Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 January 2026

Pupils play a large part in making this school the welcoming learning community that it is. They are keen to be recognised as ‘star of the week’ for meeting the school’s high expectations of behaviour. Older pupils are proud to be buddies for younger children in the school. They strive to set a positive example for their peers. Leaders have high aspirations for pupils’ achievement. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This is because, over time, pupils have not benefited from learning that builds their knowledge securely, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. In addition, some pupils who face barriers to their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not receive the support that they need to succeed. Leaders have recently strengthened teaching approaches to address this. However, it is too early to see the impact of this work. Pupils’ learning across a range of subjects is uneven as a result. Pupils trust the caring staff to listen to any worries that they may have. They are clear that bullying is not an issue at the school. Pupils know that staff deal quickly with any fall outs or upset that pupils experience. This helps pupils to feel secure and safe. Most pupils attend school regularly. They are keen to ‘race to five’ with their classmates in recognition of this. Pupils who represent their classmates on the school council, or have other responsibilities in school, take their roles seriously. For example, they have recently worked with leaders to make improvements to the school’s playground. These roles develop pupils’ confidence and prepare them for life beyond school. Pupils are encouraged to ‘be who they want to be’. They aspire to become scientists, economists and engineers. Pupils also benefit from experiences that bring their learning to life, such as theatre shows and visits from poets and to museums.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff receive the necessary professional learning to support them to draw on their knowledge of pupils' starting points and individual needs to design and adapt learning so that pupils are supported to learn all that they can. • Leaders should take appropriate action to ensure that those pupils who have not secured the necessary foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics receive appropriate support to secure this knowledge, so that pupils’ achievement is improved. • Those responsible for governance should ensure that they gain the skills and expertise required to provide constructive and effective support and challenge to hold leaders to account to improve the school's educational offer for pupils.

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