St Peter's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Peter’s Catholic Primary School Sandy Lane, St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN4 5EP

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Catherine Young. This school is part of St Francis Catholic Multi Academy 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), Siobhan Kent, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin McDonagh.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This inclusive school fosters a strong sense of community. Pupils come from diverse backgrounds, representing a range of nationalities and speaking over 21 languages. Staff provide excellent support for those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Every pupil, regardless of background, is welcome at St Peter’s. Pupils enjoy school. They feel safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Pupils achieve well across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They are supportive and respectful of each other. For example, in classrooms, pupils benefit from the many opportunities they have to discuss their learning with each other. In the Reception Year, children interact positively with each other and the staff around them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sport and music play a key role in school life. Many pupils learn to play musical instruments or represent the school at singing events. Pupils benefit from a range of sporting extra-curricular clubs and represent the school at festivals and competitions. These opportunities help to develop pupils’ talents and interests.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. The core skills of reading, communication and vocabulary development are embedded throughout the 11 and 12 March 2025

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curriculum. Staff highlight key vocabulary in every lesson and pupils successfully develop their communication skills, making use of this vocabulary, through regular debates. Across different subjects, staff use carefully selected books to help deliver the curriculum. These activities support pupils with English as an additional language particularly well. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They regularly check pupils’ learning and address misconceptions. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of the curriculum.

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Reading is at the heart of the school. Pupils begin learning phonics straight away in the Reception Year. Staff deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme consistently. The school quickly identifies any pupil who is struggling to read. The school provides effective support for these pupils, and they quickly catch up with their peers. Pupils develop a love of reading through daily class reading activities. Pupils are proud of their school library and visit at least once a week. They enjoy entering reading competitions. Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading at the school.

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The school accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide a range of effective support so that most pupils with SEND can access the full curriculum. Most pupils with SEND achieve well. However, a small number of pupils with SEND require more bespoke support than they are currently offered. Some staff are not clear about how best to help these pupils. This limits the progress that these pupils make.

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In the early years, children successfully learn early mathematics skills such as counting and subitising numbers. Routines are clearly embedded. Carefully planned activities help to develop children’s understanding of reading and development of gross motor skills. Children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The school uses an effective system to identify pupils who are struggling with school attendance. The school provides effective support to these pupils and their families to help them attend more regularly. As a result, attendance at the school is high and improving.

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The school caters well for pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn about British values and why these are important. This helps pupils to understand inclusion and diversity. Pupils benefit from a range of leadership roles. For example, the ‘Year 6 buddies’ act as mentors and role models for children in Reception. This helps these pupils develop their sense of moral responsibility as well as their leadership skills. Pupils attend visits to enrich their understanding of the curriculum, for example a history visit to a Viking museum and a science visit to a local wildlife park.

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Those responsible for governance have an accurate view of the school’s’ strengths and next steps. School leaders are mindful of workload. Staff feel valued. They appreciate the open-door policy from school leaders. Most staff enjoy working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 March 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff require further training in order to understand how to support pupils with different SEND needs. Some staff do not select the right activities to best support some pupils with SEND, which limits the progress that these pupils make. The school should ensure that all staff are fully trained to support all pupils with SEND effectively.

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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/outstanding 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2015.

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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. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Peter’s Catholic Primary School joined St Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust in September 2022.  This Catholic school is part of the Diocese of Hallam. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in December 2018.  The school provides a breakfast club for its pupils.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 her evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior staff. He also met with the CEO of the trust.  The inspector met with the representatives of the local governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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’ interest first.  The inspector spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at break and lunchtime.  The inspector met with groups of staff and also considered the views expressed through the staff survey.  The inspector took account of the views of parents expressed through Ofsted Parent

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Inspection team

Chris Sergeant, 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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