St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 June 2026

Pupils enjoy coming to St Matthew’s. They feel proud to belong to this friendly and welcoming school. Pupils feel safe and know that there are many trusted adults they can speak with if they need to. Bullying is unusual, but pupils know that if it were to happen, adults would sort it out. Pupils are positive and respectful of each other and staff. They know the school motto of ‘be the best that I can be’ and strive to demonstrate this in their actions around school. Leaders and staff support pupils well to realise this motto, both academically and in their personal development. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Pupils enjoy their learning. Leaders have recently developed the curriculum, ensuring that it is well sequenced and relevant to the pupils’ needs, interests and context. For example, pupils learn about the history of Bradford and how it has changed in recent years. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about their learning and can recall knowledge from previous units of work. Classrooms are calm, purposeful environments, and pupils typically engage well with their learning. Pupils, including those with SEND or who are disadvantaged, make positive progress through the curriculum from their starting points. The attendance for some pupils, however, is not high enough. This means that some pupils are missing out on important education. The school includes all pupils in its wider, extra-curricular offer. This involves activities to enrich pupils' learning and provide experiences that they may not otherwise have. The school offers a variety of clubs and educational visits. Pupils particularly enjoy the leadership opportunities that are available to them. These help them to develop their confidence and make a difference to their school community.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue their work to improve pupils' attendance, including for the most disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders should ensure that there is sufficient focus on handwriting, letter formation and pencil grip so that all pupils build fluency and accuracy in their writing.
• Leaders should ensure that children in the early years consistently benefit from high-quality interactions with adults so that they make secure progress through the curriculum and achieve their potential.

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