St. Clare's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 April 2024

Everyone is welcome at St Clare's Catholic Primary. Teachers build positive relationships with pupils. The school celebrates people of all faiths and backgrounds. There is a strong sense of community. Pupils benefit from a supportive ethos where forgiveness and trust are highly valued. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They speak with maturity about some of the concepts they learn, such as the importance of democracy. Pupils behave well in lessons. Most pupils enjoy learning. On rare occasions, some pupils lose focus. Staff get them back on track quickly. The curriculum is designed well. Children in the early years get off to a strong start. The school prioritises language development, which prepares children well for key stage 1. The school is highly effective in supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school quickly identifies pupils' needs and makes sure that they get the right support. At social times, pupils play well together. They enjoy one another's company. Some pupils have responsibilities in the school, such as representing their peers on the school council. Pupils enjoy fundraising for charity. They take ownership of these activities and choose the charities that the school supports. This allows pupils to actively support the wider community.

What the school should improve

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. However, a minor administrative weakness means that some record-keeping lacks sufficient clarity and detail. Pupils are still safe. The school, supported by the trust, should ensure that record-keeping is improved and closely monitored so that the school consistently maintains the highest standard.
• In some subjects, teachers sometimes choose tasks that do not draw pupils' attention to the most important knowledge and skills that they need to remember. When this happens, pupils do not secure that most important knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers know what to emphasise and design activities that help pupils remember the most important learning. Staff should then check that pupils have understood it.

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