St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

Address: Burney Drive, IG10 2DY Unique reference number (URN): 149372

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have transformed the culture of attendance over the past few years. As a result, pupils now attend well, and attendance continues to improve. Historically, however, pupils missed too much school. Attendance was below the national averages for all pupil groups, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders analyse attendance methodically. They know pupils and families very well, which means they know exactly how to help if a pupil’s attendance starts to fall. Leaders ensure that all staff play their part in making sure pupils come to school regularly and on time, which they do.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school is a calm and purposeful place for pupils to learn. Classrooms are abuzz with learning. The highly positive interactions between pupils and adults lead to the culture of mutual respect. Pupils recognise and value the high expectations that leaders and staff set around their behaviour. These expectations are consistent across the school and realised throughout. This includes during social times where, in the dinner hall and playground, the same positive behaviour is seen from pupils. Bullying is almost unheard of. However, pupils are fully reassured that if they have friendship problems, staff will always help them resolve issues that arise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture throughout the school. Their effective work to reduce pupils’ barriers to learning has had a positive impact. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs accurately and swiftly identified. This means effective guidance and support are in place to help pupils with SEND learn well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils receive the right support at the right time. This is because the pupil premium funding is used carefully to have the greatest positive impact on pupils' experiences. Pupils receive a range of support to boost academic progress and attendance, or help with personal family circumstances. This leads to these pupils feeling part of a school community that cares deeply for their individual needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff routinely review how well pupils with SEND and those with other barriers to learning are progressing towards their targets. Leaders provide regular and relevant training for staff to ensure they keep their knowledge about SEND up to date. Positive links with external agencies ensure that the school draws upon expert knowledge if this is needed. For example, the school accesses mental health support from local experts to provide high- quality support for pupils and their families.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Current leaders, including trustees and governors, have provided great stability and clear strategic direction for the school, following a significant period of leadership turbulence. Over the past few years, leaders have worked with skill and determination to improve the quality of provision that pupils receive. Their decisions have been made with the very best interests of pupils at heart. There is now a culture where high expectations are the norm, behaviour is highly positive, and attendance, especially for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, has improved considerably. Leaders also know where more work is needed. While they have taken the right steps at the right time to strengthen provision further, the impact of this work is not yet fully evident, such as on pupils' achievement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and governors have a clear understanding of their roles. They are highly strategic in their approach and provide significant challenge and support for leaders. Trustees and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They hold leaders to account very effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff's professional learning is well-established. The impact of this has led to the continued improvements seen across the school. Staff feel hugely valued. Senior leaders do all they can to look after staff's workload and manage staff's wellbeing. This means leaders have a team of staff who share their high expectations and drive to continue the journey of improvement in a few key areas that they are well underway with.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development offer is broad, purposeful and designed to raise aspirations, build character and prepare pupils for life beyond school. The personal, social and health education curriculum ensures that key concepts are revisited each year. This helps pupils to develop a secure understanding of themselves and develop a deep respect for others. While pupils understand the strong Catholic ethos of the school, they enjoy learning about a wide range of religions. Pupils embrace the differences in other people no matter their background, culture or belief.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Wider cultural enrichment opportunities such as visits to the ballet help pupils to experience the world beyond their community. Leaders have carefully considered some of the experiences their pupils may not encounter and provided these. Opportunities such as trips and community charity work help pupils to see the difference they can make to their school and local community. Many of these experiences include trips on public transport to help pupils prepare for their futures.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils who are part of the school council and other leadership groups delight in these opportunities. They take on these roles with gusto, and older pupils take great pride in helping their younger counterparts understand the responsibilities which these roles bring. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong. They know to speak up if the see wrongdoing in school. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to stay safe online and offline. They have age-appropriate understanding of risks they face now and as they grow older.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Clubs are well attended. These provide the chance for pupils to explore interests, develop new skills, and enjoy time with friends through Irish dancing, badminton and 'eco club', to

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Needs attention

name but a few. Together, these broad experiences help pupils to become confident, socially aware, and well-rounded young people who are well prepared for their life in wider society.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over the past two years, too few pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined by the time they left the school at the end of Year 6. This was particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils. There are some current pupils who have persistent gaps in their knowledge, for example in handwriting and spelling, meaning they are not as ready for their next steps in education as they should be.

