The Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 July 2022

Relationships between pupils and adults are strong. There is a strong sense of community within the school. Pupils develop well both academically and socially. Pupils have opportunities to contribute to the school and wider community. They talk enthusiastically about how they raise money for different charities. This includes a fundraising fun run and donating flowers to a local nursing home. Pupils understand the school's virtues well, such as resilience, forgiveness or self-control. They say that this helps them to contribute to the lives of others. There is an ambitious academic curriculum in place for pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning in different subjects. Leaders, staff, parents, carers and pupils understand that reading is the gateway to future learning. Reading is given the highest priority. Pupils feel safe at this school. They know that if they are worried about something an adult will help them. Bullying does happen occasionally. Adults take bullying seriously and deal with it effectively. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in lessons and during the less structured times of the school day. Leaders have ensured that there are clear routines in place. Pupils have a positive attitude to their learning. Pupils benefit from taking part in a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities.

What the school should improve

• The way that teachers use assessment to plan pupils' next steps varies across curriculum subjects. As a result, some teachers sometimes plan work which does not revisit the missing pieces of knowledge that pupils need to remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers assess consistently to plan work which is matched precisely to what pupils know and need to learn next.
• Some of the targets that teachers set for pupils with SEND are not specific enough. The support that pupils receive is not consistently matched to their needs to ensure that they are successful. Leaders should ensure that targets for pupils with SEND are clear and measurable and that the provision being put in place to achieve these targets is regularly reviewed and refined.

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