English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 December 2023

The school has an ambitious curriculum underpinned by Catholic values. It has worked hard to create a caring and warm culture. Pupils make progress over time and enjoy their lessons. Adults have positive relationships with pupils and care deeply about them. There is an air of friendliness and positivity across the school. Pupils are keen to talk to visitors and tell them all about their school. The school has built positive relationships with the local community over time. Leaders support pupils and their wider families and engage the help of external support networks, where appropriate. This has a positive effect on the well-being of pupils in school. There is a relationship of trust between the school and the community. The school ensures that pupils are well behaved and polite. Staff apply the school behaviour policy consistently. Pupils agree that the policy is fair. In most lessons, and at social times, pupils know how to talk to, respect and look after each other. The school has ensured that dedicated pastoral staff are in place to support learning. Pupils can identify 'safe adults' who they can talk to about any issues. Pupils develop leadership skills by becoming peer buddies, librarians, school councillors and eco-councillors. Pupils particularly enjoy the educational visits they experience and say these are their best memories of the school.

What the school should improve

• In some areas of the curriculum, the range of subject knowledge that pupils should learn is too broad. The most important knowledge and skills are not always clear. This means that pupils struggle to secure the knowledge they need for the next stage in their learning. The school should refine the subject knowledge and vocabulary they want pupils to remember and identify the small steps of learning that will help pupils embed this knowledge.
• The school has not developed consistent systems for checking pupils' progress and understanding across the wider curriculum. This means that staff do not have the information they need to address any gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should establish procedures for checking what pupils know in all subjects and ensure that staff have the training and support to apply these consistently.
• Support for some pupils with SEND lacks a precise focus on their individual learning needs. This means these pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The school must ensure that staff understand each pupil's individual needs and provide the support these pupils need to succeed.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)