Saint Gabriel's Catholic Primary School

Saint Gabriel's Catholic Primary School

Address: Allendale Road, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, TS7 9LF Unique reference number (URN): 140750

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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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Early years Strong standard

Children make a strong start in the early years. They are happy, safe and staff support their development and independence. From the 2-year-old provision onwards, daily routines are highly embedded. At the start of each day, children settle well and are given regular opportunities to rehearse previous learning. Children love to talk about their learning and share what they know. Staff maximise opportunities to extend children's language and early mathematical understanding. Highly effective support is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to their learning. This helps them engage with their peers confidently and progress through the learning opportunities.

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Early years Strong standard

The early years’ curriculum is well considered and carefully designed to meet the starting points of children joining the school. The addition of the 2-year-old provision has strengthened the school's strategic planning for school readiness. The curriculum has a particular focus on securing strong foundations and children’s personal, social and emotional development.

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Early years Strong standard

Children develop the foundations for early reading in the nursery, where the focus is on listening to sounds in words. By the end of Reception, children learn to read well, develop a secure pencil grip, form letters correctly and write increasingly long sentences through dictation. Children have regular opportunities to develop these skills through independent learning activities, such as drawing self-portraits and labelling work.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All pupils are highly valued at Saint Gabriel’s. Leaders have established an inclusive culture that is well embedded throughout the school. Right from the start of the 2-year-old provision, there is a collective commitment to understanding pupils' barriers to learning and high- quality, inclusive practice. Underpinning the school's work is a highly responsive suite of pastoral care, community engagement and practical support for pupils and families.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are proactive in seeking expert guidance from external specialists. There is clear evidence of the highly successful impact of the school's work to support pupils’ emotional resilience, regulation and mental wellbeing needs. Staff benefit from professional development that helps them to have a thorough understanding of the diverse barriers to learning that pupils may face. Academic and pastoral interventions are highly targeted, time limited, and carefully structured so that they do not unnecessarily draw pupils away from their classrooms.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Plans for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are detailed and precise. They closely match each pupil's specific learning and emotional needs. Leaders track the impact of these plans closely. Staff make effective, evidence-based decisions to adjust classroom provision and target support and resources. This level of precision also extends to disadvantaged pupils and pupils with other barriers to their learning. For example, the support for pupils who are known to social care reflects their own voices and aspirations.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has developed a highly successful and well-embedded personal development programme, shaped by the community it serves and rooted in its Catholic ethos. Pupils remember their learning from personal, social and health education lessons. They know these lessons give them important life skills and perspective. Pupils confidently discuss online safety, the safe use of age-appropriate apps and what it means to be a good friend. They know when to use strategies learned in their emotional resilience and positive mental health workshops. Pupils are given several opportunities to reflect through using individual and class prayer journals and mindfulness opportunities. Leaders have in place a comprehensive, practical and easily accessible range of pastoral support for pupils and families. This is highly valued by the school community. The pastoral support has been integral to much of the school's success.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's colour-group system mixes pupils across year groups and builds a deep sense of belonging. Pupils are polite, listen well to one another and say they feel safe. They have regular time to support their spiritual development. Pupils have a clear understanding of fundamental British values. They know it is important to treat others fairly and are regularly taught about equality.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, including running, cooking, drama and multi-sports. The school tracks pupils’ engagement with clubs. Leaders’ efforts to encourage wide participation have a highly positive impact. Pupils value the rewards on offer through celebration assemblies and earning ‘tokens’ from staff. Pupils contribute to the life of the school. Roles such as sports leaders, chaplains, playground leaders and school council roles help build a strong sense of pride and community responsibility.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has focused on introducing pupils to a range of careers through the curriculum. These opportunities are raising pupils’ aspirations. For example, assemblies that introduce diverse role models and help pupils connect their learning to the world of work.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well at St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School. The school’s outcomes in phonics, Year 4 multiplication checks and most end of key stage 2 tests have increased year on year. Disadvantaged pupils also achieve much better than their disadvantaged peers nationally. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. They are well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, pupils demonstrate appropriate knowledge across their subjects. Their knowledge and skills are more detailed in some subjects than others. For example, they discuss their learning in science and geography in depth, referring to reading texts, enrichment activities and their learning in previous years. Generally, pupils’ work in their books is of a good standard, and they progress well through the curriculum. Some older pupils have not yet secured the basics of letter formation. Leaders have prioritised addressing this.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ attendance has previously been low but has improved over time. The school and trust have implemented a range of interventions and creative solutions to raise attendance. Leaders analyse attendance information to inform the actions taken to help pupils attend more consistently. In general, pupils are less persistently absent than they were and are engaging more with school. For example, disadvantaged pupils are attending more regularly. At present, however, some of the school’s actions to raise attendance are not having a great enough impact to show more rapid and notable improvement. Overall, the pace of attendance improvement remains steadily upwards.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

