As a result, attendance has improved, and pupils enjoy attending school.

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The curriculum for pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. It is effective in helping pupils to learn about different beliefs and to appreciate differences within society. Pupils enjoy educational visits that enhance what they learn in the classroom such as trips to a Victorian village and clifftop theatre. Pupils develop a cultural appreciation.

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Staff appreciate that their well-being and workload are considered by school leaders and governors.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, assessment is not used effectively to check pupils’ understanding or adapt learning to ensure it matches what pupils are able to do. As a result, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to ensure there is a consistent and effective approach to assessment in all subjects. This will enable teachers to adapt learning successfully when needed.  Some subjects in the wider curriculum are less well developed and not delivered 9 and 10 July 2024

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as effectively as others. As a result, pupils do not develop a deep understanding of the knowledge they need to be successful in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is securely and consistently embedded so that pupils know more and remember more.

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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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Nicholas Glanfield

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School details

Headteacher Martin Harding (Executive Headteacher) Victoria Pearce (Head of School) Website www.stcatherines- heathfield.devon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The United Schools Federation (USF).  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school operates its own pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year- olds.  There is an on-site breakfast and after-school club run by the school.

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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 9 and 10 July 2024

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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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also sampled other subjects in the wider curriculum.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors met with leaders from the school.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Lees Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 July 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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