St Clement's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Clement’s Catholic Primary School Oxford Road, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 4NX

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Outcome

St Clement’s Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in school. They know that there are trusted adults who they can speak to about any worries that they may have. Staff take time to get to know pupils and their families well. From the start of the early years, pupils thrive in this nurturing environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for pupils’ academic success and behaviour. Pupils achieve well across the different subjects. Pupils behave well. They are respectful to staff, visitors and each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending clubs after school and at lunchtimes. These cater for many different interests, such as choir, table tennis, well-being walks and computing. Older pupils are keen to take on roles of responsibility that allow them to make a positive contribution to their school. For instance, the student council helped to design a new lunch menu. Playground leaders help younger pupils by organising games or reading to them. Junior safety officers deliver important messages to all classes, such as rail, road and fire safety talks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in the wide range of exciting visits and visitors that enhance their learning. This includes the innovative use of virtual reality. For example, older pupils have explored both the Great Pyramid of Giza and the International Space Station. 4 and 5 March 2025

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

This school is passionate about encouraging pupils to become curious, creative and confident learners. This desire underpins the considerable improvements that have been made to the curriculum, which is ambitious and well designed. The important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn have been identified in each subject. The school has determined the order of learning and the clear steps that pupils need to take to build their knowledge, starting from their time in the Reception class. However, the curriculum design does not consider the learning that pupils may have missed as a result of the previously weaker subject curriculums. These gaps are not spotted or addressed quickly enough. This means that older pupils in particular do not have all the foundations on which to build new knowledge.

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

The school identifies pupils’ additional needs effectively. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) study the same broad range of subjects as their classmates. Teachers make useful adaptations so that all pupils are included and achieve well.

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

The school prioritises reading. In the early years, staff enthusiastically share stories and rhymes to develop children’s language skills and foster a love of reading. Every classroom has an inviting book corner filled with high-quality texts. Older pupils visit the local library service’s ‘book bus’ each term and select books for all the classrooms. Teachers in the Reception class and in key stage 1 build pupils’ phonics knowledge skilfully. They are swift to spot any pupils who may be falling behind the expectations of the phonics programme. Staff help these pupils to catch up quickly. Pupils readily use their phonics knowledge in other subjects. This helps them to read and spell unfamiliar words with success.

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

Most pupils understand and meet the school’s expectations for their behaviour. Pupils are polite, listen attentively and move around the school calmly and sensibly. This begins in the Reception class, where staff support children to follow routines. This helps them to learn and play together cooperatively, sharing and taking turns well. There is a positive and friendly atmosphere throughout the school. However, the school has not determined an agreed approach for staff to deal with the occasional silliness that can disturb learning.

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

The provision for pupils’ personal development is effective. There is a well-designed offer that responds to the needs of pupils as they arise. Carefully selected books help pupils to explore different faiths and cultures. They learn about diversity among people and families. Pupils are well prepared for their future lives.

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

Pupils develop resilience through a range of outdoor activities that encourage risk taking and trusting a partner. They told the inspector that competitive sports tournaments teach them how to lose graciously and to consider how they can improve. Pupils gain confidence from the many opportunities that they have for public performances, including dance, poetry, drama and music. Pupils in Year 5 were excited about auditioning for parts in Macbeth. 4 and 5 March 2025

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The knowledgeable governors are committed to the school and its community. They provide effective support and challenge. The school accurately identifies the most important issues that need to be addressed to further improve its work. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the useful training and support that they receive. They appreciate the school’s consideration of their well-being and efforts to ensure that their workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils have gaps in their learning as a result of the previous curriculum. On occasion, this prevents some pupils from having sufficiently secure foundations on which to build new learning. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are spotted and addressed so that they can embed learning successfully into their long- term memory.  The occasional silliness of a few pupils sometimes spoils the learning of others. This is not dealt with consistently well. The school should ensure that the systems and routines that promote positive behaviour are agreed, understood and applied fairly and consistently by all staff.

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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 good for its overall effectiveness.

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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. 4 and 5 March 2025

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2016.

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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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Buckley

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up post in September 2023. Since the previous inspection, there has been a new headteacher and a new chair of governors.  The school runs an on-site breakfast club.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.  This school is a Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The last section 48 inspection of schools with a religious character took place in October 2019. The next section 48 inspection is expected during the 2025/26 academic year.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspector discussed the continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 March 2025

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 The inspector held meetings with the headteacher. She also spoke with other leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She spoke to some pupils about their learning and other aspects of school life.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development. She observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and

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throughout the school day.  The inspector looked at a range of policies and documents relating to pupils’ welfare and education, including SEND.  The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. She took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspector spoke with some parents and carers during the inspection. She also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Sharon Cowey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 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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