St Clare’s Catholic Primary School is a one-form entry primary school in Middlesborough. In the parish of St. Clare of Assisi, the school is proud of its Catholic identity, with pupils inspired by the school’s mission to “walk in the light”. It has a lower-than-national-average population of free school meal, SEN, and EAL students, though these groups are established and uplifted within the school community. Collaboration is at the heart of the St. Clare’s community; despite being a ‘small’ school, every member of staff, from the caretaker to the Headteacher, is fully committed to providing the best education possible to all their students. Every member of the school community is part of its success as a welcoming and inclusive educational community.
The commitment to quality teaching and learning is present across the entire school. Rapid and sustained progress is notable amongst children at the school. Dual-coded knowledge prompts are used in pupils’ books to support their recall skills. A decline in outcomes in KS2 Maths was quickly addressed, with the implementation of an improvement plan designed from analysis carried out by the Deputy Headteacher and Maths Lead. This is just one of many initiatives taken by the school to improve the learning outcomes of all pupils, alongside a robust CPD package for parents and staff. Indeed, all policies are designed with pupils at the front and centre. The “think sensory not behaviour” approach means that young people receive a sensory diet that allows them to manage the school day and continue to excel. Staff regularly engage with the Trust’s CPD offering and collaborate with the Local Authority to ensure substantive knowledge and provision for all their pupils. Staff are trained in Emotional Literacy (ELSA) and bereavement support. The Deputy Headteacher has invited teachers to come and observe her teaching of mathematics and offered coaching to others, showing a continuous commitment to improvement in the school.
Teachers use opportunity as a way to manage challenging behaviour, particularly during social time. The use of play and enriching activities provides clear opportunities for young people to engage and take part in something beyond the classroom. This is a real strong point for St. Clare’s Catholic Primary School. To name but a few: Little Vinnies is committed to improving the Catholic ethos of the school, Head Starters supports young people with their mental health, and Sports Crew and Play Leaders ensure all young people are taking part in sports and playtime. Taking part is an important value in the school: sports teams are rotated so that all children who wish to participate can do so, there is no “elite” team. Friday Praise Assembly acts as a platform to recognise the achievements of all pupils. This sense of togetherness is reinforced in comment from one child in the Minnie Vinnie group, who said that St. Clare’s Catholic Primary School was “a welcoming place. You can show your differences, you can show who you are.”
There is a strong commitment to diversity at St Clare’s Catholic Primary School. The Chair of Governors describes the Governing Body as “diverse and inclusive”, and they show a
strong awareness of the needs of the school community. With not a lot of money, the Leaders at the school work to minimize the differences between disadvantaged cohorts and non-disadvantaged cohorts. Leaders have invested in making the school well-resourced, and provide high quality playtime to develop the social skills of the pupils. The school has worked to diminish the gap between SEND students and non-SEND students. Through addressing misconceptions in the moment and rapid assessment, staff do not need to differentiate specifically for different needs. The SENDCo has an excellent knowledge of the needs of each child in the school, with referrals being made quickly, therefore allowing pupils with additional needs to make progress alongside their peers.
Parents and carers also play an important role in the St. Clare’s community. Coffee mornings, school trips and open mornings allow parents to engage fully with the school. St Clare’s also provide opportunities for parents to upskill in subjects so they can support their children from home. The Chair of Governors describes the link between parents and school as “very strong”, and this is evident in the positive attitudes towards the school. The Catholic ethos of the school is lived and promoted through the inspiring outcomes of the school. One child articulated the importance of their work as “loving our brothers and sisters because we are all part of God’s family”. This perfectly encapsulates the welcoming and inclusive culture at St. Clare’s Catholic Primary School.