Sacred Heart School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 July 2026

Pupils thrive in this caring, highly inclusive and welcoming school community. They feel proud to belong to a school where fairness, empathy, kindness and respect shape their daily life. Pupils build positive relationships with staff and each other. They feel valued, listened to and supported. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those with other vulnerabilities feel included and participate fully in all aspects of school life. Children in the early years flourish in a nurturing environment where they develop confidence, independence and communication skills. Pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. They read widely and often and talk enthusiastically about books and stories. Effective writing and mathematics teaching helps pupils develop confidence and fluency in these subjects from an early age. Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils overcome barriers to learning successfully to make secure progress through the curriculum. Pupils feel a sense of belonging and value opportunities to contribute to school life. They take pride in leadership responsibilities and enjoy helping others. They celebrate each other's achievements and speak proudly about representing the school at events such as local sporting competitions. Pupils embrace a rich range of experiences beyond the classroom. They enjoy events such as the school art showcase, the school music competition, circus workshops and residential visits. They raise money for good causes and contribute positively to the wider community. These experiences help pupils develop important personal attributes for the future. Pupils behave consistently well in lessons and around the school. They understand the school's high expectations and rise to meet these consistently. Pupils are polite, respectful and welcoming to visitors. They feel safe and trust adults in school to help them if any concerns arise. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that staff deal with any incidents quickly and effectively. Pupils attend school regularly. They value the opportunities available to them. They arrive ready to learn and participate fully in lessons and wider activities.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue to strengthen curriculum oversight across subjects so that staff teach the curriculum consistently well.
• Leaders should ensure that they support teachers to make effective decisions about the activities that pupils complete in lessons so that they acquire the intended learning set out in curriculum plans.
• Leaders should continue to refine and develop the early years curriculum so that the knowledge and skills children need to learn are identified more precisely across all areas of learning.

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