Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Henley-on-Thames

on-Thames

Address: Greys Hill, RG9 1SL Unique reference number (URN): 123204

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils achieve well. Overall, this is reflected in their attainment in national tests at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils generally achieve close to national averages. Typically, pupils secure the knowledge they need in each subject as they move through the school. They are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those known to or previously known to social care generally achieve well from their starting points. However, there are some disadvantaged pupils, some pupils with SEND and pupils known or previously known to social care, who do not consistently develop a detailed knowledge in the fundamentals of early reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders prioritise improvements in this area so that the school is working hard to close the gaps that some of these pupils have.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of attending regularly and continue to focus on improving attendance further for all groups of pupils. Leaders work effectively to find and resolve any barriers before they become an issue for pupils or their families. Consequently, pupils, especially pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and pupils known or previously known to social care, now have higher attendance than they did previously. However, some other pupils still do not attend as well as they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well. Most pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. Every morning, they walk into school with happy smiles and this permeates into all areas of their learning. Staff implement the school’s behaviour expectations and systems consistently well. As a result, the atmosphere around classrooms and corridors is calm and purposeful.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school provides suitable support for any pupils who need help to manage their emotions. Pupils understand what constitutes bullying or harassment. Any incidents of derogatory language or unkindness are not tolerated and are dealt with swiftly and fairly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school’s curriculum is broad and well sequenced. It is ambitious and designed to reduce barriers to learning. The curriculum considers the needs of the mixed-age classes well and builds to clear end points in each subject. This helps to promote pupils’ learning at every stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff professional development is based on the school’s aspiration to ensure that teaching is consistently effective and supports all learners. Typically, teachers have the knowledge they need to help pupils learn well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, in many subjects, teachers carefully check and ensure that pupils build their learning on what they know already. Most of the time, the school extends pupils' use of language and vocabulary well. In general, staff adapt the curriculum effectively to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, pupils receive the support they need to catch up quickly in the basic skills they need, including in reading and mathematics. Well-trained staff provide extra practice sessions to help pupils catch up. However, sometimes teaching does not address gaps in knowledge, so that for some pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils the gaps persist.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the early years curriculum is designed carefully. Work is ongoing to ensure that there are even more opportunities throughout each day for children to practise and develop essential skills such as reading, writing and communication and language.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff establish nurturing relationships. Children settle quickly in to the Reception class. This is due to well communicated and practised routines and rules. This also helps to develop an environment where children share resources well with each other and their care needs are met.

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Early years Expected standard

