St Ursula's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 July 2023

The school is a welcoming community where relationships are warm and respectful. This ensures that pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school. Pupils attend school regularly and are highly motivated to do well. The curriculum is broad. Pupils produce work of good quality and are typically well-prepared for the next stage of their education. They appreciate that teachers want them to achieve their best. Pupils' behaviour is excellent. This is because the school's core values, including kindness and forgiveness, are part of the culture. Expectations of conduct are understood and consistently applied by all. Pupils appreciate any disputes being resolved quickly because adults deal with things immediately. Mental health and well-being have a high status. Adults provide exceptional support to pupils in managing their emotions and feelings. For example, pupils use personal diaries to reflect on and recognise their well-being. Pupils appreciate that staff listen to their views and ideas. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access a broad range of extra-curricular activities that promote and develop their talents and interests.

What the school should improve

• Some lower-attaining pupils and those with SEND are not consistently supported to access the curriculum. As a result, these pupils do not develop a sufficiently deep understanding in different subjects. Leaders must ensure that staff receive the necessary training to develop their expertise in recognising the barriers and needs pupils have. Leaders should also support staff to adapt tasks and activities appropriately. Teachers should check these pupils' understanding more consistently so that any errors or misconceptions are swiftly identified and corrected.
• The curriculum in some subjects is at an earlier stage of development. In these instances, pupils do not consistently learn and remember more. Leaders must ensure that subject leaders continue their work to develop the curriculum by defining the content and appropriate tasks that enable pupils to build, consolidate and revisit their knowledge.

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