St Paul's Catholic Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 March 2026

Pupils at St Paul’s feel loved, valued and included in day-to-day school life. Staff know pupils well and promote an ethos rooted in the school’s values. They encourage kindness, respect and forgiveness. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and trusting. This helps to ensure that pupils are safe and secure. Pupils are encouraged to be confident and caring individuals. Over time, many pupils have not been well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Leaders have not acted with sufficient urgency to address weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum. There are inconsistencies in teaching and how effectively teachers check what pupils know and understand. This means that pupils often experience variation in the quality of their learning from day to day. Pupils’ academic progress through the curriculum and attainment across subjects is typically low. Despite these weaknesses, pupils benefit from a warm, caring community. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and for the most part, pupils meet these expectations. Pupils who require additional support to engage positively in their learning receive timely help. They enjoy their learning and take it seriously. Generally, they engage well in lessons and support one another effectively. Pupils report that if bullying happens, they know that staff will help to sort it out. They are proud of their ‘be a buddy, not a bully’ campaign. The school offers a range of broad and enriching experiences beyond lessons. Faith-based events, sports, leadership roles and community activities help pupils to learn to be responsible. Leaders provide chances for pupils to grow their confidence and to be leaders. Pupils engage positively with school life. Through the curriculum and wider activities, pupils learn about the importance of equality and to respect diversity. They understand what it means to be an active member of the school, as well as local and national communities.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should improve teaching of foundational knowledge, including in transcription and mathematical fluency, so that pupils across all year groups are supported to learn the knowledge and skills they need to build their fluency and accuracy over time.
• Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching, including using assessment information securely to address gaps in pupils' knowledge, is embedded across the school so that all pupils are ready for the next stage in their education.
• Those responsible for governance should improve their strategic oversight and scrutiny of the school's work and support leaders to deliver precise and timely action that leads to the necessary improvements.

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