St Joachim's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 December 2025

Pupils are proud to be part of a happy, caring school community. They enjoy learning. Pupils are safe. They know there is always a trusted member of staff to speak to if they have any concerns. Bullying is rare but, if it happens, staff deal with it quickly and effectively. In lessons and around the school, pupils demonstrate very positive behaviour. They are sensible and polite. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are few. These are swiftly dealt with by staff. Pupils learn to respect differences and celebrate the things that people have in common. Leaders are ambitious for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have barriers to their learning. Pupils' needs are identified and effective support is typically put in place. Some pupils receive additional, targeted support from staff, others use adapted resources to help them learn independently. This ensures that pupils make secure progress from their starting points and are prepared for the next stage of their education. By the time pupils leave the school they achieve broadly in line with national outcomes across the curriculum. Pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities to broaden and extend their learning. For example, there is a rich offer of trips, including visits to Paris and Rome and a chance to enjoy museums and galleries across London. Pupils speak enthusiastically about their learning on these excursions. They have access to the many different clubs provided, such as chess and archery. Pupils benefit from a very well-designed personal development offer intended to raise the aspirations of all pupils, while developing their talents and interests further. This wider provision ensures that pupils want to come to school each morning. Pupils' attendance continues to improve.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to make effective choices about what to teach, when and how to teach it to ensure that all pupils learn the intended curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to more effectively develop pupils' early writing skills, specifically pencil grip and handwriting, so that they can write with confidence and fluency.

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