St Teresa of Lisieux Catholic Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 March 2025

Staff know pupils well. Strong and positive relationships are evident across the school. Staff effectively support pupils' physical and mental well-being. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and for pupils with more complex SEND who attend the Nest. The school has high aspirations for all pupils. However, pupils' achievement is variable. This is particularly true for older pupils. Some of these pupils are not as well prepared as they need to be for secondary education. They have not developed the fluency that they will need in reading, writing and mathematics. Most pupils enjoy school. They strive to follow the school's values. The majority of pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They get on well with each other, including at social times. Pupils are keen to earn the many 'ALIVE' rewards on offer for trying their best and being kind to others. Staff deal with infrequent incidents of poorer behaviour well. Pupils are eager to learn about the world beyond the school gates. The school ensures that pupils are well informed about how to stay safe, including in their local community. Pupils enjoy school trips. These include singing at the cathedral and in nearby care homes.

What the school should improve

• The school's curriculum is not focused sufficiently well on the most important information that pupils need to know. Pupils struggle to understand, recall and apply their learning in a number of subjects, including mathematics. The school should consider what knowledge is crucial to prepare pupils effectively for their next stages of education and refine the curriculum accordingly.
• The school does not address the considerable gaps in pupils' knowledge with sufficient rigour. Pupils are not well prepared for their next stage of education as a result. The school should make sure that pupils successfully develop a secure body of knowledge as they progress from one year group to another.
• The leadership of some key areas of the school is underdeveloped. This means that staff are not as well supported as they should be in ensuring that all pupils learn as well as they can. The trust should ensure that leaders have the knowledge and expertise that they need to carry out their respective roles efficiently and effectively.
• There is inconsistency in how accurately the school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers are well-equipped to ensure that pupils with SEND receive a consistently high-quality education.

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