St James's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St James's Catholic Primary School 260 Stanley Road, Twickenham, Middlesex TW2 5NP

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 8 and 9 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a relentless focus on providing the highest possible quality of education. They have extremely high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables all pupils in the school to excel.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have built extremely positive relationships with pupils. They know the pupils very well which ensures they are kept safe. Pupils are polite, confident and enjoy being in school. Kindness is central to the ethos. This is demonstrated in the highly positive interactions pupils have with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in the school is exemplary. There is a calm, orderly and welcoming environment. The school have a strong focus on developing pupils’ character. They provide bespoke developmental opportunities for pupils identified as requiring further pastoral support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in many clubs that develop their talents and interests. Opportunities include a range of sports, technology, and creative arts clubs. These are designed to be highly inclusive. For example, many pupils, including pupils with SEND, take part in sporting fixtures with other schools. There are a range of roles in the school for pupils to develop their leadership skills. These include house captains, charity ambassadors and ‘rights respecters.’

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

The school has developed an extremely ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They make sure that pupils build knowledge over time progressively. Staff have identified precisely what pupils need to learn at each stage of the curriculum. This helps pupils to learn and remember new concepts quickly. Pupils with SEND are supported exceptionally well to access their curriculum. Staff work together to sharply identify the needs of pupils, before putting effective help in place. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve very well.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They present and model new information expertly. This ensures new concepts are clear to all pupils. Teachers check for pupils’ understanding systematically and address any misconceptions quickly. This helps pupils to produce work of extremely high quality. In the early years, staff are highly skilled in developing children’s language and communication skills. This helps to ensure that children are ready for Year 1.

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

Leaders have placed a sharp focus on the teaching of early reading. All staff are well trained in delivering the phonics programme. This ensures it is taught to a consistently high standard. Staff are highly skilled at identifying any pupils that fall behind the pace of the programme. They put in place swift support to ensure that these pupils catch up quickly. Pupils have an extremely strong passion for reading. They regularly read a wide variety of high-quality books both in school and at home. Staff work with parents and carers to ensure they understand the purpose of the books that pupils take home. The school develops pupils’ enthusiasm for reading through a number of strategies. These 8 and 9 October 2024

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include a school book shop and regular visits from authors. This effective approach ensures that pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils consistently demonstrate excellent attitudes to their learning. They are extremely focused and engaged during lessons. Children in the early years are highly motivated. They share and cooperate well and show respect for each other. The attendance of pupils in school, including pupils with SEND, is very high. The school have robust procedures in place and work closely with parents to support pupils to attend school regularly.

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The school have developed a thoughtful and well-planned personal development programme. This is rooted in the values of the school. Pupils develop a thorough understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. Pupils all have access to a rich set of wider opportunities. These include visits to museums and galleries and a range of performance opportunities. All pupils take part in a number of residential trips by the time they leave the school. These are purposefully planned to ensure that they develop specific character skills. Pupils’ broader experiences also include a Year 6 citizenship programme, safe cycling, and scooter training.

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The school has developed a very strong professional development programme for staff. This is planned to provide opportunities for staff at all stages of their careers. This leads to sustained and continuous improvement in the quality of education.

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Leaders prioritise the health and welfare of their staff and pupils. They are conscious of the pressures of workload and explore strategies to minimise this where possible. The governing body understands the strengths and priorities of the school and carries out its role effectively. It has a clear strategic vision and provides appropriate challenge and support to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 8 and 9 October 2024

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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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 st January 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specialist resource provision for pupils with autistic spectrum condition. It caters for up to eleven pupils.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  St James’ Roman Catholic Primary School has a Catholic ethos. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in March 2019, and these inspections usually take place every five years.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body, and representatives from the local authority and Diocese of Westminster.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, discussed with pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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 considered the views of pupils and staff through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys and meetings with staff and pupils.  Inspectors took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the free- text responses. Inspectors also took account of written correspondence from parents.

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Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Seamus Gibbons Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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