St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Chipping

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
• Attendance is strong, with rates above average and persistent absence below average.
• Pupils' behaviour is typically respectful, self-controlled and cooperative, and lessons are largely free from disruption.
• Inclusion is a strength; leaders remove barriers and ensure pupils with SEND receive well-organised support.
• Leaders have a deep knowledge of primary education, SEND, safeguarding and research, and they review the school accurately.
• Staff wellbeing is high, teamwork is effective, and leaders consider staff workload.
• Governors bring suitable expertise and keep a suitable check on the school's work.
• Pupils feel safe, are known well individually, and receive effective pastoral support.
• Pupils enjoy reading and build their reading and phonics skills reasonably well.
• Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics combined is above average, as are Year 6 reading and mathematics and Year 4 multiplication.
• Early years staff are caring and use questions and stories effectively to support children's thinking and love of reading.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of personal development opportunities, including clubs, local fell walks, swimming, woodland activities and careers visitors.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement needs attention because some pupils do not develop the spelling, punctuation, grammar or handwriting skills they need for the next stage.
• In some curriculum subjects, pupils cannot explain aspects of their knowledge in depth.
• Some teaching does not ensure pupils think enough about lesson content or take part in learning activities as well as they should.
• Curriculum and teaching need attention because some tasks do not extend pupils' thinking or participation effectively.
• Teaching sometimes does not cultivate pupils' basic skills of spelling, handwriting, punctuation and grammar effectively enough in each key stage.
• Early years needs attention because some children do not form letters as well as they could by the time they move to Year 1.
• Personal development and wellbeing need attention because pupils' knowledge of fundamental British values is not well developed.
• Leaders should ensure staff select and use tasks that develop pupils' thinking and participation in lessons effectively.
• Leaders should make sure pupils, including children in the early years, develop their knowledge of handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar so they can communicate accurately.
• Leaders should build pupils' knowledge of fundamental British values so they understand how these connect to their day-to-day lives.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools