St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School St George’s Avenue, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3JW

p.1

Outcome

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

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Lynsey Ankers. The school is part of the Blessed Edward Bamber 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), Helen O’Neill, and is overseen by a board of directors, chaired by Liz Kelly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring and compassionate school. Families receive a warm welcome at the gate every morning. Everyone is made to feel at home. Staff and pupils are rightly proud of their nurturing, learning community. Pupils are safe and happy. They know that staff will listen and help with any worries they may have.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations and accomplish personal and academic success. They are prepared for the next stage in their education.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Pupils move safely around corridors and classrooms. They play cooperatively with friends at breaktimes. There are plenty of team games and spaces for them to relax outdoors.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There are various clubs that pupils can join, such as sports, cooking and coding. Older pupils are given leadership opportunities. They deliver video presentations to classes for positions on the pupil leadership team. Additionally, many pupils are ‘pals’ and ‘buddies’ for the children in the early years. The ‘eco council’ holds the school to account for its energy use. These opportunities help pupils to develop their individual gifts and talents. 8 and 9 April 2025

p.1

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

Children get off to a strong start in the early years. Staff select resources carefully for children to practise what staff have taught them. Important social skills are established early on in the Nursery class. For example, children mimic adult language when they play by saying, ‘We’re a team.’ Children in the Reception class remember the places they have been to on trips, both near to and far from the school. They use these experiences to recognise maps of the local coastal area. Children then go on to talk confidently about the sea and land. This prepares them well for the vocabulary that they will need in key stage 1.

p.2

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

The teaching of early reading is very secure. As a result, most Year 1 pupils reach the expected standard in the phonics screening check. Any pupils who fall behind with the phonics programme receive effective help so that they catch up. Pupils in key stage 2 develop the confidence and fluency to read and understand more challenging texts.

p.2

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

The school works alongside parents and carers and specialist agencies to identify pupils’ needs promptly. It supports the emotional, social and academic needs of all pupils well. Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. The curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils can achieve well. These pupils develop their knowledge and apply what they know with increasing confidence.

p.2

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

The school, with the support of the trust, has recently redeveloped the curriculum. Pupils have benefited from these changes. They know more and remember more of the subject content that they study over time. This improvement is particularly evident in mathematics. Pupils at every key stage can confidently solve problems.

p.2

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

Due to gaps in the previous curriculum, the improvements in pupils’ writing by the end of key stage 2 have been slower. The delivery of this writing aspect of the English curriculum is variable across the school. In some classes and subjects, expectations of pupils’ writing are limited and pupils’ mistakes go unchecked. Furthermore, some workbooks reflect varying expectations of what pupils’ work should look like. At times, some pupils do not form letters correctly. This affects how easy their work is to read and makes it difficult for pupils to develop confidence and fluency as writers. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

p.2

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

Pupils’ positive behaviour is well established at the school. Staff foster supportive, caring relationships with pupils and families. Pupils know and follow the ‘St Teresa’s way’. This means that they treat others with kindness and respect. Pupils demonstrate considerable maturity in discussions. They make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute. The school ensures that customary good manners are the norm. Learning is not interrupted and transitions between lessons and breaktimes are smooth.

p.2

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

Pupils are fascinated by their own beliefs, as well as different cultures. They enjoy learning about the world around them. The school has a well-considered personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. This helps pupils to be ready for the 8 and 9 April 2025

p.2

3

challenges that they may meet when they are older. For example, they learn about the possible dangers of living by the sea and using the internet. The school has ensured that it has built on its many strengths and brought about improvement since the previous inspection. The trust and members of the local governing body know the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are acting effectively on these. Staff appreciate that changes have not overburdened them. They value the professional development and personal support that they receive.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects and year groups, the development of pupils’ writing skills is variable. Some pupils form letters inaccurately and mistakes go unnoticed, which limits the progress that these pupils make in becoming fluent writers. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to develop pupils’ writing so that they write with accuracy and fluency across the curriculum.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary school, to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2012. 8 and 9 April 2025

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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). 8 and 9 April 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority Board of directors

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2022. When its predecessor school, St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  This is a voluntary aided Catholic school within the Diocese of Lancaster. The last section 48 inspection was in May 2024. The next inspection is due in 2029.  The school runs before- and after-school clubs for pupils.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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. 8 and 9 April 2025

p.5

6

 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 senior leaders, members of the local governing body, the trust director, the trust CEO, the trust’s SEND leader and the trust’s designated safeguarding leader.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  The inspector looked at a range of documents.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Trish Merritt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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 children looked after, 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