A primary school with “high expectations for pupils’ achievement” has received a Good rating from Ofsted in its first inspection since becoming an academy.

St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is Wellfield Drive, Burnley, became an academy under the Romero Catholic Academy Trust in 2022 and was inspected for this first time since this change on October 11and 12.

It had been rated Good prior to the academy conversion, but its last visit by Ofsted noted standards had been slipping.

On this latest visit, inspectors found the school to be a place where children were happy and willing to learn and where parents are positive about the education their children receive.

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It was also said the school was somewhere where children in all key stages achieved well across the curriculum.

The report said: “Pupils arrive at school happy and ready to learn. Staff welcome them warmly into school each day.

"Parents and carers are positive about the school. Pupils and their parents feel well supported by staff.

“Pupils want to learn and they demonstrate this willingness during lessons. They try their best.

"Staff manage any low-level disruption well. Pupils are calm and polite when they are moving around the school. Pupils know that staff will sort out any problems quickly.

"The school has appropriate systems in place to deal with bullying effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

“The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils, including children in the early years, achieve well across the curriculum.

"The school encourages parents to share in pupils’ successes, for example, through regular celebration assemblies.

“Pupils enjoy the range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills. From as early as the reception year, staff encourage children and pupils to apply for positions of responsibility.

"Pupils take pride representing their class as members of the school council and acting as curriculum ambassadors.”

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Inspectors also praised the fact children took part in a range of extra-curricular activities such as choir, dance, football, netball, and laser tag, and the hard work that has been put in to build relationships with parents.

However, some concerns were raised by inspectors with regard to the reading curriculum as well as the pupils’ understanding of different cultures.

The report said: “The school has not ensured that staff are delivering all aspects of the reading curriculum sufficiently well.

"This hinders some pupils in becoming fluent readers as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that staff are well equipped to support pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

“The school has not ensured that some pupils have a secure enough understanding of different cultures.

"This prevents pupils from being as well prepared as they could be for life in modern Britain.

"The school should ensure that pupils learn about cultures that are different to their own, so they are better prepared to take their place in a culturally diverse society.”

The Romero Catholic Academy Trust was approached for comment.