Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 March 2023

Pupils are proud ambassadors of their school. The school motto permeates everything that they do. Added to this, pupils have a deep understanding of equality. They champion diversity. Pupils were adamant that at this school, everyone is accepted for who they are. They told inspectors that they are 'all individual pieces of a jigsaw, unique but connected'. Pupils are happy to be greeted each morning by welcoming staff and Albie, the school dog. Pupils are incredibly kind to each other. They are keen to live up to leaders' high expectations of their behaviour. Leaders deal with any bullying swiftly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe. Leaders are passionate about raising pupils' aspirations. They expect pupils, irrespective of their background or ability, to succeed. Pupils, including children in the early years, flourish. Pupils benefit from a well-considered programme of wider development that prepares them well for life in modern Britain. This helps to bring the curriculum to life and encourages pupils to be ambitious for their futures. A wealth of experiences support pupils to develop their character and resilience. Pupils are confident, articulate and spoke openly about the importance of the strong relationships that they have with staff. Pupils value the support that staff give them for their emotional well-being. Pupils relish opportunities to act as positive role models for younger children. For example, Year 6 pupils enjoy being 'gardeners' to their 'seeds' in the Reception class.

What the school should improve

• On occasion, in a small number of subjects, some teachers do not select the most appropriate pedagogy to deliver the knowledge in the curriculum. This sometimes hinders how well pupils can build on their prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers are equipped with the confidence to deliver the curriculum consistently well.
• In a small number of subjects, leaders' assessment systems do not enable teachers to check sufficiently well that pupils have learned the knowledge in the curriculum. This sometimes hinders teachers in identifying pupils' misconceptions quickly enough. As leaders refine their approaches to assessment, they should ensure that teachers are equipped to check that pupils have embedded their knowledge securely.

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