St Hugh's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Hugh's Catholic Primary School Park Road, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 6TQ

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness 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 May 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Hugh’s Catholic Primary is a happy school where pupils feel welcome. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are valued for their individuality. They celebrate diversity and show respect for the differences between people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes settle into school well. Most pupils behave responsibly in class and follow the newly agreed rules and routines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for what pupils will learn. Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Most pupils, including children in the early years, want to do their best and they work hard to live up to the school’s expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a broad range of trips to help bring their learning to life. For example, they participate in residential trips locally and further afield to the seaside. These visits encourage pupils to learn how to work in a team and to deepen their knowledge of curriculum content. Pupils love the variety of clubs that they are able to attend. These clubs, which range from chess to fencing, reflect pupils’ interests well.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that carefully considers the needs of pupils, from the early years through to the end of key stage 2. The curriculum determines the knowledge and understanding that pupils should learn and the order in which staff should teach subject content. The school’s curriculum ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stages in their education and for life in modern Britain.

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

Most staff explain new ideas clearly. They are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. However, occasionally, staff do not identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND as quickly as they should. This hampers the quality and timeliness of support for these pupils, which impedes how well they access some parts of the curriculum.

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

Generally, teachers check carefully on what pupils know. This helps teachers to shape future learning. However, in a few subjects, teachers do not check precisely enough to identify the specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This means that teachers are not as informed as they could be in shaping the next steps that pupils should take in their learning. This prevents some pupils from learning as well as they should.

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

Reading is a high priority in the school. Children in the early years, including those in the Nursery Year, have many opportunities to enjoy stories, rhymes and poems. The culture of reading for pleasure continues throughout the school. The school makes sure that staff deliver the phonics programme to a high standard. Skilled staff quickly identify those pupils who struggle to read. They put in place effective help so that pupils catch up rapidly with their peers. This means that most pupils are confident fluent readers by the time they reach Year 2. 1 and 2 October 2024

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The school has recently amended its system for managing pupils’ behaviour. For most pupils, this new routine is bringing about positive improvements. However, inconsistencies exist in how the policy is being applied by staff across school. As a result, some pupils find it difficult to meet the school’s high expectations, occasionally disrupting the learning of others.

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Most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils attend school regularly. When some pupils do not attend as often as they should, the school works with parents and carers to bring about improvement. This work is proving to be effective.

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The school supports pupils’ wider development well. For example, pupils take on many leadership roles whether as a school council member or on the pupil leadership team. Pupils raise money for charities close to their hearts and give back to their local community. Staff encourage pupils to develop and showcase their talents. For example, pupils enjoy being in the limelight in the school’s annual production or competing in local sporting tournaments.

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Governors share the school’s ambition and commitment to provide a high-quality education for pupils. Most staff value the support that they receive for their well-being and workload. For example, they appreciate the time that the school gives them to carry out their curriculum responsibilities. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND accurately or quickly enough. This delays staff from providing effective support and slows the progress of these pupils through the curriculum. The school should ensure that staff are fully equipped to identify pupils’ additional needs in a timely manner.  In a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to identify exactly where pupils have gaps in their learning. Consequently, teachers are not as informed as they could be when shaping pupils’ future learning. This hinders some pupils from learning all that they could. The school should ensure teachers have the knowledge and expertise to use assessment strategies sufficiently well.  Some staff do not apply the agreed systems to manage low-level disruption. This means that some pupils occasionally disrupt the learning of others. The school should

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

ensure that staff understand how to support pupils’ positive behaviour and apply the agreed policies consistently well. 1 and 2 October 2024

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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.

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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 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 May 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act, 2005

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Information about this school

 This Roman Catholic school is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Its last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in March 2019. The next section 48 inspection is due by the end of 2026.  There has been considerable change to the school since the previous inspection. Many staff, including the headteacher, are new to post.  The school provides a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school does not make use of any 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. 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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and with members of staff. The lead inspector held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representatives of the diocese and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics, geography, physical education and science. For each deep dive, they held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum in some other curriculum subjects. They spoke with leaders and pupils. Inspectors reviewed samples of pupils’ work in these curriculum areas.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around 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 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They

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considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke with some parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Sue Dymond, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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