The school ensures that children, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those that have other barriers to their learning, access learning in all areas effectively. Staff identify quickly any barriers to learning that children may have. Leaders also work well with parents and carers and external agencies to ensure that children have the right help and support to make progress in their learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff introduce children to phonics from the moment they join in Reception class. They check carefully that children learn to use their phonics knowledge to read and write with growing confidence. Typically, children learn well from the start, and leave Reception well prepared for their future learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders promote a school culture where diversity is celebrated, and every pupil is valued. Leaders identify the needs of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), promptly and with increasing accuracy. This ensures that, regardless of their individual needs, pupils are helped, feel understood and are ready to learn. Consequently, pupils develop increased confidence and independence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff benefit from regular training to enhance their expertise, for example in areas such as autism. Leaders and staff work hard to ensure that the provision for pupils with SEND is effective. Leaders understand how to evaluate the impact of their actions to support pupils with SEND. As a result, most pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known or previously known to social care are supported well from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school works effectively with external agencies and pupils’ families to ensure that pupils benefit from this collaborative working. Leaders monitor pupils’ progress well and evaluate the impact of interventions to inform future planning. Pupil premium funding is used appropriately to help improve the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and those known or previously known to social care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make decisions in the best interests of all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers to learning. They ensure that the pupils usually receive the support they need to succeed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and the governing body work purposefully to raise aspirations for what pupils can achieve. Staff value the team spirit and open culture that exists in the school. Staff feel that their workload and wellbeing are really prioritised by leaders. The school works hard to ensure that pupils have every opportunity to achieve well. Leaders have a secure understanding of strengths and areas which they need to prioritise.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has a well-structured professional learning programme that is informed by research and focused on the school’s strategic priorities. However, leaders continue to strengthen staff expertise to ensure that teaching closes any gaps in English and mathematics.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The governing body fulfils its statutory duties and knows the school’s context well. Governors challenge leaders effectively to ensure that pupils' educational experience is typically of a high quality.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff help pupils to be confident and kind citizens who respect other people's differences. They ensure that the carefully crafted personal development programme is woven across all areas of school life. This helps pupils to grow into thoughtful, responsible, and kind individuals.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is effective. Strong relationships between pupils and staff underpin a nurturing culture. Targeted support and interventions, for example time with the school counsellor, helps pupils to manage issues such as friendship difficulties. The school’s mental health and wellbeing strategy ensures that pupils’ needs are identified early and reviewed for impact. This means that pupils are confident in accessing help when needed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils demonstrate a respect for others and celebrate differences. They are taught about the importance of living the fundamental British values, and consequently their understanding of these grow. Pupils discuss topics such as equity and disability thoughtfully and with maturity. Their work on projects, such as litter picking, helps them to develop an appreciation of the significance of looking after the environment and being self-reliant. Pupils talk maturely about differences and similarities between religious celebrations. The personal, social, health and education curriculum enables pupils to develop detailed knowledge of important aspects. This includes how to take care of their mental health and wellbeing, including age-appropriate relationships and consent. Pupils talk confidently about how to stay safe both online and offline. Pupils use their democratic voice to work with leaders to inform strategic changes. These

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

range from deciding what to showcase on the display boards around school to selecting playground equipment. They participate wholeheartedly in a wide range of events and tournaments where they demonstrate their sporting and performing arts skills and talents. Leaders track pupils’ participation in these events, especially that of disadvantaged pupils. These opportunities help to develop and broaden pupils’ horizons.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud to be part of this happy and inclusive school. Parents and carers praise the school’s efforts. Pupils say the best thing about the school is the staff. Staff form trusting relationships with pupils. These start in the early years, continue throughout the school and help pupils to belong and thrive. Pupils are confident that staff will help them deal quickly with any concerns they may have. As a result, incidents of bullying or discrimination are rare.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils now come to school more often than they did. However, attendance for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged is an area leaders are addressing.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils work hard to meet the expectations that staff have for their behaviour and achievement. Typically, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage in their education. This generally includes pupils who face barriers to their learning. However, some pupils have unaddressed gaps in their knowledge, including in writing and mathematics.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities. Leaders ensure that these are inclusive and build pupils' aspirations. Activities include visits to the local regatta, where pupils learn more about the unique geographical and historical area they live in. Pupils enjoy learning about how other people live and their beliefs. This helps pupils to celebrate differences confidently and understand the community beyond the school. Pupils also hone their leadership skills by taking on roles and responsibilities such as being school councillors and playtime buddies.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Through weekly assemblies and discussions, pupils learn how they can use their collective voice to influence decisions that others make. They are particularly proud of their impact to raise awareness about the importance of keeping the community clean and litter free.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy continues to raise attendance rates for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. • Leaders should continue strengthening staff expertise, including in early years, to ensure teaching consistently closes gaps in foundational knowledge for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and pupils known or previously known to social care.

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About this inspection

There are co-chairs of the board of governors in this school, Lisa Glen and Tom Smith.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and some members of staff. They also spoke with the school's improvement partner from the local authority and a representative from the diocese. The lead inspector met with 4 members of the board of governors, including the chair.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is a Catholic Voluntary Aided school within the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The school's most recent section 48 inspection took place in February 2020. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place by the end of the school year 2026/27.

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About this inspection

The school makes no use of alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the previous Ofsted inspection in November 2021, the number of pupils on roll has decreased significantly.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. National average: 26.3%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 13.0% 14.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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