St Columba's on Tong Street delighted at Ofsted rating

St Columba's Catholic Primary School, on Tong Street in Dudley Hill, was last inspected by the education watchdog in 2019 and was told to improve. 

Since then, the school, which has 420 pupils on its roll aged between two and 11, has joined the  Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust 

Following an inspection on January 23 and 24, Ofsted moved the school's rating up a grade.

Headteacher Anna Gautrey (Image: Newsquest)

"Everyone receives a warm welcome at St Columba’s Catholic Primary School," inspectors said. 

They added: "Pupils know that it does not matter what your beliefs, background or skin colour are, everyone must be respected."

Pupils' skills are developed by playing board games in the school's extracurricular clubs.

The report said: "The school’s social, moral, spiritual, and cultural curriculum is underpinned by its Catholic ethos and virtues.

"This effectively supports pupils to develop character traits such as resilience and independence.

"Pupils are provided with opportunities to be leaders. For example, some are school councillors, playground leaders, and reading ambassadors."

St Columba's was praised for improving its curriculum since academisation.

"Leaders make continual refinements to improve pupils’ attainment," said the report.

However, inspectors added: "In some subjects in the curriculum, the school has not planned out the small steps of content that pupils need to learn.

"This means that in these subjects, teachers do not know which content to deliver next.

"Leaders should ensure that sequences of learning in each subject are clear."

The school has "identified the lack of reading practice at home as a barrier to increasing pupils’ reading fluency".

Workshops for parents and carers are provided to model how to support pupils’ early reading skills.

The report said: "Pupils and families access high-quality pastoral support through the school’s nurture and home school support service."

It added: "The school works with families to ensure staff understand the needs of the children as they join the school."

Headteacher Anna Gautrey said: "We are absolutely delighted in achieving 'good' after five years of waiting since our last inspection.

"This result celebrates and recognises the hard work of our children; the commitment and dedication of our wonderful staff team as well as the strong relationships we have within the community.

"The first few lines of the inspection report sum up exactly how we all feel about St Columba’s – everyone receives a warm welcome and everyone is respected and valued."