St Francis Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 July 2026

Pupils enjoy coming to St Francis. They describe their school as a caring, compassionate and welcoming place to learn. Pupils feel that they belong because staff know them well and understand their individual needs. Adults listen to pupils and support them to overcome any difficulties they may be facing. This helps pupils who face barriers to learning or wellbeing take a full part in school life alongside their peers. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education because they develop secure knowledge and skills by the end of key stage 2. They speak positively about their learning. Practical activities help pupils understand and remember new ideas. For example, younger pupils act out quarter turns and half turns in mathematics, while older pupils redesign a parachute and investigate how air resistance affects its movement. These experiences help pupils apply their learning confidently in different contexts. Pupils build positive relationships with one another and treat each other with respect. They speak thoughtfully about equality and fairness. They behave generally well in lessons. At social times they enjoy playing together. Bullying is not a problem. Adults deal with any concerns quickly. Pupils feel safe in school and understand how to keep themselves safe online. They know which adults they can talk to if they are worried and trust staff to help them. Most pupils attend school regularly. Pupils take part in activities beyond the classroom that add to their learning and personal development. They contribute positively to the wider community by supporting charities and taking flowers to local care home residents. Within school, pupils take responsibility through leadership roles and by organising sports activities for younger pupils. These experiences help pupils develop a sense of responsibility and understand how they can make a positive difference.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that, across the wider curriculum, teaching is adapted precisely to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and to ensure that the most able pupils continue to deepen and extend their learning.
• Leaders should broaden the range of wider opportunities available to pupils throughout the year so that their personal development is strengthened further.
• Leaders should refine outdoor learning in the early years so that children benefit from the same high-quality interactions and learning opportunities that they experience indoors.
• Leaders and governors should strengthen strategic oversight of the school’s work by using information with greater precision to identify priorities sharply and evaluate the impact of improvement work.

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