St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley Thornley Road, Wheatley Hill, Durham DH6 3NR

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Outcome

St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Julie Hill. This school is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Brendan Tapping, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Daniel O’Mahoney.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending this nurturing and welcoming school. They thrive in an environment where staff care deeply for them. Staff know their pupils very well. Adults foster strong, lasting and positive relationships with pupils. Pupils feel happy and safe in this warm and supportive setting. They have confidence in adults who they know will support them if they do have worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievements. Pupils meet these expectations. The curriculum prepares pupils extremely well for their next steps. Pupils take pride in everything they do. They are eager to learn and they epitomise the school’s mission statement to shine ‘like stars lighting up the sky’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. Children in Reception follow well- established routines very well. These children demonstrate a strong sense of pride in themselves and their environment. They work and learn together in a highly positive way. Older pupils thrive in the culture of belonging that spreads throughout the whole school community. They show equally high levels of pride in everything they do at school. For instance, in their roles as monitors, pupils encourage their peers to wipe their feet, wash their hands and enter classrooms sensibly. 19 November 2024

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

Pupils benefit from a broad, ambitious and well-organised curriculum. This curriculum is expertly taught in a way that ensures that all pupils receive the best possible education. The curriculum is adapted to consider the mixed-age classes and the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn in a broad range of subjects. Teachers ensure pupils regularly revisit content so that pupils’ knowledge builds well over time. Teachers’ expert questioning ensures that pupils deepen their learning. For instance, children in Reception consolidate their mathematical knowledge by using it in the context of the ‘Goldilocks’ story, carefully sharing out bowls and spoons for porridge.

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

Teachers make accurate checks whether pupils have learned the intended curriculum. Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly. Staff have the same high expectations for these pupils. Pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school and they progress through the curriculum well.

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

Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme expertly. Pupils read books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge. Teachers make regular and accurate checks on pupils’ progress in reading. If pupils have gaps in their reading knowledge or begin to slip behind, this is swiftly identified. They receive focused support to keep up. This helps to ensure that pupils become fluent and confident readers. Pupils’ work in all subjects reflects the conscientiousness they demonstrate in all aspects of school life. Where pupils have misconceptions or make errors in their work, these are quickly picked up and corrected by teachers.

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

Children in Reception get off to a fantastic start to their education. Books and stories are integral to their learning. Children listen attentively when adults share familiar stories. They join in, use expressive voices and repeat words and phrases with enthusiasm. Adults skilfully develop children’s language and vocabulary with high-quality interactions. Children play and learn together calmly and with purpose. In rare cases of disagreement arising, children seek to resolve their problems independently.

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

The school prepares pupils well for their later lives. Pupils learn about fundamental British values. They are taught that everyone should be treated with respect and tolerance. Through the curriculum for personal, social and health education, pupils learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles and relationships. They discuss the qualities of a good friend.

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

Pupils appreciate the range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. Many pupils represent the school in sporting events. The school also provides a wide range of trips and visits to enhance the curriculum and broaden pupils’ experiences. Some aspects of the personal development programme do not develop pupils’ wider understanding as well as others.

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

The school, governors and the trust share the same ambitious vision. There is a relentless commitment to ensuring that the school continues to improve. The school benefits from 19 November 2024

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collaboration with other schools across the federation, the trust and beyond. These collaborations bring welcome opportunities for staff to develop professionally. The school is considerate of staff workload. Many adults describe working at the school as being part of a family. Many parents and carers speak extremely positively of the school with several describing the school as ‘amazing’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the schools’ work to promote pupils’ personal development do not widen pupils’ understanding and attributes as well as others. The school should further refine these aspects of its work so that pupils fully benefit from the experiences on offer.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, St Godrics Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Thornley good for overall effectiveness in March 2019. 19 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 November 2024

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School details

Headteacher Julie Hill (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Godrics Catholic Primary School is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which consists of 30 schools in total. The school converted to become an academy in June 2020. When its predecessor school, St Godrics Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Thornley, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.  The school has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in January 2023. The next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years.  This is a small school, which is part of a federation with St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. The schools share a headteacher and a single governing body.  There are no pupils attending alternative provision. 19 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

 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 met with the headteacher and other leaders. They also met with members of the local governing committee, and representatives of the trust.  Inspectors 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, 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 took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lianne Dixon Ofsted Inspector 19 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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