School wins glowing praise from inspector

St Paul's RCVA Primary School, in Alnwick, is once again celebrating a successful inspection report.
Pupils at St Pauls RCVA Primary School, in Alnwick.Pupils at St Pauls RCVA Primary School, in Alnwick.
Pupils at St Pauls RCVA Primary School, in Alnwick.

Following a good Ofsted report earlier in the academic year, the Catholic school – which has just finished its first year as a complete primary school – was inspected by the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in June.

The Diocesan inspector reported that the Catholic life of the school is outstanding and the school’s overall effectiveness was good. This dropped from outstanding from the previous report.

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The inspector stated: ‘Catholic ethos and faith are central to the school with a shared commitment to celebrating the achievement of all.

‘High expectations, dedicated staff, effective teamwork and a strong sense of community underpin all aspects of the school’s work. Collective worship is good and is centred on clear themes and messages. Pupils act with reverence and respect.’

The report adds that it is a well-led school, ‘the majority of teaching is at least good with some outstanding’, and ‘the governing body fulfils its role well, offering support, but also confident in their ability to challenge.’

The report adds: ‘Key areas for improvement have been identified and actions taken. However, because of the short time frame as a primary school, the impact of some of these actions is not yet apparent.’

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Headteacher Maria Wilson said: “To achieve good across both Ofsted and Diocesan inspections in our first year as a full primary school is a massive achievement. This success is a reflection of the commitment of our whole school community.”