St Paul's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 November 2023

Pupils are happy and proud to be members of this vibrant school. They welcome newly arrived pupils and support them to quickly form strong friendships. Pupils actively involve others in their play and seek to support anyone who needs help. They value the diverse school community, being curious to learn more about each other's different backgrounds. Pupils talk about the school being 'a family' where everyone is accepted. Pupils respond positively to the school's high ambitions. They work hard in lessons and respond with determination when they find learning tricky. They develop confidence by working together to solve problems. At playtime, pupils from across year groups share equipment and play well together. They demonstrate respectful behaviour across the school which reflects the 'St Paul's Principles'. The staff know pupils well. Pupils thrive in the school's open culture, where they find staff are always approachable. If pupils experience challenging circumstances, they promptly receive strong pastoral support. They are confident about reporting any worries, either to staff or through the 'worry monsters'. Support is quickly put in place, which means pupils feel safe and trust staff to provide effective help.

What the school should improve

• In some foundation subjects, assessment does not identify knowledge gaps or routinely revisit earlier learning. This means some pupils do not develop secure understanding or remember important knowledge in these subjects over time. The school needs to embed the new approach to assessment in foundation subjects, so this supports pupils to develop accurate understanding and to retain knowledge over time.

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