Pupils love learning and make exceptional progress at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Sunderland, according to a new Ofsted report.
The primary, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, was inspected by Ofsted in January.
Ofsted lead inspector Belita Scott said in the report: “This welcoming school has the very highest academic expectations of its pupils. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils achieve standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well above the national average. Pupils love learning at St Joseph’s. They are very well prepared for the demands of secondary education.
“They appreciate the supportive environment, which they describe as ‘loving and caring’. Pupils behave exceedingly well in lessons. They have first-class attitudes to learning. Pupils behave well at the less-structured times of the school day too. They know right from wrong. Friendship fixers and playground buddies help staff to ensure breaktimes are harmonious. Currently, members of the pupils’ parliament are supporting the school to develop outdoor play and learning further.”
The pupils’ behaviour is described as “exemplary” in the report, which adds that they are highly respectful of each other, their teachers and the school. They also carry out roles of responsibility such as school parliamentarians, “willingly and confidently”.
The school provides a safe place of learning for children and their families and diversity is celebrated throughout the school’s curriculum. Pupils also enjoy the school’s wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as glow stick dancing and musical theatre.
“The exciting curriculum is enhanced through educational visits in the locality and wider afield, including residential experiences in Key Stage 2,” continued the report.
“Pupils make exceptional progress across the curriculum. The school’s provision for early reading, writing and mathematics is of extremely high quality. The school ensures that pupils retrieve, recall and use the knowledge they have learned regularly. The school’s curriculum is adapted well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND make excellent progress.
“In the early years, teachers and teaching assistants model the correct use of language constantly. Children, including the very large proportion who speak English as an additional language, learn quickly from this emphasis on developing communication and language.”
Executive headteacher Marie Graham said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ofsted has recognised the dedication, passion and hard work of our staff, our wonderful pupils, governors, the support from our parents and carers, and our wider school community.
“It highlights the exemplary behaviour we see at St Joseph’s, our kind and caring children who are very welcoming and who always show so much respect, and the highest academic expectations we all have for our children. We couldn’t be prouder of what we have accomplished together.”
For more information about St Joseph’s on Rutland Street, please visit www.stjosephssunderland.school
For more information about BCCET, please visit www.bccet.org.uk
ENDS
Photo captions: Executive headteacher Marie Graham and Adele Toward, Head of School, with pupils of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Sunderland.
Notes to editors: Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection, Ofsted gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be Good for its overall effectiveness. Ofsted has now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. Evidence gathered during this ungraded inspection suggests that the work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.
Press release issued by SASS media on behalf of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust. For more information, contact Sarah Dale on 07814 976582.