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Achievement Needs attention

However, pupils' achievement is improving rapidly. Leaders’ swift and effective actions mean that pupils are now making better progress as they learn the curriculum. For example, pupils are increasingly well prepared for the next stage of learning in mathematics. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities who are developing more secure knowledge. On the whole, pupils are learning the important knowledge they need to be successful in subjects across the wider curriculum. They build upon their previous knowledge in subjects such as history, geography and art to help them learn and remember new concepts with increasing confidence and accuracy.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Across the school, there are some inconsistencies in the way the curriculum is taught. Leaders know this and are taking the right action. The way that staff use assessment does not always lead to pupils completing activities that precisely meet their needs. For example, pupils are sometimes asked to write extended paragraphs when they are not yet secure in their transcriptional skills when writing shorter sentences. The key knowledge that pupils need to know is not consistently taught explicitly enough. When teaching is more effective, pupils develop more secure knowledge of what has been taught. They undertake activities that are closely matched to their needs and starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed an ambitious and coherent curriculum across the school. Pupils benefit from this as they move through the school. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 learn to read well. This is because skilled staff teach the school’s phonics programme well. Pupils who need extra help with reading receive well-tailored support. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from careful adaptations to their learning. This is often closely matched to their individual targets. Staff have secure subject knowledge in the subjects they teach. This enables them to explain new concepts clearly so most pupils can understand.

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Early years Needs attention

In the past, too few children leaving the early years were prepared well enough for Year 1. A significant proportion had large gaps in their knowledge and skills, meaning that they did not have what they needed to access the Year 1 curriculum. Leaders have taken swift and appropriate action. Children's development is improving and they now build knowledge more securely.

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Early years Needs attention

High-quality interactions with staff enable children to develop new language and vocabulary skills. Staff set out the key vocabulary that is going to be taught. This is modelled across the environment for children to use independently. Children use this growing knowledge of language to help them learn to read. Phonics is taught well so that children develop secure early reading skills.

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Early years Needs attention

Children understand and follow the routines of the classroom. Warm relationships with staff mean children are safe and confident in school. Children quickly learn how to be kind to one another – they emulate the adults' warmth and respectful behaviours. Children share, cooperate and develop ever increasing levels of independence. Positive relationships between the school and parents and carers are fostered, which means there is a shared understanding of what children are learning and how well they are developing between home and school.

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

This is a school where friendship and happiness shine through. Everyone has a friend to help them when needed. The school’s vision of promoting a ‘love of others’ is evident in the way pupils enjoy spending time with their friends. In social times, there is plenty of laughter and fun. Older pupils keep a keen eye out to make sure they include younger pupils in games and activities.

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

Pupils’ attendance has improved over time, meaning most attend regularly. This is because leaders have taken highly effective steps to enable pupils to come to school as often as possible. They know pupils and their families well, providing well-tailored guidance for pupils. This deep knowledge of pupils' needs also encompasses those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who face other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. The well-tailored pastoral provision helps these pupils to overcome the challenges they may face.

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

A culture of mutual respect permeates the school. This, in turn, leads to pupils behaving very well in class and around the school. They listen carefully to staff and try their best with their learning. Historically, pupils did not achieve as well as they could have. Too many left school at the end of Year 6 not ready for secondary school. Similarly, too many children left Reception Year without the knowledge they needed to be successful in Year 1. Although pupils' achievement is improving, there remains more to do to ensure pupils consistently gain the knowledge they need to prepare them for their next stages.

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

Pupils benefit from a range of rich opportunities to help them become well rounded citizens of the future. For example, pupils regularly meet visitors from a wide range of careers, including those working for the emergency services, scientists and artificial intelligence developers, to broaden their horizons and champion ambition.

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Next steps

• Leaders must ensure that staff use assessment effectively to target gaps in pupils’ learning and provide activities that focus on their needs, including basic skills such as handwriting and spelling. • Leaders should ensure that teaching in the early years continues to help children learn, apply and practise the important skills they need to be ready for Year 1. • Leaders should ensure that staff consistently sequence pupils' learning carefully and precisely so that pupils build secure knowledge across the curriculum and are prepared well for their next stages of education. • Leaders should continue their work to further improve the attendance of a small number of pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Team inspectors:

Hannah Stoten, His Majesty's Inspector Nerrissa Bear, His Majesty's Inspector Jonny Wallace, His Majesty's Inspector

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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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About this inspection

This school is part of Our Lady of Fatima 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), Ian Kendal, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Johnson.

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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 executive headteacher, head of school, members of the trust board and local governing board, and a wide range of school staff during the inspection.

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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 registered as having a Roman Catholic religious character. The school received its most recent section 48 inspection in March 2023.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The executive headteacher also acts as the CEO of the multi academy trust. The head of school is Patrick Kenny.

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About this inspection

The school converted to become an academy in October 2022 and joined Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust at the same time.

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About this inspection

Executive Headteacher: Ian Kendal This data is from 2 December 2025

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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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