St Teresa Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Teresa Catholic Primary School Brook Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 5HL

p.1

Outcome

St Teresa Catholic Primary 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 love to be at this school and enjoy being part of this supportive community. They are proud of each other and their teachers, who are always on hand to provide guidance and support. Pupils attend well and they work hard. Additionally, they are aspirational for their future lives, setting goals that inspire them to work harder.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations and pupils behave well. Staff are clear when explaining the school rules. They enforce them fairly and pupils find this reassuring and helpful. Pupils know that if any bullying does occur, staff will put a stop to it straightaway. This means that pupils are happy and feel safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well and make appropriate progress through the curriculum, especially in reading and mathematics. They can articulate their learning confidently and connect different ideas well. This enhances their understanding of the curriculum.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils care about important world events and global issues, such as pollution affecting the oceans. Additionally, they try to affect change by, for example, raising money for various charities. Pupils are compassionate towards their peers. They show this by supporting each other. Those pupils who are in leadership roles fulfil their responsibilities confidently and with pride.

p.1

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

The school has designed ambitious curriculums for all subjects from the early years to Year 6. These set out precisely what teachers need to teach and when. Staff generally have strong subject knowledge. This means that they anticipate and address any common misconceptions and provide accurate information. Additionally, they explain new concepts 1 and 2 April 2025

p.1

2

clearly, which helps pupils to develop their understanding. Children in the early years learn well in a safe and engaging environment. This stimulates their curiosity, encourages exploration and fosters a love for learning. Staff also successfully develop children’s language and communication skills to prepare them well for Year 1 and beyond.

p.2

2

In many subjects, staff use their checks on pupils’ learning to adapt tasks to develop pupils’ knowledge based on what they already know. This helps pupils learn well and connect new information to their prior understanding. However, in a few subjects, this is not as secure. Where this is the case, teachers sometimes provide activities that do not build effectively on what pupils can remember and do. Some pupils find the work too hard. Pupils do not progress as securely through the curriculum in these subjects.

p.2

2

Pupils learn to read well. The school introduces children in Reception Year to phonics right from the start. Children learn to enjoy reading and share books. They love to sing songs and rhymes staff share. This enhances children’s visible enjoyment of reading. Expert staff make sure that pupils learn phonics well. Any pupils who need to catch up receive targeted, effective support to help them keep up with their peers. Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge. This gives them the chance to further consolidate their reading skills and knowledge. As a result, pupils are fluent and confident readers.

p.2

2

Pupils learn about the concepts of fairness and rules, as well as racism and other forms of discrimination, through age-appropriate discussions and assemblies. They learn about other cultures and the importance of tolerance and respect. Staff use literature and history to explore topics such as migration and segregation. Pupils who are peer mediators take pride in their role. They explain how they can help their peers. This programme has enabled pupils to manage their feelings and to be more empathetic.

p.2

2

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Staff provide support tailored to pupils’ specific needs. For example, ‘user-friendly guidance’ helps pupils with SEND understand their learning tasks. Additionally, some pupils receive more targeted support, such as guidance and help with managing their emotions and feelings. This helps all pupils to achieve success.

p.2

2

Pupils follow the school’s rules because the staff guide and encourage them. At playtime, pupils play happily and show consideration for each other. Generally, transition times are calm and well ordered, which means that pupils are ready to learn. This supports pupils’ emotional well-being. Additionally, the youngest children behave well. They listen attentively and treat each other kindly.

p.2

2

Governors work with school leaders at all levels to develop strategic actions for the school. These improve the quality of education and are evident in the school’s targeted work to improve pupils’ behaviour and improve further the support for pupils with SEND. The school also ensures that staff professional development impacts positively on pupils’ experience and the quality of education provided. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school does not coherently check pupils’ understanding and then adapt teaching accordingly. Where this happens, the work teachers set is too hard and does not connect with what pupils already know. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff use their checks on pupils’ learning to provide activities that help pupils to build effectively on prior learning so that they develop a secure understanding in these subjects.

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 good 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 good for overall effectiveness in January 2020.

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. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 1 and 2 April 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Florence Zakari-Ayankoya

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school uses one registered alternative provision.  This is Catholic school in the Diocese of Westminster. The school’s most recent inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, took place in February 2023. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due within eight years of this date.  The leadership of the school has changed since the last inspection.

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. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and staff. They also met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors and a representative from the local authority.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil survey.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

p.6

Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 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 looked-after children, 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