Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary

Inspection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary Tout Hill, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9DH

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good 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 headteachers of this school are Dunata Girton and Sheila Loftus. This school is part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational 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), Helen Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Catherine Christie. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their efforts to make their school and its community a better place. Pupils learn to be active citizens who make a positive contribution. For example, they care for the school grounds and collect food for the local food bank as eco-councillors and ‘chaplaincy team’ representatives. Pupils display the school’s values through their actions. They are kind, thoughtful and respectful towards each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school, through its revised curriculum, has raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are appropriately supported to achieve well in most subjects. Nevertheless, pupils do not learn as effectively in some subjects. The school rightly recognises there is more to do to ensure pupils attain the best outcomes across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s personal development provision for pupils is well thought out. Pupils benefit from pastoral support such as the ‘military Monday club’. Pupils feel safe and well supported. They trust staff to help them when needed. Pupils learn to understand and appreciate difference. Bullying is rare as pupils know how to be a good friend. Pupils are well behaved and enjoy active playtimes together. Pupils recommend the school as a place where you will have lots of friends.

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

The trust is committed to investing in pupils’ education. For example, staff benefit from high-quality training. Trust and school leaders have accurately identified the priority areas for school development. They have made changes to key aspects of the school’s work. For example, the school has refined the curriculum in English and mathematics. This has made a positive difference to pupils’ achievement in these subjects.

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

Much of the school’s curriculum is well sequenced and taught effectively. However, this work is not complete for all subjects in Years 1 to 6. In some subjects, there is too much variation in how well the curriculum is sequenced and implemented. This is particularly the case in mixed-age classes. As a result, teaching sometimes misses important content needed for future learning. In subjects where the curriculum is not delivered well, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning are less effective. When this occurs, support for pupils with SEND is not as well considered as it should be. In these subjects, the curriculum is not adjusted well enough to meet pupils’ needs. This affects how well pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. Pupils cannot make connections between important concepts in these subjects.

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

The school makes learning to read well a priority. Staff have secure phonics knowledge. They use this to check pupils’ learning and rectify errors effectively. Pupils who need additional help to secure their phonics knowledge are quickly identified. Appropriate support ensures pupils catch up with their peers.

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

A love of reading is promoted, such as through sharing high-quality texts. Older pupils know how reading helps them to improve their subject knowledge and choice of words 14 and 15 January 2025

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when writing and speaking. The school ensures that pupils build their reading fluency and comprehension effectively.

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The Reception Year curriculum is carefully sequenced to build children’s knowledge and skills. Staff use the indoor and outdoor learning environment to skilfully support children to practise the curriculum’s important skills and knowledge. For example, hopscotch and threading laces contribute to children’s physical development. Children complete learning activities independently as resources are readily available and routines are established. The school checks children’s learning effectively. Staff use this information well to provide additional support to children whenever it is needed. This addresses any gaps in children’s learning effectively. By the end of Reception, children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.

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Pupils have a strong recall of the school’s values and how these relate to fundamental British values. Pupils explore people’s that are lives different from their own and learn to appreciate these differences. They talk with confidence and knowledge about the many religions practised in Britain. Pupils are taught about the importance of respect and safe relationships. They know how to be physically and mentally healthy.

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Pupils benefit from nurturing relationships with all staff. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Some pupils have additional support, helping them recognise and respond to their feelings appropriately. As a result, pupils regulate their emotions and play well with and alongside their peers. Pupils enjoy school, and most attend school regularly. The school works alongside families to ensure pupils attend school as often as possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not sequenced the important content it wants pupils to know and remember in some subjects. This is particularly the case in mixed-age classes. This affects how well the curriculum in these subjects is implemented. It sometimes leads to important content being missed. The trust should support the school in identifying and carefully sequencing the essential knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember in these subjects so that pupils learn as well as they should.  In some subjects, teaching is not routinely adapted well to meet pupils’ needs. The activities completed and the resources given do not help pupils secure new knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teaching enables pupils to progress well through the curriculum.  In some foundation subjects, the school’s checks on pupils’ learning do not identify well enough gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This makes it harder for pupils to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

build on prior knowledge when learning new subject content. The trust should ensure 14 and 15 January 2025

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the school accurately identifies what pupils know and can do, what knowledge gaps need addressing and what they need to learn next.

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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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Headteacher Danuta Girton and Sheila Loftus (Co- Headteachers) Website www.ourladyofmtcarmelschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust in March 2022.  It is part of the Diocese of Clifton.  Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy in February 2022. When its predecessor school, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School, Wincanton, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness  The co-headteacher role was created in September 2024.  Year groups are organised into five classes. Four of these classes are mixed age.  The school uses one unregistered 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 14 and 15 January 2025

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(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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteachers, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and other staff.  An inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector met with the CEO of the trust, the trust’s school improvement officer and the chair of trustees.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the Diocese of Clifton.  An inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to

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some pupils about their learning, looked at samples of pupils’ work as well as documentation related to the school’s special educational needs provision.  An inspector looked at samples of pupils’ work in English, geography, science and French.  The inspectors observed pupils during social times and spoke with pupils and leaders about opportunities for pupils’ personal development.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katharine Anstey Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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