St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 April 2024

There is a solid sense of community at St Benet's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School. The Catholic ethos is palpable within this inclusive, welcoming community. Adults know pupils well. Strong, trusting relationships are evident. Pupils are proud of their school. Pupils are respectful of one another and of staff. Playtimes are joyful occasions. Older pupils act as buddies. They support younger children in their play. Some pupils are what the school calls 'Happiness Heroes'. They keep a watchful eye on their peers to ensure everyone is happy and safe. Pupils who need a quiet space enjoy playing games in the 'you are not alone club'. Pupils are safe in school. They know that staff or an anti-bullying ambassador will help them if they have any worries. The school has high expectations for all pupils. Pupils respond well to these expectations. They work hard in lessons and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly in most subjects. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The development of pupils' character is exceptional. The school provides a vast range of leadership opportunities for pupils. Pupils speak with pride and enthusiasm about their roles. They say their voice is listened to and valued.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the school's delivery of curriculum content and use of assessment to identify, and address, gaps in pupils' knowledge is not as effective as it needs to be. This is limiting the achievement of pupils in some subjects. The school should provide training and support for staff so that they can implement the curriculum successfully and assess pupils' understanding effectively in order to ensure that pupils develop knowledge and skills consistently well across the curriculum.
• The school does not deliver its early reading scheme consistently. This means that some pupils do not receive the precise support they need to help them to read as quickly, or successfully, as they could. The school should review the training it provides to staff to ensure that all staff have the expertise to implement the early reading scheme successfully.

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