Catherine Infant School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Catherine Infant School Ulverscroft Road, Catherine Infant School, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 6BY

p.1

Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

p.1

Outcome

Catherine Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy in the nurturing atmosphere at Catherine Infant School. The school’s values of kindness, respect, resilience and a love of learning sit at the heart of all that it does. From the start of children’s time in early years, the school helps them to develop independence and confidence. Each adult is an excellent role model for the pupils that they support.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school and learning comes alive. The school’s curriculum helps pupils to secure a deep knowledge of each subject that they study. The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievements. Pupils live up to these expectations and are confident, articulate learners. Because of this, all pupils enjoy coming to school and achieve highly by the time they leave Year 2.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a strong sense of character. They are thoughtful and reflective. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of different faiths and cultures. They take on leadership roles such as eco-warriors, who work to protect the environment and make positive changes. Pupils who act as school parliamentarians are proud to represent the views of their peers and work to improve the school.

p.1

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

The school has implemented a rigorous and ambitious curriculum that details the specific knowledge pupils will learn. Staff have excellent subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum expertly. They model new learning consistently well across all classes. 25 and 26 February 2025

p.1

2

Consequently, pupils make strong progress through the school’s reading, writing and mathematics curriculums. Pupils who struggle to keep up with the pace of any curriculum, including phonics, are quickly identified and expertly supported to help them catch up. They become confident and able readers, writers and mathematicians.

p.2

2

Staff focus their teaching on the important knowledge across the full curriculum that pupils need. Pupils regularly revisit key knowledge they have learned to help them recall and deepen their understanding before moving on. The school checks pupils’ understanding and addresses any misconceptions or gaps so that they do not continue.

p.2

2

The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. Pupils take joy and pleasure in reading. Children in the early years and pupils at the early stages of learning to read benefit from highly effective phonics lessons. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with English as an additional language benefit from focused support for their reading.

p.2

2

Pupils with SEND are well supported to access the full curriculum. Leaders work with teachers to quickly identify any additional needs pupils may have. Where required, any adjustments to the delivery of the curriculum are made. Leaders provide training for staff to ensure that they can help pupils to access the curriculum, including those pupils in the special educational needs (SEN) provision.

p.2

2

Children make an excellent start in early years. They settle seamlessly into the school’s highly effective routines for learning. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills and vocabulary. Staff create a rich and stimulating environment. Children engage very well with the learning activities and resources. These are carefully designed to ensure that they match children’s next steps in learning.

p.2

2

Pupils’ behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. This is because the school’s expectations for their conduct are very clear and consistently applied. Lunchtimes are calm and pupils enjoy socialising. The playground is a lively and friendly place. Adults interact positively with pupils. As a result, pupils enjoy and want to come to school.

p.2

2

The school has very high expectations for strong attendance. It has effective systems in place to support families so that their children attend school regularly and punctually. If attendance dips, the school acts swiftly. Consequently, attendance is improving, particularly for those who are absent too often.

p.2

2

The provision for pupils’ wider personal development is exceptional. Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep healthy and safe. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and fairness, and they understand the concepts of democracy and respect. Visits to the local church, a mandir, botanical gardens, galleries and museums help pupils develop a strong awareness of cultures and faiths, as well as developing their curriculum knowledge. The school ensures that pupils have opportunities to discuss and debate different viewpoints. All pupils have access to a wide range of clubs and are keen to be part of these. Consequently, their character development is very strong. 25 and 26 February 2025

p.2

3

Governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They provide helpful strategic oversight. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported and say that their hard work is valued.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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 outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in November 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 25 and 26 February 2025

p.3

4

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). 25 and 26 February 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Christine Turner and Nirmal Basson (Co-chairs) Headteacher Mitesh Madhaw

p.5

School details

Website www.catherine-inf.leicester.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has undergone a significant change in leadership since the last inspection, with a new headteacher and deputy headteacher and a different chair of governors.  The school has a SEN unit. The type of SEN provision is an autistic spectrum disorder SEN unit. The number on roll is eight pupils.  The school has been relocated in a new building since the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 February 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at other aspects of the school’s curriculum.  The inspector held separate meetings with representatives of the school’s governing body and with the local authority’s school improvement adviser.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, subject leaders and leaders responsible for safeguarding.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. She considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. She considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

p.6

6

central record; sampled recruitment files; 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.

p.6

Inspection team

Liz Moore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7