St John's Catholic Primary School, Poulton-le-Fylde

Inspection of St John’s Catholic Primary School, Poulton-le-Fylde Breck Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire FY6 7HT

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 17 and 18 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this nurturing school. They form trusting bonds with staff and each other. Pupils are kind and caring. They try their best to follow the school rules.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are exceptionally well behaved. This is because they know what is expected of them. They relish the praise and ‘star points’ that they receive for working hard and being polite.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the best for pupils’ achievements. However, in some subjects, this aim is not realised. Weaknesses in how well the curriculum is designed and delivered in these subjects mean that some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not develop a deep body of knowledge over time. They do not achieve as well as they could.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and clubs beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about computer coding, music lessons and theatre performances. These experiences enable pupils to develop exciting new interests and find undiscovered talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in their various roles and responsibilities. These include acting as school councillors and ‘eco-police’. These experiences contribute to pupils’ increasing understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in modern Britain.

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

The school prioritises reading. It invests in high-quality and engaging books that pupils love to read. Pupils look forward to the special time each day when adults read to them. Pupils throughout the school read books that match their reading knowledge. This helps them to be confident and fluent readers. Staff have the expertise that they need to identify if a pupil falls behind in the phonics programme. If this happens, most pupils receive the help that they need to catch up quickly.

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

In some subjects and areas of learning in the early years, the school has ordered learning thoughtfully. In these subjects, when staff introduce new content, they ensure that it builds on pupils’ previous learning. Staff check on what pupils know and can remember. They use this information to shape future learning.

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

This is not the case in several other subjects and areas of learning. The school has not clearly defined the knowledge that pupils should learn. Subject leadership in these curriculums is underdeveloped. The school does not provide teachers with the guidance and support that they need to design appropriate learning activities that enable pupils to know and remember more. In addition, teachers do not identify and address misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively. As a result, pupils struggle to build successfully on their prior knowledge. This means that some pupils and children in the early years do not achieve as well as they should. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Typically, the school accurately identifies pupils with SEND. However, the curriculum is not adapted consistently well to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. This means that, sometimes, these pupils do not learn as well as they should and gaps in their knowledge develop over time.

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From the beginning of the early years to Year 6, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere that enables children and pupils to focus completely on their lessons. Pupils have remarkably positive attitudes to school and their learning. Children in the Reception class develop strong learning behaviours. Older pupils build securely on this positive start.

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The school places great importance on pupils’ regular attendance. Pupils know that they need to be in school in order to learn. This has ensured high rates of attendance for the large majority of pupils. For those pupils who do not attend school regularly, the school offers effective support to families to reduce absence levels.

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The school has thought carefully about pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn about the differences between people, for example different types of family structures. They learn about different religions and regularly visit their local parish. They understand the importance of treating everyone with respect. Pupils spoke proudly to inspectors about showcasing their talents through musical performances, sporting events and talent shows. Through these activities, pupils build their confidence and independence.

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Governors are committed to the school. They have recently developed new processes to evaluate the school’s work. However, some of these improvements to governance are at an early stage and the impact is unclear. For instance, they do not currently provide the level of challenge needed to ensure that pupils consistently receive a high-quality education. The school is considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. For example, it considers how best to implement new initiatives without overburdening staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In several subjects, including areas of learning in the early years, the school has not clearly identified the important information that children and pupils should learn and when it should be taught. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure clarity regarding the essential knowledge pupils should acquire and the order in which it is taught, enabling them to deepen their understanding over time.  For some pupils with SEND, the curriculum is not adapted consistently well. As a result, these pupils do not develop their knowledge and skills as well as they could. The school should ensure that it has the necessary expertise to support pupils with SEND 17 and 18 December 2024

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effectively. This will enable them to learn successfully and build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills over time.  The school’s strategies for checking pupils’ learning do not identify and address gaps or misconceptions in their knowledge effectively. As a result, some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should take steps to address these gaps promptly, ensuring that pupils embed their knowledge securely over time.  The school has not fully developed the leadership of some subjects. As a result, teachers do not receive the necessary support and guidance that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. The school should strengthen subject leadership to enhance curriculum delivery so that pupils achieve well.

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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). 17 and 18 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stjohnscatholicprimarypoulton.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 July 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher took up post in September 2024.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the previous inspection.  This Roman Catholic school is within the Diocese of Lancaster. The most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in November 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due from September 2025.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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. 17 and 18 December 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 met with the headteacher and other leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics 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 samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.

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 Inspectors discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. They spoke with leaders and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and at lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also spoke with some parents during the inspection.

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 Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Victoria Burnside, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Brown Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 December 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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