Mansfield primary school is ‘good’ but some areas ‘declining' says Ofsted

St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School is a ‘happy and caring school’ with ‘well behaved pupils, looked after well’ according to a newly published report by education watchdog Ofsted.

However, inspectors highlighted some areas of concern’ at the Ling Forest Road school, following their two-day visit in July.

The report said pupils enjoyed learning, ‘worked hard’ in lessons and listened carefully to teachers who made lessons ‘engaging’.

It said pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities got the help needed and were ‘supported well’, while the views of pupils, staff and parents were ‘unanimously positive’.

One parent told Ofsted: “All staff have the very best interest of my child at heart. My child feels safe and valued.”

The maths curriculum was also ‘planned well’, pupils had caught up in parts after the pandemic, lessons were taught ‘consistently well’ and science, computing and physical education ‘made clear’ what pupils should learn and know, although music, art, and design and technology lacked ‘clarity for what pupils should learn and when’.

The report said teaching children to read was a ‘high priority’, with teachers promoting a ‘love of reading’ and the children had an ‘impressive knowledge of books and authors’.

Improvement

However, some subjects were found to be ‘not planned well enough’.

The inspector pointed to pupils ‘not gaining the knowledge they needed’ in some subjects to be well prepared for the next stage of their education’.

The report found curriculum plan sequencing ‘needed improvement’.

It said: “The plans do not make clear the most important things that pupils need to know and remember. Pupils, in some subjects, do not remember what they have learned over time.

“Leaders should ensure curriculum plans in all subjects are well sequenced and set out the most important things that pupils need to know and remember.

“Curriculum plans for the early years do not make clear what children should learn and when. Leaders should ensure the curriculum for early years sets out what children should learn and when.”

The school has been approached for comment.

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