The St Teresa Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 September 2024

Pupils flourish in this kind and welcoming school, where they feel happy and safe. Strong relationships between staff and pupils foster a sense of community. Pupils take on leadership roles, participate in charity work and help out with organising assemblies for each other. These roles help to develop their character and strengthen the school's sense of unity. High expectations are central to the school's ethos. In response, pupils learn well, and this is reflected in very strong outcomes for English and mathematics. However, in some other subjects, the curriculum is, at times, not as successful in supporting pupils to build on their learning as they progress through the school. The school is working successfully to ensure that the curriculum in these subjects fully enables pupils to deepen their understanding over time. Pupils behave extremely well. Pupils understand the school's behaviour expectations. They feel confident turning to trusted adults for support, which enhances their sense of security. The school's inclusive approach ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported to succeed. Parents and carers appreciate the school's nurturing and ambitious ethos. The school's focus on securing ongoing improvements to the quality of education helps to ensure that pupils are well supported, both academically and personally.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, teaching does not check accurately enough what pupils already know. Some teaching does not build effectively on pupils' prior knowledge, and pupils miss out on opportunities to deepen their understanding. The school should strengthen teaching expertise so that what pupils know and understand is determined accurately and this leads to appropriate adaptations to what pupils are taught.
• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is not linked sufficiently well to what pupils already know. Teaching is, at times, not based on a clear understanding of the substantive and disciplinary knowledge that the school wants pupils to develop. These things impact how pupils build their knowledge and skills progressively. The school should ensure that the teaching of the curriculum in these subjects is clearly sequenced and ambitious, enabling pupils to develop a deep understanding over time.

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