St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 December 2024

Pupils flourish in a close and supportive community atmosphere. The school's use of the quotation 'I have called you by your name; you are mine' is taken literally. Pupils feel like the school is an extended family. The sense of togetherness at break times and in classrooms is remarkably strong. Pupils understand the high expectations of their community. They consistently rise to meet these. Pupils, from the Reception class onwards, take great pride in their learning and relish feedback and improvement. As a result, they achieve well by the end of Year 6 and are more than ready for secondary school. Pupils relish opportunities to be good citizens. Pupils feel happy and safe in the school. This comes from their trust in the impeccable behaviour of their peers and the care adults show them. The opportunities to be community leaders or the highly successful 'Eco committee' are treasured. Pupils see these opportunities not as extra work but a chance to live their ambition of making the world a better place. This means that pupils from the Reception class onwards are motivated to be in school. This is reflected in their exceptionally positive attitudes to learning and their high levels of attendance.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, including early reading, the school has not consistently monitored teaching, and some teachers do not receive feedback on improving their teaching with enough rigour. This creates gaps in teaching quality and hinders some pupils' progress. Leaders should evaluate teaching effectively and provide staff with the necessary guidance to teach the curriculum confidently and effectively.

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