'Good' Ofsted inspection for Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

This comes four years after a previous inspection labelled the school as 'requiring improvement'

According to the report: "Pupils are proud and happy to come to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School. They talk about how the school’s values support them to be kind, respectful and show tolerance. They know that all people should be treated equally, regardless of differences. 

"Pupils are polite and considerate towards adults and each other. Adults’ expectations of behaviour are high. Pupils respond well to this and say that they feel safe. Bullying is rare, but if it does happen, pupils are confident that adults will deal with it.   

"Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. They talk about the wide range of books they study as they progress through the school. They understand how these link to learning in other subjects.  Pupils take part in a wide range of activities beyond the academic curriculum. This helps to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils take part in chaplaincy, dance, chess and sports clubs. Trips support learning across the curriculum. Pupils develop their leadership skills through their roles as librarians and school councillors."

The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, design and technology and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  

The report said: "Subject leadership is developing. In many subjects, leaders have a clear understanding of the curriculum and support teaching staff well. Where this is less developed, leaders do not evaluate the impact of the curriculum precisely enough. This means they do not always know how well pupils are learning. 

"In some subjects, such as mathematics and early reading, teaching makes good use of assessment to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, this is not the case in all subjects. In some subjects, learning does not always build on what pupils know. This is because staff do not match teaching to pupils’ starting points. Pupils learn less well in these subjects. 

"Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. Pupils can explain why fundamental British values, such as democracy and the rule of law, are important. Pupils are respectful of other people’s beliefs. They recognise that it is important to learn about different world religions. They are proud of their work to support local and national charities. They understand how this helps people in need. 

"There are clear systems in place for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that staff receive the training they need. Teachers adapt activities so that pupils with SEND can follow the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders work with external agencies to support those with the highest level of need. Leaders are developing effective systems to involve parents, carers and pupils in the review of targets and to evaluate the impact of support."