Pupils are enthusiastic about attending this school. St Vincent’s is a place where pupils feel safe and learn many new things. They know that their teachers care about them and want them to do well. Pupils say that bullying doesn’t happen, but if pupils fall out, adults help them to resolve their differences. Leaders have created an environment where everyone learns together. Staff show expertise and passion when teaching and make learning interesting and ‘real’. By the time they leave the school, pupils are well prepared for the future. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are strengths of the school. The atmosphere around school is calm and the pupils are eager to learn. All pupils are polite and wellmannered. Pupils mix well with each other during lunchtimes and breaktimes. Teachers have high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils work hard to do well for themselves and their teachers. Pupils are provided with experiences to motivate them to learn. Pupils’ learning stretches beyond the classroom and includes residential and educational visits and visitors, which are planned into the curriculum. A range of after-school clubs brings new experiences, such as fencing and archery, to broaden pupils’ skills. Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are excellent. Parents and carers are supportive of the school. They appreciate that, as one parent remarked, ‘All staff go above and beyond to help pupils’ development and ensure they feel safe and happy when at school.’ What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? Leaders are determined to provide all pupils with a high-quality educational experience, regardless of pupils’ backgrounds or barriers. Consequently, they have created a school in which learning is ambitious, interesting and purposeful. Pupils, regardless of their additional needs or ability, develop well personally and remember what they have been taught. Leaders know the pupils well and have thought carefully about what and how they teach. Planned learning outside the classroom in mathematics, such as the Fiver Challenge, is incorporated into lessons and the wider curriculum experiences to inspire pupils and help them apply their skills and knowledge. There is a highly consistent approach to teaching mathematics through the school. In lessons, pupils go back over key knowledge they have previously been taught. Pupils show thorough understanding of the methods they are taught and are confident when tackling problems. They say the methods they have learned make solving problems easy. Teachers know and understand the whole curriculum across the school in each subject. Therefore, they build on pupils’ previous knowledge successfully. Reading is a priority. Children are taught to read as soon as they enter the school. Teachers use information from assessments to ensure extra support is given to pupils who fall behind to help them become more confident readers. Pupils enjoy reading during shared story time. Teachers use this as an opportunity to develop pupils’ wider spiritual, social, moral and cultural understanding. For example, they learn about the rights of refugees in ‘No Ballet Shoes in Syria’. In Reception, children settle into school life quickly. Staff have high expectations. Children get off to a fast start when learning their sounds and the skill of forming their letters. Staff provide many opportunities for children to write independently. Leaders across the school have developed and established a well-structured curriculum. They use educational research and what they want pupils to know to inform curriculum planning. In history, the content is sequenced chronologically, with concepts threading through each year group. As a result, pupils learn how to think critically and balance evidence. Pupils enjoy learning about important events and characters in the past, especially those related to their local area, such as coal mining and shipbuilding. A strength of the school is how it develops pupils’ life skills and values. Staff are trained well to support pupils’ mental health. Teachers model respect and kindness and pupils pay close attention to the needs of others. The school participates in ‘Money Wise’, where they learn the value of money and benefits of saving. Staff pay attention to what pupils say about important life values such as relationships. Leaders ensure pupils have the knowledge and understanding they need to form loving, stable relationships. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. Teachers know the needs of each pupil and write plans to support pupils to help them achieve their best. Teaching assistants provide expert help for pupils with SEND, making learning manageable for pupils. Teachers say that leaders take practical measures to support their workload. Regular meetings occur to support teachers in managing their workload. They feel valued and well supported. Every member of staff shares in the values of the school and the aspirations for pupils.