St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Blackburn

Inspection of St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Blackburn Hawkins Street, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 2RY

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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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 Good 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school where pupils thrive. Pupils say, rightly, that all adults at St Peter’s are ‘trusted adults’. They appreciate the kind and nurturing staff, who care for them well. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy. Children in the early years settle quickly into school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined to provide a high-quality education for all pupils. It has high expectations and wants pupils to be well prepared for their future. Pupils, and children in the early years, achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about the responsibilities that they are offered, which include taking on roles as librarians and as ‘buddies’ for younger pupils. These experiences help to develop pupils’ understanding of what it means to contribute purposefully to the school community and beyond.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave sensibly and are kind to each other. The vast majority of pupils show very positive attitudes to learning. Any pupils who struggle with their behaviour receive the support that they need. Relationships between pupils, and between staff and pupils, are warm and respectful.

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

The school has set out an ambitious curriculum, including in the early years. It has identified carefully the knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils should learn. This means that teachers know what they should teach and when to teach it.

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

The school provides high-quality training for all staff so that they have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver the curriculum successfully. Typically, teachers design appropriate and engaging activities and experiences that enable pupils to learn the curriculum well. On occasion, however, some activities do not support and help deepen pupils’ learning. When this happens, some pupils do not learn the important knowledge as well as they could, and they move on to new learning before they are ready. As a result, they do not learn as well as they could.

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

Children in the early years benefit from a well-designed curriculum. Learning activities, opportunities and experiences are engaging and purposeful. They support children to develop their knowledge, communication and language skills effectively. Children enjoy the wide range of opportunities they have to develop their physical skills and confidence as they play in the exciting outdoor area. Staff care for the children well and help them to become independent. Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

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

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It identifies their additional needs accurately. This helps teachers to give these pupils well-considered support and the resources that they need. Pupils with SEND 19 and 20 November 2024

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participate in the same learning and wider opportunities as their peers. They achieve well from their starting points.

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The school prioritises reading. It ensures that pupils develop a love of reading from the start. The school has implemented an effective phonics curriculum and provides extensive training for all staff so that they deliver this curriculum consistently well. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them to become fluent and confident readers. If pupils fall behind in their learning of phonics, they receive extra teaching that helps them to catch up quickly.

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Pupils typically behave well in lessons and when moving around the school. They play happily together at breaktimes and at lunchtimes, where older pupils help to organise games and activities so that everyone is included. Pupils, and children in the early years, are attentive during lessons. The school promotes pupils’ social and emotional skills, mental health and well-being through the curriculum. The majority of pupils attend school regularly and are punctual. The school offers appropriate support for pupils who need to improve their attendance.

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Pupils talk maturely about the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They are aware of the role that exercise plays in keeping healthy. Pupils learn that the world is diverse and that it is important to respect and accept everyone for who they are. The school provides opportunities to extend pupils’ learning beyond the curriculum. The school offers pupils a range of clubs and visits, including a residential trip where they take part in outdoor and adventurous activities.

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Governors have a robust oversight of the school’s work. They know its strengths and the areas it needs to prioritise and improve further. Governors and the school take effective steps to ensure that the well-being of staff is prioritised.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teachers do not match learning activities sufficiently well to the knowledge pupils should learn. This means that some pupils do not learn some important knowledge securely and move on to new learning too quickly. The school should ensure that teachers design learning activities and opportunities that help pupils to learn the curriculum securely in all subjects. 19 and 20 November 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Roman Catholic school is part of the Diocese of Salford. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in March 2024. The next section 48 inspection is expected to take place by the end of 2031.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, physical education, English and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and reviewed pupils’ work in some 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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector held a meeting with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She spoke to representatives of the diocese and the local authority.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They considered responses from staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views of behaviour and bullying. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kevan Naughton Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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