St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School School Lane, Rainhill, Prescot, Merseyside L35 6NN

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Outcome

St Bartholomew'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 thrive in this close-knit school community. They arrive at school each day with a desire to learn new knowledge and to see their friends. Pupils enjoy their learning. Their positive attitudes towards their school show how happy and proud they are to be a part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the very best for its pupils. Pupils have aspirational targets for their achievement. Both they and staff rise to meet these. Across several subjects, pupils achieve very well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is a clear strength of the school. They are unfailingly polite and well mannered. They treat each other, staff and visitors with the utmost respect. Relationships between staff in school and pupils are very strong. The few pupils who need support with their behaviour receive very effective targeted help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils adore and value the many leadership opportunities which they carry out. For example, the pupil governors understand the importance of letting the school governors know the views and wishes of their fellow classmates. Pupils understand the need to help others who are less fortunate than themselves through their successful charity work.

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

Governors and the school take decisive action to ensure that pupils receive an effective education. Governors support and challenge the school in equal measure to ensure that 11 and 12 March 2025

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pupils achieve well. They carry out their duties diligently. The school engages well with its local community, including parents and carers. Parents are extremely positive about all that the school offers.

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The school has set out a strong and ambitious curriculum for pupils. It ensures that pupils receive a broad education. The knowledge that pupils need to learn is set out in a clear sequence of learning that begins in the early years. The school ensures that pupils have opportunities to build their knowledge over time. The curriculum is delivered well. Different strategies are used to ensure that pupils have the best opportunity to learn the curriculum content.

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In most subjects, the school’s approaches for checking pupils’ learning are typically used effectively. In these subjects, the school has a clear picture of how well pupils are learning and remembering curriculum content. However, in a very small number of instances, these checks are not as effective as they could be. This sometimes makes it difficult for the school to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND swiftly. It uses a range of methods effectively to identify pupils’ individual needs. This helps the school to put in appropriate support which allows pupils to access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

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The school prioritises reading throughout its curriculum. Books are promoted and celebrated. Pupils have access to books which celebrate a diverse range of cultures, faiths and traditions. Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for reading. They eagerly discuss their favourite books and authors. Pupils benefit from regular phonics sessions which are delivered effectively and consistently by well-trained staff. Consequently, pupils develop these early reading skills very well. This helps pupils to access more complex literature further up the school. Pupils develop into confident and fluent readers.

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The school promotes personal development very well. Pupils learn about diversity, tolerance and inclusivity. They have an admirable understanding of the differences between people in modern-day Britain. Pupils have many opportunities outside of the classroom which help them to develop life skills. For example, pupils’ residential trips help them to develop their confidence in trying out new and exciting activities. Extra-curricular clubs broaden pupils’ talents and interests effectively.

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The school fosters a calm and orderly environment. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is commendable. They display highly positive attitudes to learning. This begins in the early years. Children learn about rules and routines. They learn to take turns and share equipment. They concentrate well on the different activities. Throughout the school, pupils continue to demonstrate these attitudes. They cooperate well with each other in lessons. Outside on the playground, pupils have a range of equipment to play with, which they use sensibly.

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Staff are very proud to work at the school. They value the ongoing professional development which the school provides for them. These opportunities help staff to 11 and 12 March 2025

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continually develop their practice. The school focuses carefully on staff workload and takes this seriously.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 From time to time, there are some inconsistencies in how well the school’s assessment approaches are implemented. Where this is the case, it is difficult for the school to check if some pupils have learned and remembered the intended curriculum content. This sometimes makes it harder to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that its assessment approaches are implemented consistently well, to check how well pupils learn and remember the important curriculum content over time.

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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.

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Background

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

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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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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 May 2019, under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  This Catholic school is part of the Diocese of Liverpool. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2024. The next section 48 inspection is due in 2029.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector visited lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. He met with school leaders to discuss pupils’ rates of attendance.  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the Diocese of Liverpool.  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 observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and as pupils moved around the school building. He scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at the school. The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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 There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 11 and 12 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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