St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 January 2025

Pupils are proud to be members of this warm and welcoming school. They behave well and value the positive relationships that they have with their teachers and other staff. Pupils get along well with each other. They are safe and happy in school. Pupils enjoy playing their part in the local community. They are learning to be good modern British citizens. They understand the importance of helping others and of taking on responsibility. For example, pupils are proud to have raised money for different charities and enjoyed taking part in a neighbourhood litter pick. The school is ambitious for all pupils. It provides effective support to help pupils achieve well. Pupils who require extra help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from the expertise and encouragement provided by knowledgeable and caring staff. The school has made a priority of providing pupils with a range of enrichment experiences. Staff and pupils spoke enthusiastically about a recent visit to the theatre. Some pupils were able to take part in an exciting programme with a prestigious university in which they designed a 'school for the future'. Pupils enjoy attending a variety of after- school sports and arts activities.

What the school should improve

• The school has not ensured that pupils have secured the fundamental skills in writing they need before they move on to more complex writing tasks. This means some pupils' written work is hampered by weaknesses in handwriting, spelling and basic punctuation. The school should prioritise developing and embedding pupils' core writing skills so they are able to write with greater fluency and accuracy over time.

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