St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School Clifton Road, Kenton, Harrow HA3 9NS

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is David O’Farrell. This school is part of the All Saints’ 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), Andy Prindiville, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alloysius Fredrick.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a kind and nurturing school. Pupils grow into caring, considerate and inquisitive individuals. There are strong, positive relationships between the school and the wider community. Families welcome the wide range of resources and workshops the school provides to support learning at home. They say they feel very fortunate to have their child at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exceptional. In lessons and around the school, pupils take responsibility for their conduct and help each other to meet the school’s high expectations. Pupils are highly motivated and make excellent progress. This is because the school is ambitious that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), become confident, independent learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff work together to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment. Pupils are safe here. Sports leaders help organise games for younger children, and ‘wellness ambassadors’ make sure that pupils feel happy and included in the playground. Pupils learn about the science of fitness and how to care for their bodies. They take part in the daily mile and look forward to the many sports clubs and dance lessons, including street dance and Irish dancing. Through a wide range of trips, including to other countries, pupils build their understanding of themselves as global citizens.

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

The school has woven a bespoke curriculum that links learning from the early years through to Year 6, within and across subjects. Each part of the learning journey is clear. Pupils’ spirits are ignited and fuelled through interesting key questions. They hook their learning onto the carefully crafted connections that staff have put in place. Pupils are expected to think deeply about their learning, and they do. For example, when they are learning about finance, Year 6 pupils consider the value of money and its link to happiness. Over time, pupils learn to make links with the school’s values and moral teaching for themselves. They achieve exceptionally well and are well equipped for what comes next.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They are highly skilled in designing activities that engage pupils in their learning. For example, they have created a small ‘museum’ so that pupils can visualise objects from the past. In lessons, there are frequent opportunities for pupils to rehearse and extend their learning through discussion. Pupils approach this with enthusiasm. Sometimes, however, activities chosen for children in the early years are not as tightly aligned to the school’s curriculum as they could be, and children do not secure the knowledge that leaders intend they should.

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

The school ensures that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified as soon as possible. Staff use this information to adapt the learning carefully so that pupils with SEND access a full and rich curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve very well. 26 and 27 November 2024

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The curriculum is based around carefully selected texts. Through reading, pupils explore a wide range of ideas and experiences. Whole-school reading books are used to spark discussion and support pupils to understand complex issues in an age-appropriate way. For example, pupils can talk confidently about their emotions, how to manage conflict and caring for the environment. This supports pupils’ love of reading and contributes to the school’s exceptional provision for pupils’ wider development.

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In the early years, children are exposed to a range of language-rich experiences. Those who are new to English are very well supported. For example, adults provide additional support in lessons to help them to build their confidence and develop their vocabulary. Phonics teaching begins promptly at the start of Reception. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme with precision. Pupils quickly learn to blend sounds to form words. When pupils struggle with their reading, staff provide highly effective support, which helps them to catch up quickly. Pupils of all ages enjoy opportunities to hear from visiting authors and there is a well-attended book club. Pupils look forward to rewards from the book dispenser.

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Pupils enjoy being part of the school’s diverse and welcoming community. They take their responsibilities within the school very seriously. Parents and carers rightly appreciate the caring and inclusive feel within the school. The greetings on the gate each morning and regular contact with families aid this sense of belonging and secure high attendance.

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Staff are proud to work here and receive high-quality support and training, including from the trust. Leaders consider staff’s well-being and workload in the decisions that they make. Governors know the school well and make time regularly to listen to staff. This means they are aware of any concerns and take prompt action where needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, there is a lack of clarity about the intended learning outcomes of activities in the early years. This means that staff are sometimes not clear about the best way to support children’s learning and development. The school should ensure that the purpose of activities is clear so that staff can provide targeted support and maximise opportunities to move children’s learning forward. 26 and 27 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school became an academy in September 2016.  The school is part of a multi-academy trust, the All Saints’ Trust.  This is a Roman Catholic school. The last section 48 inspection took place in January 2020. The next section 48 inspection will take place within eight school years of its last inspection.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club on school premises.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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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 the evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of staff. They also met with members of the local governing body and the trust and spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and art and design. 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 discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.

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 Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ wider development, behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during lunchtime.  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.  The inspectors gathered the views of parents and carers, pupils and staff through both discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carly Rissen Ofsted 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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