Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Whitley Bay

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 May 2024

Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is an inclusive and welcoming school. Relationships between pupils and staff are caring and strong. Staff know pupils very well. Pupils rise to the high expectations that adults have for them in their respectful interactions with each other and the adults in school. Pupils are kept safe. They talk confidently about how they can keep themselves safe online, eat healthy foods, develop fitness and keep safe when out and about in the community. Pupils trust the adults who work with them to support them if they have a concern. Pupils behave well in class and around school grounds. They move around the school calmly and with respect for each other. Some pupils have struggled to manage their own behaviour. Staff respond to these pupils with skill and patience. They provide pupils with the support and guidance they need to behave better. Bullying is very rare. Records show that, when it does happen, staff act quickly to stop it. This helps pupils to feel safe. The school ensures the staff plan for pupils' personal development throughout the school day. Pupils have opportunities to take part in activities, such as supporting local charities, enjoying dance clubs and developing their understanding of the local community. Where needed, pupils can take part in groups to support them to cope with bereavement or other things, which may be affecting their resilience or mental health.

What the school should improve

• In a minority of subjects, the school's curriculum is not developed as well as it could be. Opportunities for pupils to build on their prior learning are limited. This means that some pupils do not make as much progress as they move through the school as they could. The school needs to further develop the curriculum in these subjects to ensure that pupils are able to know and remember more over time.
• For some pupils with SEND, the school's curriculum and classroom task choices are not considered well enough. This means that these pupils find it hard to access the planned learning in class, which, in turn, hampers their progress. The school needs to ensure the curriculum and task choices for all pupils with SEND are well adapted so that they can fully engage in learning in classrooms.

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