St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

Address: Harting Road, Mottingham, London, SE9 4JR Unique reference number (URN): 141481

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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 Strong standard

Pupils achieve very well from their starting points. The school’s focus on securing foundational knowledge, particularly in reading and mathematics, supports pupils to build their knowledge effectively over time.

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Achievement Strong standard

Published outcomes in national assessments show that pupils' attainment is above national averages in several areas. Current pupils demonstrate secure knowledge in their work and can recall and apply what they have learned with fluency across subjects. Many pupils show confidence in explaining their thinking in depth and using subject-specific vocabulary accurately.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those known to children’s social care are supported effectively to access the curriculum and make the same highly positive progress at others. Leaders assess pupils regularly and provide targeted support where gaps are identified.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Older pupils spoke confidently about moving to secondary school and feel that they have a solid foundation in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture. They know pupils and families extremely well and place strong emphasis on meeting each pupil's individual needs. This is reflected in the detailed understanding that staff have of pupils’ barriers to learning, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those known to children’s social care.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders identify needs quickly and accurately through, for example, classroom observation, assessment strategies and discussion with families. The effectiveness of this work is enhanced by the way that the school involves external services, including educational psychology, speech and language and occupational health, where appropriate.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Support for each pupil is carefully tailored. Teachers adapt learning so that pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. For example, important vocabulary is introduced in advance to help pupils become familiar with it and tasks are broken into manageable steps. Support from staff is sharply focused on promoting pupils' independence. Support staff are well trained and play a key role in ensuring that pupils engage and succeed in classroom learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders monitor the impact of support and the use of additional funding closely. Where strategies are not as effective as leaders want them to be, they are adapted quickly. Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to ensure that support is joined up and responsive. As a result, pupils with SEND and other vulnerabilities participate fully in school life and make progress from their starting points.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have established a coherent and well-sequenced programme for pupils’ personal development that is responsive to the school’s context. The curriculum helps pupils to understand a rich range of relevant topics, including relationships, mental wellbeing, diversity, citizenship and life in modern Britain. Leaders adapt the programme carefully to reflect pupils’ needs and experiences. For example, pupils learn about online safety, road safety and how to manage risks both in and beyond school. They are supported to understand healthy lifestyles, including through discussions about food, exercise and wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that support their confidence, independence and understanding of the wider world. They take on a variety of leadership roles, including as school councillors and reading ambassadors. These roles allow pupils to take responsibility, support others and contribute meaningfully to the school community. For example, older pupils organise lunchtime reading sessions, support younger pupils at playtimes and lead aspects of the school’s charitable work. Pupils develop a thoughtful understanding of culture and difference. They learn about a range of views and perspectives and speak confidently about respect, equality and diversity. Pupils can explain ideas such as democracy, tolerance and individual liberty clearly, and relate these to their own experiences. They also understand the difference between bullying and falling out, and know how to resolve issues respectfully.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides a wide range of enrichment opportunities, including clubs, educational visits and cultural experiences. Pupils spoke positively about visits to museums, for instance, as well as the many wider opportunities they have for music and performance. Leaders monitor participation carefully and take steps to ensure that disadvantaged pupils access and benefit from these opportunities in full.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and relationships reflect the impact of this work. They are respectful, considerate and confident, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility, belonging and readiness for life beyond school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is broadly similar to national figures. Pupils enjoy coming to school, particularly because of their friendships and opportunities to learn. Leaders have established clear systems to monitor attendance and act quickly when it declines. They work closely with families, drawing on a range of suitable strategies to support attendance. These range, for example, from drawing on support available from early help services to offering breakfast provision and maintaining regular communication. However, attendance for some disadvantaged pupils has been variable over time. While leaders’ actions are beginning to improve this, attendance for this group is not, at present, as high as it should be. Behaviour is positive across the school. Pupils behave calmly in lessons and at social times. They understand and follow routines, and staff apply expectations consistently. Classrooms are orderly, allowing pupils to focus on their learning. Pupils show positive attitudes and

