St Andrew's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Andrew’s Catholic Primary School Polworth Road, Streatham, London SW16 2ET

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since February 2014. 9 and 10 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The values of faith, unity and excellence are embedded in this warm and welcoming school. Pupils are a delight to talk to, they are proud and happy to attend the school and love to discuss their learning and the wider experiences they enjoy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and know that if they have any concerns, they can alert staff by using the classroom ‘talk boxes’ or talking to a trusted adult. Bullying is rare. If things go wrong, pupils know staff will deal with it quickly and appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all pupils from the moment that they arrive, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy their learning and take part in lessons with enthusiasm. As a result, pupils achieve highly across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This is because routines are firmly established and pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils are resilient and motivated learners and are polite to staff and to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides exceptional opportunities for pupils’ personal development. There is a rich offer of clubs and trips and pupils engage in leadership roles and activities that support the wider community.

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better?

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum to provide pupils with a well sequenced body of knowledge from early years to the end of Year 6.

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better?

The school focuses on early reading to ensure that pupils can access learning in other subjects. As soon as they enter Reception, children start learning phonics. Any pupils who fall behind are quickly identified and staff ensure they receive the support needed to catch up. Staff make sure that pupils read books which match the sounds they know. The enjoyment of reading is also fostered, for example, by teachers reading to each class every day and the use of the library bus in the school playground.

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better?

In some subjects, the school adapts and enhances published programmes of work to enrich pupils’ learning. Any gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge and skills are identified and addressed through ongoing assessment in lessons, and by regular revisiting and recalling of previous learning.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and appropriate support is put in place, including working with specialists, adaptation of activities when needed, and support from additional adults. 9 and 10 July 2024

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A focus on language throughout the school means pupils can express their thoughts and ideas clearly. For example, in mathematics pupils use full sentences to answer questions about bar charts.

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Teachers provide opportunities to deepen pupils’ learning by linking it across different subjects. For example, in art pupils study a Japanese artist, which also aids their understanding of world geography and volcanoes, and in geography pupils use their knowledge of angles when looking at lines of longitude.

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In early years, the curriculum is new and parts of it are still embedding. Mathematics and literacy development are strong and this helps to ensure that children are well prepared for their next stages of learning. Curriculum thinking clearly links learning in the early years to subjects taught in later years to support pupils as they move through the school. However, for a few areas of the curriculum there is less clarity about the key knowledge that should be learned. Consequently, there is some variability in how well adults support pupils with their learning and a few activities are not as purposeful as others in the provision.

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Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They respect and listen to adults and to each other. Their attitudes to their learning are consistently positive and they demonstrate an ability to persevere when they find something difficult. Attendance is strong. Leaders act quickly on any identified concerns and offer support to those that need it.

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The school provides a wide array of enriching experiences for pupils. This includes after school clubs, such as football, art and chess club. The school enables all pupils to attend clubs if they wish to do so. A range of trips is planned throughout the school year, for example, to museums and places of worship and the Year 6 residential trip. Pupils are proud of the way they contribute to the school and the local community, for example, by becoming digital leaders and sports ambassadors and donating to local charities and food banks.

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Leaders at all levels, including governors, share a strong commitment to ongoing school improvement. Staff speak highly of the training they receive and know their workload and well-being are considered. Parents and carers are hugely positive about the school and the care and high standards it offers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 9 and 10 July 2024

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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

Website www.st-andrewsrc.lambeth.sch.uk/

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 February 2014 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is designated as having a religious character. The school is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Southwark. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was in September 2022.  The school does not use any alternative provision for its 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 education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 9 and 10 July 2024

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 Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders and subject leaders. They also held meetings with the members of the governing body and representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, art and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors also spoke with leaders, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects.  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.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys completed by parents and staff.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Ross, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch His Majesty’s 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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