There are high expectations of behaviour at Saint Gabriel’s. Pupils understand and talk confidently about the school’s rules and values, including those that apply at lunchtimes. Pupils value the school’s colour-group system. This supports positive relationships at playtimes. There are very few behavioural incidents across the school. Suspensions are used appropriately and as a last resort. Most pupils have a positive view of behaviour. If behaviour falls short of expectations, staff respond in a supportive and restorative way. There is additional support during playtimes and at transition times for pupils who need help to regulate their emotions and behaviour.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school has prioritised securing pupils’ foundational knowledge. This is evident in curriculum and lesson design across the school. Staff expertise is well developed through professional development delivered by the trust. Teachers use a range of strategies to help pupils learn the curriculum. This helps pupils to secure the important knowledge they need to know. For example, teachers effectively implement the curriculum for foundation subjects. This has a positive impact on pupils’ enjoyment of these lessons and their ability to remember more over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Reading is a priority across the school. Pupils are taught to read well. This is reflected in pupils learning to read quickly and fluently. Pupils who need additional support receive this in a timely manner. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from adapted resources and adult support. Staff meet regularly to discuss pupils’ barriers to learning and to reduce these. As a result, staff know which support will best benefit individual pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Writing has been a key focus for improvement. Leaders have identified gaps in pupils’ foundational writing skills and responded by introducing a new handwriting curriculum and increasing staff training. Some of this work is still in its early stages. The emphasis placed on high-quality writing varies across the school. Consequently, some pupils, including those with SEND and other barriers to their learning, do not develop their writing skills as quickly as they could.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders at all levels have a shared vision for Saint Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School. Across the trust, governance and school staff, everyone is clear about the school's priorities and direction of travel. Decisions and developments are in the best interests of pupils, especially those who are most disadvantaged. Those responsible for governance are effectively carrying out their duties. The layers of quality assurance and accountability across the school work well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and governors are well informed about strengths and developments. They know the impact of these changes. Leaders have prioritised the right areas for further improvement. The school has engaged with professional expertise and support from the trust to move these forward. In some areas, for example, attendance improvements have been slower than leaders intended.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff appreciate that leaders take their views into account when implementing change. They feel well supported by leaders. Staff reflect positively on leaders' consideration of their workload and wellbeing. Professional development opportunities are well chosen and thoughtfully cascaded throughout the school. Recent training is having a positive impact in school. Staff expertise is further developed through a coaching model and the sharing of best practice across schools within the trust.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know their community, families and pupils well. Leaders and staff create regular opportunities for parents to come into school and share in the Saint Gabriel’s experience alongside their children. Parents and carers value the high-quality pastoral care and support provided by the school.

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

Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging at Saint Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School. They are highly valued and quickly included in the school community, whether they join at the start of nursery or move into the school partway through.

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

Pupils thoroughly enjoy their learning and their time in this nurturing environment. The Catholic ethos and the school’s core values are evident in the respectful and polite way pupils treat one another. Bullying is not a concern in this school. Staff build warm, trusting relationships with pupils and their families. Pupils love being a part of their ‘colour groups’. These provide opportunities to eat lunch with pupils in different year groups, establish new friendships and earn points for their groups. This enhances the sense of belonging across the school.

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

Leaders share a clear commitment to improving the life chances, education and experiences of every child. Staff are ambitious for pupils. They strive to help every pupil meet their full potential. Overall, pupils achieve well. Disadvantaged pupils at Saint Gabriel's achieve much better than their peers nationally. For example, success in reading and phonics has continued to grow in recent years. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education as they move through the school and at the end of Year 6. Pupils benefit from a wide range of memorable, enriching experiences and extra-curricular clubs. The school prioritise developing pupils' spiritual, moral and social development alongside developing their skills to keep themselves safe. Pupils benefit from the range of career development days, and teaching on topics, such as money management, first aid and positive mental health. Pupils in need of more specific adjustments receive highly

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

effective help. This is seen in how the school uses its dedicated ‘hub’ space and offers tailored support at key points in the school day.

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Next steps

Leaders should further embed the writing curriculum and expectations consistently across all year groups so that pupils, particularly older pupils, write with fluency and correct letter formation. Leaders should continue to strengthen their actions to improve pupils’ attendance and sharpen their analysis of attendance interventions to identify precisely which strategies are most effective, in order to ensure a notable improvement in attendance across the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Nicholas Postgate 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), Karen Siedle, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mark Dias.

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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 school's senior leadership team, a representative from the diocese, representatives of the governing body, the CEO of the trust and the chair of the board of trustees 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. It is in the Diocese of Middlesbrough. Its last section 48 inspection was in June 2022.

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About this inspection

Since the previous inspection, the school has opened provision for 2-year-olds.

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Lead inspector:

Georgina Chinaka, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Tim Scargill-Knight, His Majesty's Inspector Steven Holmes, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 14 July 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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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average

2023/24 (final) 62% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 60% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 76% 74% Close to average

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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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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 71% Close to average

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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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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 58% Close to average

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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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