Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Ashton-under-Lyne

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 July 2026

Pupils are keen members of their school community. Each day, pupils are greeted warmly by staff and by Peggy, the school therapy dog. Pupils wear their uniforms with pride. They are polite and well behaved. Staff foster positive relationships with pupils. This begins in the early years, where staff get to know children as individuals. Pupils are safe and well looked after. There are many adults for pupils to talk to if they have a worry. Bullying is rare. If it does ever occur, staff take it seriously and deal with it swiftly. Teachers make sure that the curriculum is engaging and purposeful. This sparks pupils' interest and enthusiasm for learning. Pupils look forward to coming to school. They enjoy school and attend regularly. Staff reduce obstacles to pupils' learning and wellbeing effectively. Overall, pupils quickly secure basic knowledge, particularly in the foundations of early reading, writing and number. They attain well in reading and mathematics at the end of key stage 2. However, some older pupils still have gaps in their writing skills. At times, some pupils struggle to remember important learning across different subjects. This means that they are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils benefit from a well-considered programme to promote their personal development. This supports pupils to participate fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils enjoy an extensive range of activities to broaden their horizons. Pupils value the wide range of trips, visits and visitors to school. They enjoy taking part in an impressive number of sporting activities. These experiences promote important skills, such as teamwork and resilience. They also develop pupils' physical and mental wellbeing. As a result of the rich extra-curricular offer, pupils become well-rounded citizens. They are well equipped to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should build on the recent improvements to the curriculum so that pupils' success in writing, especially in key stage 2, matches their achievement in reading and mathematics.
• Leaders should ensure that staff's checks on how well pupils remember and build on their prior learning over time are more effective so that gaps in knowledge are identified and rectified and pupils build a secure body.
• Leaders should sharpen their systems and processes for checking on the impact of some aspects of their work so that they and governors are fully assured that their actions are making the intended difference to pupils' experiences.

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