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

respond well to their teachers' instructions and guidance. They listen carefully, contribute to discussions and engage with their work. Bullying is rare. Pupils understand the difference between bullying and occasional disagreements and are confident that staff will deal with any concerns quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum that sets out the knowledge pupils need to learn across subjects. They have chosen their approach to the curriculum carefully to support consistency in how well pupils learn and to manage staff workload. Leaders have also prioritised reading, language development and vocabulary across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Phonics is taught systematically, and pupils develop secure early reading skills. Teachers use clear modelling, questioning and routines to support pupils to build their phonics knowledge over time. Where teaching approaches are more established and embedded, teachers check pupils’ understanding carefully and adapt their teaching to address misconceptions and deepen learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide regular professional development to support staff, including training in phonics, adaptive teaching and curriculum delivery. This helps staff understand the curriculum and how to support pupils, including those with SEND, to make progress in their learning. However, in a few instances across subjects and year groups, teaching does not make the most of opportunities to deepen pupils’ thinking or extend their knowledge. There are also occasions when checks on pupils' understanding are not focused firmly on ensuring that pupils fully secure key concepts before moving on. This is more evident in some wider curriculum subjects, where, at times, learning is not as well sequenced as in English and mathematics. While overall, this variability does not reduce how highly pupils achieve, leaders are determined to embed consistency in teaching and have identified this as a priority for further development.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. They settle quickly into routines and learn how to work and play alongside others. The provision is planned and organised so that children benefit from opportunities to explore and build their knowledge in the different areas of learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that focuses on communication and language, phonics and early mathematics. Phonics is taught systematically, and children begin to develop accuracy and confidence with early reading skills. Overall, they make progress in their learning and are prepared well for the transition into Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff generally support children’s learning well. They help children to stay engaged and enjoy their learning, for example when building models or working together on creative tasks. However, sometimes, staff's interactions with children do not consistently extend children’s language and thinking. At times, opportunities are missed to deepen children's learning, for example through questioning or the introduction or repetition of new vocabulary during activities. Leaders recognise this and are working to strengthen the quality of staff's interactions with children.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have managed recent staffing changes carefully and ensured continuity for children. Staff feel supported and understand the priorities for further development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate and realistic understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They have identified clear priorities, including improving consistency in teaching and strengthening early years practice. Leaders are reflective and respond quickly where provision falls short of their ambitious expectations. For example, they have prioritised staff professional learning in communication and language to promote ongoing improvements in teaching, including in early years.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The recent transition into the multi-academy trust has been managed effectively. Leaders and staff benefit from regular collaboration with other schools in the trust, including opportunities to share practice and receive targeted support. Trust leaders provide frequent and helpful monitoring, including, for example, through visits, lesson observations and work scrutiny. This helps to give leaders a clear view of strengths and areas for improvement, particularly in teaching consistency and early years provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance understand their strategic role and maintain a clear overview of the school’s work. They ask well-focused questions to challenge leaders’ decisions. During a period of organisational change, governance has focused on maintaining the school’s ethos while supporting leaders through increased demands. They ensure that decisions are taken in the best interests of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have SEND.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff development and wellbeing. Staff report that they feel supported and value the clear communication within this small school community. Professional learning is linked closely to school priorities and includes both teachers and support staff, helping to build consistent practice across the school. Leaders have established a culture centred on inclusion, strong relationships and high expectations, which is evident in pupils’ experiences across the school.

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

Pupils achieve well at St Vincent’s. They are engaged in their learning and take pride in their work. Pupils speak confidently about what they are studying in subjects such as science, history and art, and show secure understanding of key ideas. They enjoy finding out new things and consistently develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their education.

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

Pupils benefit from being part of a close and inclusive school community. They value the many opportunities to take on responsibility. For example, older pupils organise activities for younger children, such as lunchtime reading clubs, where they share books and encourage a love of reading. Pupils see themselves as role models and take this responsibility seriously.

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

Pupils behave well. The school is calm and orderly throughout the day. Pupils understand routines and expectations and follow them consistently. At social times, pupils play cooperatively and include one another. They describe occasional disagreements, for example during games, but understand how to resolve these themselves. They are clear that adults are available to help if needed.

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

Pupils feel safe. They know who to speak to if they are worried and trust staff to help them. Pupils say that bullying is rare. Parents and carers spoke positively about the school’s caring ethos and the way staff know pupils and families well. Pupils attend regularly and enjoy coming to school. Leaders support families where attendance is more difficult, although high attendance for some groups is not as embedded as it could be.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff make sure that they keep up with learning and address any gaps quickly. As a result, pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education.

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Next steps

Leaders should further develop their work to embed consistently effective teaching across all subjects and classes so that teaching maximises opportunities to deepen knowledge over time. Leaders should improve early years practice by strengthening the use of staff interactions to develop children’s language, communication and thinking as they learn and play.

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About this inspection

This school is part of St Oscar Romero Catholic 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), Clare Verga, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Allison MacQuire.

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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, deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator. They also spoke with teachers, support staff, governors, trustees, the CEO of the trust, pupils and parents and carers during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Ben Carter, Ofsted Inspector Naheeda Maharasingam, Ofsted 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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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?

This school is registered as having a Catholic religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in December 2024.

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What does this mean?

The school joined the St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust in September 2025.

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What does this mean?

The school uses 1 registered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Mrs Juliana Gonzalez 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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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 44% Close to average

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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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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 60% Close to average

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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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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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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

2022/23 (3 term) 13.4% 16.2% 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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