St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Primary School Higher Road, Halewood, Liverpool, Merseyside L26 1TD

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children and pupils are happy at this school and thrive. They achieve well in different curriculum subjects because of the school’s high expectations. Pupils love to gain new knowledge. Pupils learn from staff about the wonders of learning valuable information.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave kindly and sensibly. They feel safe at the school and make lots of friends. They trust staff to help them when they need support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit much from the school’s extensive range of extra activities. Pupils have the same chances as one another to take part in all that the school offers. Pupils relish playing basketball and football, rock climbing, swimming and much more. Many pupils represent the school in sports competitions. Most pupils participate in a wide variety of clubs, such as art, choir, computing and food technology. They develop many new skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are genuinely interested in other people and their lives. Pupils speak with visitors politely and ask thoughtful questions of them. Pupils understand the importance of values such as respect, tolerance and friendship. They also care deeply about the future of the planet.

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

The school ensures that pupils prosper. For instance, it acts to identify and remove any barriers to learning and well-being that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) may face. Staff adapt their support for pupils effectively. Pupils enjoy their studies and fare well in their academic and social achievements.

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

The school prepares pupils exceptionally to be responsible global citizens. It designs activities carefully to enhance pupils’ knowledge of world issues, such as poverty and equality. Pupils benefit greatly from multiple well-thought-out opportunities, for example to be one of the school’s ‘green knights’, buddies or members of the school council. The school develops pupils’ personal skills to the full, for instance about healthy eating and staying safe when online.

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

The school teaches pupils effectively to listen, be patient and how to solve problems in their relationships with others. Pupils behave well. Leaders and staff do all they can to make certain that pupils feel at ease at school and attend often.

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

The curriculum is effective. The school has identified carefully the essential knowledge that it wants pupils to know and when they should do so. Staff understand the subjects that they teach. They check carefully what information pupils understand. Staff revise teaching where needed. Much of the time, pupils develop a secure body of knowledge. Nevertheless, sometimes, the school does not ensure that staff think carefully enough about which activities will best support pupils’ learning of the curriculum. This means that, on occasion, some pupils learn parts of the curriculum less well. 18 and 19 March 2025

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In 2024, the proportion of pupils who met the expected standard in the multiplication check in Year 4 was below average. In response to this issue, the school has improved its teaching of mathematics. For example, staff now give pupils better opportunities to use and explain their knowledge of key multiplication facts. Current pupils learn essential information in mathematics securely.

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The school has made a love for words and talk a central and effective part of its curriculum. For instance, children in the Reception class brimmed with excitement as they wanted to read, talk and write. They were inspired by a story of a mythical giant, who had trespassed in the class and left behind one of his huge boots. In Year 6, pupils learn the meaning of ambitious words, such as ‘colossal’ and ‘plethora’. Pupils share their thoughts and ideas in talk and writing with skill and confidence.

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Teachers and teaching assistants teach phonics expertly. They help all pupils, including those who struggle with reading, to read well. The school develops pupils’ joy of carefully chosen, high-quality fiction and non-fiction books. Beginning in the early years, children learn exciting tales, for example about naughty goats and a fast-running gingerbread man. By the end of key stage 2, pupils can talk about the works of traditional authors such as Shakespeare clearly and confidently. They also know the work of more modern writers well. Pupils are enthusiastic, confident and capable readers.

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Children in the early years gain a first-rate start to their education. This is because of the school’s expert leadership, curriculum and teaching in early years. Children excel in gaining foundational knowledge. They become highly skilled, confident learners.

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Leaders and governors think about the school’s priorities and long-term development carefully. The school uses the advice of education experts thoughtfully to improve its work. Staff feel well supported and are happy in their jobs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not make sure that some activities used by teachers are well suited to teaching the school’s curriculum. This means that, at times, the school does not help pupils to learn some curriculum content as well as it could. The school should ensure that staff enable pupils to build their knowledge securely. 18 and 19 March 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Roman Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in October 2023.  The school does not use alternative provision.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are based in adjacent classrooms. At times, the classes work together as one unit. The classes share an early years outdoor area.

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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 (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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors made visits to lessons. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to staff.  Inspectors also considered information about some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with the school about behaviour and attendance, early years, special educational needs and its provision for pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including pupils with SEND. Inspectors also spoke

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with pupils as they moved around the school. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey to consider.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  Inspectors spoke with teachers and teaching assistants about their work at the school. Inspectors reviewed the responses from staff to Ofsted’s survey.  The lead inspector met with the governing body.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and with the archdiocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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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Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cath Cooke Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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