St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 June 2026

Pupils enter school calmly each day. They are proud to belong to a welcoming school community. Pupils behave well. They form positive relationships with an established staff team. Pupils show respect towards others and are consistently polite. They follow the well-established routines that are in place. Pupils attend school regularly and with enthusiasm. Children in the early years thrive because of the well-considered care practices and highly effective support that is in place. Children show curiosity and wonder as they learn with excitement and increasing independence. They flourish as they access the well-thought-out activities in the learning environment. Pupils enjoy learning. They achieve well as they progress through the school’s well-established curriculum, so that they are ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils are confident and use subject-specific vocabulary well. Year 6 pupils consistently attain above the national average in statutory tests and assessments. They are well prepared for secondary school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning typically receive the support they need to learn well alongside their peers. Pupils are safe. They know how to keep themselves safe online, in water and by the railway. Pupils learn important life skills. They learn how to administer first aid and when to use the recovery position to help someone in need. Pupils hold leadership roles. Every child in the Reception Year has a Year 6 ‘buddy’ who acts as a positive role model at social times. Pupils play well together and make use of the activities that staff provide at social times. They make friends. Pupils have a trusted adult they can speak to if they need help. Bullying is rare and is dealt with by staff effectively. Pupils access an extensive range of after-school activities and purposeful visits, including residentials trips. They learn sports which are new to them, like lacrosse. Pupils take part in inter-school sports. They are enthusiastic about school life.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies more effectively to identify and address the gaps that pupils have in their learning.
• Leaders should refine their checks on how well the curriculum is delivered so that teachers are even better equipped to enable pupils to achieve highly.

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