St Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 March 2026

St Nicholas of Tolentine is a safe haven for pupils. They arrive each day with a smile on their face and a desire to learn. Staff care deeply about pupils and their families. A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. Many join and leave the school at different points of their education. This impacts on their overall attendance. Leaders are relentless in their drive to ensure that the attendance for most groups of pupils is improving. Over time, the curriculum and teaching have not been effective. Some pupils do not learn as well as they should. This is reflected in pupils' low achievement in national assessments. In addition, gaps in pupils’ learning remain because the checks teachers make are not consistently effective. This is particularly true in the wider curriculum. Staff foster positive and trusting relationships. They fully understand and reduce the barriers that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged face. Pupils and staff are proud to be part of this rich and diverse community. There is a real sense of belonging. In the early years, children follow the routines well. Pupils meet staff’s high expectations of behaviour. Across the school, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. The personal development offer is a golden thread that runs through the school’s work. Pupils have an impressive understanding of fundamental British values, such as the rule of law and mutual respect. They reflect this in how considerate they are of one another and staff. As a result, incidents of bullying are rare. If they do occur, staff deal with them quickly. Pupils benefit from opportunities designed to develop their interests and broaden their horizons. For example, they learn musical instruments, including strings and brass. Pupils play an active role as advocates for looking after the environment. These opportunities help them to be responsible citizens and thrive.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to check pupils' learning and adapt teaching so that pupils build the depth of knowledge they need across the wider curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils across the school achieve better outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics so they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders and governors should monitor the curriculum to ensure teaching and pupils' achievement improve with sufficient speed and rigour.

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