Positive inspection report for St Marie’s Catholic Primary School in Kirkby

Ofsted has today published St Marie’s Catholic Primary School’s inspection report which shows that the school is “Good” in many areas including Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management and Early Years provision.

Inspectors noted that:-

• Pupils enjoy attending their welcoming, friendly school. They thrive in the nurturing atmosphere. Pupils feel that they are part of a loving family where everyone knows them well.
• The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement.
• Pupils benefit from the school’s focus on making sure they are always ready to learn. This includes an emphasis on eating well and engaging in physical activity at lunchtimes.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.
• The school has worked with commitment and drive to make recent changes to its curriculum. This new curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils.
• The school has considered its disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), when designing its curriculum. The curriculum is clearly sequenced so that pupils build on prior learning in most subjects.
• The school has made the early identification of pupils with SEND a priority. Staff are trained in how to adapt lessons, where necessary, so that pupils with SEND are able to access the same curriculum as their peers. Most pupils with SEND make good progress.
• Pupils make a strong start in learning to read. Children in the Nursery Year are well equipped to learn to read through their immersion in stories, songs and rhymes. Staff deliver the phonics programme skilfully across the Reception Year and key stage 1. This means that most pupils read with confidence and fluency by the end of key stage 1.
• The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and pupils respond well to these.
• The school actively promotes the importance of good attendance and punctuality for all pupils. This is making a positive difference.
• The school contributes well to pupils’ wider development. It is passionate about providing opportunities for pupils that may not be available to them otherwise and ensuring that there is access for all.
• The school prioritises preparing pupils to be responsible citizens of the future, for example through raising money for local charities. It raises aspirations for pupils through visits to local universities and sharing information about different careers.
• Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to leadership and governance. Staff have been well supported through these changes. They feel that the school has their wellbeing at the forefront of any decisions.
• Governors have provided strong oversight, support and challenge to the school on its journey to improve the quality of education for all pupils.
• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Cllr David Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: 

“Inspectors noted that the school is passionate about providing opportunities for all, how the school has high expectations for pupils and how they are supporting children to achieve. Well done to everyone concerned at St Marie’s Catholic Primary School.”