Our Lady and St Hubert's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School Moat Road, Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8ED

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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The quality of education Good 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 principal of this school is Olga O’Beirne. This school is part of Emmaus Catholic Multi- Academy Company, a 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), Suzanne Horan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joanna Griffin.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School is at the centre of the community. It is an inclusive and welcoming place. Pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy discussing their learning. They are proud to be part of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations. There is an ambition to provide the best education possible for pupils. Pupils’ attendance is tracked rigorously. As a result, pupils attend well. Children get off to a positive start in the early years. Routines are established straight away. This helps children to settle quickly when they start school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite and well-mannered. They show high levels of respect for one another. There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school. Pupils feel safe. They treat one another with respect. Pupils trust adults to respond quickly to any concerns they raise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities across the school. They say that these roles make them feel proud and help them to set a positive example to others. For example, friendship first aiders in the playground support pupils who do not have anyone to play with. As a result, playtimes and lunchtimes are enjoyable for all.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. It meets the needs of all pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This starts in the early years. Subject content is broken down into steps of learning. Pupils enjoy sharing what they have learned. They can recall their recent learning in some detail. For example, pupils recall historical information about the Egyptian and Mayan civilisations. In some foundation subjects, the school does not always check what pupils know and remember from previous key learning. This makes it harder for pupils to build their knowledge based on what they already know. As a result, some pupils find it more difficult to deepen their knowledge over time. Where this is currently done well, there are regular opportunities for pupils to recap on previous learning. For example, in history, pupils retain knowledge and build on it, making connections between their current and

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

The implementation of the curriculum is consistent across the school. For example, English lessons follow the same structured approach. This routine enables pupils to learn new skills, practise and then apply these in their independent writing. Teachers follow consistent teaching routines across the school. These routines help most pupils to access new learning and then apply this to different contexts. However, learning is not always adapted sufficiently for some pupils with SEND in relation to what they know and can do. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not build upon their knowledge as well as they could.

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

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. This starts in the early years, where children learn phonics as soon as they start school. They quickly gain the knowledge that they 28 and 29 January 2025

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need to be able to blend sounds together to read simple words. The reading curriculum is well organised and sets out what pupils should know and by when. All staff have the expertise to ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. The school regularly checks pupils’ phonics knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge accurately. The school has developed a system for developing pupils’ reading fluency. This is consistently implemented. As a result, pupils develop their reading skills well as they move through the school.

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Pupils learn a well-planned personal development programme. This is designed to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils describe the school as a place where ‘everyone is equal and welcome’. There is a strong pastoral offer to support pupils’ individual needs. Pupils enjoy the many extra-curricular clubs, trips and enrichment opportunities on offer. The curriculum emphasises the importance of fundamental British values. This is effective and pupils have a detailed grasp of elements such as democracy.

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Many parents are very positive about the education that the school is providing for their children. However, a small number of parents expressed a less favourable view of the school. The trust is working with the school to continue to build stronger relationships with parents.

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Governors are passionate about the school. They offer a good balance of support and challenge. The school is mindful of staff workload and well-being. As a result, most staff feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Checks on pupils’ learning are still being developed in some foundation subjects. They are not used effectively to check that pupils have remembered the knowledge they have been taught. As a result, pupils do not deepen their knowledge as well as they could. The trust should ensure that checks on pupils’ learning are used effectively across all subjects and that this information informs future learning.  Learning is not always precisely matched to the needs of some pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils do not always build their knowledge as well as they could. The trust should ensure that pupils with SEND receive precise support to progress as effectively as possible through the curriculum. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School became a member of the Emmaus Catholic Multi Academy Company in 2021. The trust is responsible for thirteen other schools.  The school is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2019. This means that the school is due another inspection by June 2027.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school operates its own nursery provision for three-year-olds.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club 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 28 and 29 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.

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 The inspectors met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.

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 The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer from the trust and the chair of the board of trustees.

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 The lead inspector met with representatives from the local governing body.

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 The lead inspector held conversations with a representative from the archdiocese and with an external consultant who works closely with the school.

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 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.

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in a range of other subjects.

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 The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to some parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. 28 and 29 January 2025

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steph Withington Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 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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