SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Academy & Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Academy & Nursery Hordern Close, Hordern Road, Newbridge, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 0HR

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Academy & Nursery has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Jenny Byrne. This school is part of the St Francis and St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Company (MAC), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Toni Ellis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Walker.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that is at the heart of its community. Relationships between staff, pupils, parents and carers are very strong. Every pupil is cherished and supported well to ‘dream big’. There are high expectations for all pupils to achieve academically and personally. Pupils live up to these high expectations. Children get off to a very strong start in the early years, where every interaction is a learning opportunity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard in lessons and treat each other with the utmost of respect. They feel happy, safe and valued. Pupils relish the leadership opportunities they have. The school often acts on pupils’ ideas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthused and thankful for the rich set of experiences that they are provided with that go beyond the expected. These experiences support pupils exceptionally well to appreciate their local community and open their eyes to the world around them. This helps pupils to be responsible citizens who contribute significantly to the school and wider community. 26 and 27 November 2024

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Pupils benefit from a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs that develop their talents and interests. They are particularly proud of their sporting achievements and the opportunities they have to share their talents with others.

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

A real strength of this school is how it ensures that all pupils have the support they need to achieve well across all aspects of school life. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified at the earliest opportunity. The school makes sure that staff have the training they need to support all pupils in their lessons. They use a range of strategies that enable pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their peers.

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

From the start of early years, children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that clearly sets out the key knowledge, skills and subject-specific vocabulary that they need to know. This is sequenced logically so that pupils develop a deep body of knowledge by the time they leave the school. The school has put in place innovative ways to help pupils remember their learning over time. In most subjects, staff use their checks of pupils’ understanding to carefully plan ‘re-activation’ sessions so that pupils revisit and build on their prior learning. However, sometimes, the activity choices teachers provide do not enable pupils to meet the ambitious aims of the curriculum because they do not build learning sequentially over time.

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

Reading is a priority. Right from the start, children encounter a wide range of inspiring stories and rhymes that spark a love of reading. Staff deliver with expertise the chosen programme for reading. There is a sharp focus on ensuring that all pupils keep up with the programme. Pupils who require extra support receive the help they need to become confident and fluent readers. Pupils read widely and often, both in and out of school. The school places a high priority on developing pupils’ oracy. Pupils benefit from a well- planned approach to communication and language. High-quality interactions with adults support them well to develop their speaking and listening skills.

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

Attendance is high because pupils enjoy coming to school. They do not want to miss out on any of the exciting opportunities that they are provided with. On the rare occasion that attendance becomes a concern, staff work collaboratively with families to overcome any barriers.

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

As soon as pupils join the school, they learn how to manage their feelings and emotions. The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Throughout all aspects of school life, pupils demonstrate exemplary attitudes. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. Older pupils are positive role models. They contribute highly to the calm and purposeful atmosphere that permeates the school.

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

The way that the school goes about developing pupils’ character is exceptional. The school is relentless in providing pupils with wider opportunities to support them to be considered communicators and critical thinkers who are aspirational for their future. A carefully considered programme of learning helps pupils to understand equality and 26 and 27 November 2024

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diversity. Pupils have a strong understanding of being healthy, both physically and mentally. There are many effective systems in place that support pupils’ pastoral needs. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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The school is reflective and is always striving to improve further. Those responsible for governance support the school to do this very well. The trust works collaboratively with the school to ensure that any changes made are well considered and always in the best interests of pupils. Staff feel valued and well supported. They appreciate the steps taken to reduce workload. They are very proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variability in the implementation of the curriculum in a small number of areas. Some teachers lack the expertise to plan activities that meet the ambitious aims of the curriculum. This means that some pupils do not have a firm enough understanding of important concepts and subject-specific vocabulary. The school should further develop staff’s subject and pedagogical knowledge so that they become more expert in all the subjects they teach.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 26 and 27 November 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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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 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school is within the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Its most recent section 48 inspection under the Education Act for schools of a religious character was carried out in April 2024. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID 19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within five years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school is part of the St Francis and St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Company.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders. She met with the chief executive officer, trustees and representatives from the local governing board.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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’ interest first.  The inspector spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at

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breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspector met with groups of staff and pupils and considered the opinions expressed through the staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector met some parents at the start of the day and had regard to the views expressed through the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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