St Hugh's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Hugh's Catholic Primary School Earle Road, Liverpool, Merseyside L7 6HE

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school creates a vibrant and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and happy. Positive relationships between staff and pupils make all feel welcome and a part of the St Hugh’s family. Many pupils come from different countries at various times during the year and return home for long periods of time. Despite this, pupils still feel that they are a part of the school and are eager to return.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. Their conduct in lessons and at playtimes is equally positive. Pupils meet the high expectations that the school has for their behaviour and follow the values of respect, kindness and honesty. These foundations are strongly laid as soon as children enter the early years, or when pupils arrive at different points in the year. They quickly learn to share, take turns and understand what it means to be part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils’ achievement. Pupils learn the curriculum well across a range of subjects. Staff know the needs of pupils exceptionally well and broaden their experiences beyond the classroom. Pupils enjoy trips to the orchestra, the beach and museums. This links well to the curriculum and helps to expand pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils are proud of the work that they produce and approach their studies with resilience.

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

Many pupils, who speak English as an additional language, join the school from various countries at different times during the academic year. A considerable number of them return to their home country for part of the year. This means that a high number of pupils do not benefit from the school’s well-designed and ambitious curriculum for sustained periods of time. As a result, their strong achievement is not reflected in the school’s published outcomes at the end of key stage 2.

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

The school thinks carefully about the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this subject content will be taught. It builds logically from the early years to the end of Year 6. Staff are confident and know the important building blocks of information that pupils need to know and remember. However, some pupils do not make important links between the knowledge that they learn across subjects. This sometimes hampers the depth of their understanding.

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

The additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. The school works well with external professionals who provide timely advice and support. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Staff’s work to support pupils who are new to the country or who have missed formal education for long periods of time is impressive. Staff help pupils to learn English quickly. They provide activities which broadens their vocabulary. For those pupils who have missed education, staff accurately identify any gaps in knowledge that have been missed and provide individualised learning tasks for them. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Pupils learn to read quickly. Staff deliver the phonics programme successfully. Those pupils who need additional help to learn to read receive timely support. Most older pupils read with accuracy and fluency. They talk confidently about the stories that they have heard read aloud in class. The support for pupils to develop their knowledge and skills in writing is less secure. Some pupils display poor handwriting, spelling and grammar as they progress through school. This means some pupils’ writing fluency and accuracy is underdeveloped.

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Children in the early years are very well-behaved. They follow established routines and learn cooperatively alongside one another. Behaviour across the school is highly positive. Pupils understand the school rules, where honesty, kindness and respect are key. Pupils, when in the country, attend school regularly. The school is immensely proud of the strong relationships and trust that it forms with parents and carers.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to stay safe online and in the local community. They understand, and are highly articulate about, fundamental British values, such as democracy. Pupils can apply these values in real-life contexts. For example, voting for school councillors or making decisions about the lunchtime offer. Pupils take advantage of the after-school enrichment activities such as volleyball and mindfulness. They enjoy competing against other local schools in cricket. This broadens pupils’ interest and talents.

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Since the previous inspection, the governing body has been strengthened in number and expertise. Governors challenge and support the school appropriately. Staff are supported fully in their role. They appreciate that their workload and well-being are considered when new initiatives are implemented. Governors, alongside leaders, have ensured that the school has made great strides since the previous inspection. They are highly ambitious for the pupils of St Hugh’s.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not consistently apply their learning across the curriculum and as a result do not make important links between the knowledge that they learn across subjects. As a result, this hampers the depth of their understanding and readiness for future learning.  The school's expectations for pupils’ transcription skills such as handwriting, spelling and grammar are not consistently high. This hinders pupils' writing fluency. The school should ensure that the focus it places on pupils' writing skills within phonics sessions is built on and secured across the rest of the school. 7 and 8 May 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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Angela Glanville

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School details

Headteacher Andrea Connearn (executive headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a federation. All schools and settings in this federation are overseen by a single governing body.  The executive headteacher is responsible for the other settings in the federation. These settings were not considered as part of this inspection.  There is significantly higher mobility at the school than is typical. Many pupils join the school other than at the usual times of the year. Many others spend long periods out of the country and not in formal education.  A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  This Roman Catholic school is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. Its last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in November 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due by the end of this academic year.  The school provides a before-school club for pupils.  The school does not use alternative provision. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics and computing. They met with subject leaders and with teachers. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed a sample of pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects. They met with leaders, spoke with pupils and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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Information about this inspection

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority and archdiocese.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They reviewed the school’s own internal survey responses for parents.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. There were

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Information about this inspection

no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Sue Dymond, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 7 and 8 May 2025

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David Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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