St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 March 2022

Pupils at this school are polite and welcoming. They have positive relationships with each other based on mutual respect. Pupils who are kind to others are recognised with a special award. This is a diverse and inclusive school where pupils' differences are celebrated. Staff have high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils are safe and have at least one adult they can talk to if they are worried. They appreciate having a counsellor on site they can go to with bigger issues. Pupils behave well in class and around the school. Bullying does sometimes occur. When it does happen, it is dealt with seriously by staff, although it is not centrally recorded. Pupils enjoy the large outdoor area. A choice of play activities is on offer. Pupils make good use of their reading gardens where a broad selection of reading material is made available for them at playtimes. A wide selection of clubs are also provided, and these are in high demand. These range from sports clubs to art and music groups. Pupils are proud to represent their school in competitions against other schools. Responsibilities across the school are encouraged. Digital leaders and those in the school council are active members of the school community.

What the school should improve

• Although leaders have ensured their curriculum is broad and balanced, not all subjects are clearly planned and assessed as well as they could be. The clarity and quality of curriculum plans are variable. In some subjects, there is more of an emphasis on skills, and assessment of key knowledge is not in place. Subsequently, teachers are not always sure of what the gaps are in pupils' knowledge. Leaders must make sure that all subjects are coherently planned and sequenced. They must identify specific cumulative knowledge and clear end- points they can assess pupils against.

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