St Mary and St Andrew's Catholic Primary School, Barton Newsham

Inspection of St Mary and St Andrew’s Catholic Primary School, Barton Newsham Station Lane, Barton, Preston, Lancashire PR3 5DY

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in this warm and friendly school. Pupils who are new to school are immediately welcomed into the ‘SMSA family’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy strong, affirming relationships with caring staff. Pupils know that there are trusted adults who they can speak to about any worries that they may have. This includes those in the breakfast and after-school club.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. They want to do their best and they work hard to live up to the school’s expectations. Pupils behave well and classrooms are typically calm and purposeful.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, such as chess, jujitsu, multi-sports and computer coding. They relish roles of responsibility, which allow them to make a positive contribution to their school community. For instance, pupil monitors remind their classmates how to move sensibly around the school. Play leaders support younger pupils to cooperate fairly in games on the playground. Pupil ambassadors show visitors around the school and organise fundraising events, such as a recent coffee afternoon for a cancer charity. These special jobs help pupils grow in confidence.

p.2

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

Despite a period of staffing turbulence, the school has continued to move forward. For example, the school has strengthened the curriculum in many subjects. This has allowed pupils to develop a deep understanding in most of these subjects. In the early years, children make a positive start. The school has designed a curriculum for these pupils that inspires children to learn and prepares them well for key stage 1.

p.2

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

In a small number of subjects, the school has not considered the gaps that some pupils have in their knowledge, due to weaknesses in previous curriculums. This means that pupils lack the secure knowledge needed to support new learning. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

p.2

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

Governors have supported the school in making changes to increase the ambition of the curriculum. They know the school well and share the school’s vision for continual improvement. Governors are especially mindful of the importance of staff well-being. Staff feel appreciated and their workload is given careful consideration. They value the peer support they get from each other and they enjoy working at the school.

p.2

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

The school quickly identifies pupils with SEND. Thorough, individual support plans are drawn up alongside pupils and their parents and carers. These are regularly reviewed and adjusted according to need. Teachers are then able to provide precise support that allows pupils with SEND to access the same ambitious curriculum as their friends. 1 and 2 October 2024

p.2

3

The school makes sure that reading takes centre stage. In the early years, children get off to a flying start in phonics. Staff ensure that children quickly learn the sounds and letters that they need to begin to read. Any pupil struggling to learn their sounds receives timely and effective support. This helps them to catch up quickly. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are fluent and accurate readers. Pupils of all ages love to read. Older pupils know that reading is important. They understand that reading well helps them with other subjects and that it has a positive impact on their mental well-being.

p.3

3

Clear routines instilled from the start of the early years, and a strong understanding of the school’s values, help pupils to behave well. Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons and join in eagerly. Staff respond swiftly to stop any low-level disruption.

p.3

3

The promotion of pupils’ personal development is extremely well thought out. Visiting authors, musicians and speakers include people from different faiths and cultures. This contributes significantly to pupils’ deep understanding of fundamental British values. Along with trips to castles, museums and theatres, these experiences really bring the curriculum to life. A comprehensive programme for personal, social and health education also responds to any issues as they arise. Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships with others. They have an exceptionally mature understanding of how to look after their bodies and minds. For example, pupils told inspectors that fresh air, exercise and sleep are beneficial to both physical and mental well-being. The wide range of additional responsibilities taken up by pupils, including those with SEND, contributes to a strong development of character.

p.3

3

The school takes effective action to support the small number of pupils who do not attend as well as they should. As a result, attendance rates are high. Parents are extremely positive about the school and its place in the community. They appreciate the efforts made by all staff to involve them in their children’s learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the school has not fully considered where pupils may have gaps in important knowledge. This means that pupils are sometimes introduced to new learning without a secure foundation of key knowledge. This hinders them from learning all that they should. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies potential gaps in learning and teachers address these gaps so that pupils can learn the curriculum as intended. 1 and 2 October 2024

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 October 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.st-mary-st-andrews.lancs.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Lancaster.  The most recent inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, took place in June 2023. The next section 48 inspection is expected to take place by the end of summer 2028.  The school has experienced many staff changes since the previous inspection. This includes the appointment of a new headteacher and several changes of deputy headteacher.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club on the premises.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 1 and 2 October 2024

p.5

6

provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To review the work of the school, the inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and representatives of the local authority and diocese.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspectors reviewed examples of the minutes of meetings of the governing body.  The inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading, and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with staff, and spoke with some pupils about their learning. They also reviewed a sample of pupils’ work.

p.6

6

 The inspectors discussed other subjects with the school and with pupils.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to staff.  The inspectors discussed with the school its provision for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance, SEND and early years.  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.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their well-being, workload and training. Additional meetings were held with early career teachers and their mentor. There were no responses from staff to Ofsted’s online survey.  The lead inspector spoke with staff and pupils at the out-of-school club.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils to ask them about their experiences of the

p.6

6

school. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, lunchtime and when moving around school. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.  The inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. An inspector spoke with some parents as they arrived at the school in the morning with their children.

p.6

Inspection team

Sharon Cowey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Annie Douglas Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7