St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Coundon

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 April 2024

The school has experienced an unsettled time. There have been many changes to staffing. Leaders on all levels are determined for all pupils to succeed, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Since the poor outcomes achieved by pupils at the end of key stage 2 in 2023, leaders have made important changes to improve the quality of education. These changes are beginning to make a difference. However, in some subjects, pupils do not achieve well enough. Pupils are happy and well cared for in this school. Pupils know where to get help if they need it. This helps pupils to feel safe. The school is a calm environment where pupils focus on their learning. Pupils value each other's individuality. For example, in assemblies, pupils enjoy recognition for showing compassion to others. This helps to inspire pupils to be good citizens. The school ensures that pupils benefit from a wide range of activities to develop their interests and build character. Activities include introducing pupils to sports they may not have tried before, such as bocce ball and fencing. Pupils enjoy participating in fundraising events such as the 'Turkey Trot', where they make headdresses and complete a run to raise money for a local foodbank.

What the school should improve

• The school does not consistently check what pupils know and remember, including for pupils with SEND. This means that teaching does not address the gaps in pupils' knowledge of mathematics and reading as effectively as it could. The school should ensure that all staff use the school's assessment processes consistently well.
• The school has made recent improvements to leadership. In some areas, the school does not have clear systems to monitor and improve provision for pupils. This limits how well leaders understand what is working well and what needs to improve. The school needs to continue to develop their leadership processes to allow them to improve outcomes for all pupils effectively.
• Children in early years do not develop their learning well enough across all areas of the curriculum. This includes children's communication and language development. The school needs to ensure that the early years curriculum focuses on the key knowledge and skills that children need to learn in each of the prime and specific areas so that they are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

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