Cathedral Primary School

Inspection of Cathedral Primary School College Square, Bristol, Bristol BS1 5TS

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Sara Yarnold. This school is part of Cathedral Schools trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Neil Blundell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Eastwood. 15 and16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision ‘many voices, one harmony’ is a golden thread that runs throughout the school. The school expects all pupils to achieve highly. Pupils rise to this and learn well across the curriculum. Respectful and warm relationships with staff enable pupils to flourish. Pastoral staff check in with pupils to ensure they get off to a good start. Parents unanimously appreciate the support adults provide. As a result, pupils are happy and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s wider offer for pupils is exceptional. From Reception, pupil passports outline the broad and rich experiences the school provides. These include performing in a cathedral and learning British Sign Language. The school teaches pupils to ‘use their voice’ to make a difference in the world. For example, inspired by the work of the school’s ‘green team,’ pupils held a peaceful protest to raise awareness of climate change.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Around the school, pupils conduct themselves well. From Reception, children understand the school’s expectations and routines. Older pupils move from inside the school to the multiple playgrounds and dining hall in an orderly fashion. Pupils of all ages play well together during social times. As a result, lunchtime is harmonious and enjoyable for all.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. It has set out the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. The training teachers receive from the trust and school supports them to be confident and accurate in the subject content they teach. Teachers skilfully support pupils to build their knowledge well and retain this in their long- term memory. For example, pupils talk confidently about major and minor notes and how dynamics change in different pieces of music. In most lessons, teachers check on how well pupils are learning. They adapt the curriculum so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn as well as their peers. However, in a few curriculum subjects, teachers’ checks on how well pupils learn the curriculum are not always effective. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge in those subjects.

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

Reading underpins the school’s curriculum. As soon as children join in Reception, they learn to read. Adults are experts in the teaching of phonics. They quickly identify pupils who are at risk of falling behind. These pupils receive the additional support they need to keep up. Staff carefully match reading books to pupils’ stages of reading. This enables pupils to build their fluency and confidence. The school ensures pupils read a wide range of diverse literature. It wants pupils to see themselves represented in the texts they read. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about reading. They say that it ‘feeds your imagination and helps you to understand the world.’

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

The school has explicitly identified the vocabulary it wants pupils to know across the curriculum. This supports pupils to use accurate subject-specific vocabulary when they talk about learning. This begins in Reception, where children learn to explore number through careful questioning and interactions with adults. Older pupils build on these foundations. For example, pupils learn effective methods in mathematics to problem solve 15 and16 October 2024

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when using decimals. Adults encourage pupils to challenge and build on one another’s ideas. This helps pupils to be well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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The school is a calm place to learn. Most pupils behave well and live up to the expectations adults set for them. Lessons are purposeful and most pupils focus on their learning. Pupils attend well. The school swiftly address any small decline in attendance.

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The school has explicitly designed the curriculum beyond the academic. Pupils talk knowledgeably about fundamental British values. They make links with their learning and can explain how these values shape society. Pupils discuss and reflect on social issues, such as the bus boycott. This helps them to understand the importance of respect and equality. All pupils benefit from the opportunities the school provides to develop talents and interests. These include the chamber choir, rock band as well as sports and art club. Pupils are encouraged to be ‘changemakers’ through the roles and responsibilities the school provides. Play leaders and eco-council representatives make decisions that bring about positive change. All of this helps to develop pupils’ character.

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The trust has a secure oversight of the school. The members of the local governing body carry out their delegated responsibilities effectively. Trustees and governors have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the school. Staff are supported well to manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, checks that teachers make on pupils’ learning are not precise and teaching is not always adapted to address gaps and misconceptions. This means that some pupils do not learn as well in these subjects. The trust needs to ensure the school uses assessment to identify the gaps for all pupils, including those with SEND, and use this to inform their future teaching, so that all pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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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. 15 and16 October 2024

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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). 15 and16 October 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  The school is part of the Diocese of Bristol. It has not yet had a section 48 inspection. The school is due to have a section 48 inspection in the 2024/25 academic year.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.  The school is part of the Cathedral Schools Trust.

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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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 15 and16 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, including design and technology and computing.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff surveys, pupil surveys, Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including free-text replies. An inspector spoke with parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Wendy D’Arcy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Smith Ofsted Inspector 15 and16 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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