St Bede's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 March 2026

Pupils are proud to be part of the community of learning at St Bede's. They feel safe in school and behave well. Leaders address rare allegations of bullying immediately. Pupils show respect to each other, staff and visitors. They understand individual differences and treat everyone with tolerance. They attend happily, regularly and on time. Children make a positive start to school life in the early years and settle in quickly. They join in stories, rhymes and songs with enthusiasm. Reading has very high priority throughout the school, and pupils and staff love to read together. Pupils talk about their favourite books and authors with knowledge and confidence. Reading is promoted by regular visits to the local library. Parents and carers appreciate the opportunities they have to be part of school life. For example, as part of World Book Day, they shared books and breakfast in school with their children. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. The school meets the needs of individual pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, increasingly well. Pupils are excited to learn the school's new curriculum, which is delivered by highly trained staff. The well-sequenced curriculum is enriched by regular educational visits and visitors. Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning throughout the school. The standards they are reaching in reading, writing and mathematics continue to improve year-on-year. Pupils are increasingly well prepared for their next stage in education. The school communicates with parents and carers well through face-to-face meetings, online apps, the termly 'St Bede’s Bugle' magazine and half-termly newsletters. Parents appreciate leaders' visibility on the playground at the beginning and end of the school day. They are overwhelmingly positive about the changes in school since the last inspection.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the development of pupils' foundational knowledge in writing, such as pencil grip and letter formation, is given higher priority throughout the school.
• Leaders should regularly evaluate the impact of the school’s 2 new enhanced provisions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, focusing on how these support pupils’ behaviour and academic progress across the school.
• Leaders should ensure that children’s learning opportunities in the early years outdoor environment are as effective as those provided indoors, specifically in supporting children's language and vocabulary development.

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