“Inspirational” St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Thornaby is celebrating after being judged to be outstanding in all areas by Ofsted – with no areas for improvement highlighted.

Five inspectors visited St Patrick’s over two days in March, speaking to staff, parents and governors and some of the school’s 420 pupils.

“Leaders fulfil their ambition to develop pupils as caring young people, sensitive to the needs of others and proud of the responsibilities they take,” their report says.

“The rich curriculum develops pupils both socially and academically. Pupils enjoy learning and are appreciative of the high-quality teaching.

“Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. From the early years, pupils learn a strong moral code and take responsibility for their actions.

“Relationships between staff, pupils and parents are very positive. Leaders provide a wealth of enrichment activities.

“Pupils learn to serve their school and local community through their many leadership roles.

“Pupils flourish in this inspirational school.”

Inspectors praised the way the school’s eco-warriors encourage care for the environment and the school’s charitable fundraising, including supporting children in Ukraine.

They said Year 6 children can speak, read and write French with confidence and commended support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  

Responding to the report, executive headteacher Mark Ryan, who also leads Christ the King Catholic Primary in Thornaby and St Thérèse of Lisieux Catholic Primary in Ingleby Barwick, said: “This is a wonderful acknowledgement of what a special school St Patrick’s is.

“We are especially proud of our children and appreciate the support we receive from parents and carers.

“We are also grateful to our governors, who work tirelessly and selflessly to ensure that our school can be the very best it can be.

“We are indebted to our wonderful staff and for the support we receive from our trust.
“We feel blessed each day that we can lead and work with dedicated and talented people.  Without them all, this achievement would not have been possible.” 

Head of school James Conwell added: “We are delighted for our school and parish community, from our hardworking children and supportive parents to our dedicated staff and governors.
“St Patrick’s is an inspirational place for everyone and it’s great to see our children flourish every day.
“This is a truly wonderful report and one to be immensely proud of. We believe our children get the best possible start in life because of how we work together as part of the St Patrick’s family.
“Although no areas of development were identified, we will continue to develop and shape the future for our children, so they receive the very best education and learning experiences possible.”

Chair of governors Gary Wilson said: “The judgement was no surprise to me. I see it as a vindication of the tremendous amount of hard work carried out over several years by every single member of staff, teaching and non-teaching.

“St Patrick’s is a wonderful place and everyone associated with the school, including parents, carers and children, should be rightly proud of what they have achieved. The ‘outstanding’ grading is also great news for the people of Thornaby and the local parish community.

“On behalf of the governors, I would like to thank everyone involved in making this happen, with particular gratitude to head of school Mr Conwell, executive headteacher Mr Ryan and the senior leadership team.”

NPCAT CEO Hugh Hegarty said: “This report is an acknowledgement of the fantastic learning opportunities and experiences realised daily at this wonderful school.
“All the staff work relentlessly to live out the vision and work collaboratively with parents and parish community in an assured manner that reflects their commitment and highest professionalism. 

“The leadership of Mr Ryan and Mr Conwell is exemplary and their vision and ambition for every child and every staff member is authentic.
“I have had the privilege of working with the chair of governors Gary Wilson and all the local governing body and value all their support and challenge that is clearly demonstrated in the report.

“NPCAT have shown since 2018 that we know our schools and that our trust has excellent staff, wonderful governors and supportive parents.
“Moreover, we have systems and processes in place that ensure NPCAT is recognised nationally as a leading force in primary education provision.”

St Patrick’s was also rated outstanding in its latest Diocese of Middlesbrough inspection.

Goal-hungry Trinity Catholic College aim to bring a prestigious trophy back to Teesside after hitting the back of the net 39 times and conceding just six times on their way to tomorrow’s ESFA Under-18 Girls National Cup final.

The 16-strong squad, who have only been together since September, travel to Stoke City’s Bet 365 Stadium to take on Surbiton High School in the showpiece event.

Trinity Catholic College U18 girls squad prior to setting off to Stoke

NPCAT PE curriculum lead and team manager Gemma Gibson says that whatever the result, she couldn’t be more proud of them.

“These girls didn’t all know each other and had never played together and the fact that they’ve made it through to a national final is amazing,” she said.

“Their attitude throughout the whole competition has been exemplary. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of players to work with. They deserve their opportunity to play in a final and to win it.”

Last year, Gemma led an under-16 team to the quarter-final of the same competition, a previous best for Trinity.

More than 100 teams entered this year’s competition and Trinity have had to win seven games to get this far, including a 6-0 semi-final thrashing of Neale Wade Academy in Cambridge.

A hat-trick from top scorer Fran, two goals from England international Rose and another from Daisy sealed Trinity’s place in the final.

“We were absolutely fantastic as a team and it was a pretty much flawless performance,” said Gemma.

“The opposition were a good side, it’s just that our girls played out with the skin that day. Nobody would have got close to them. I just hope they can reflect that same attitude and determination in the final.”

The girls are excited and understandably slightly nervous about the big game, but Gemma says they’re determined to give everything they can to bring the trophy home.

“Apart from being very talented, they’re also a fantastic group. You can’t get to a final just by having the right attitude, but that is the key thing for me – their work ethic, teamwork and the way they play for each other.

“Our captain, Ruby, leads by example, but although she wears the captain’s armband, I have a team of captains. They’re never negative with each other and if someone misses a chance or mistimes a tackle it’s, ‘Get straight up, keep going, you’ve got this!’ It’s such a positive environment to be around.”

One of the team, Rose, is already part of the England set-up while several are hopeful of pursuing careers in football, inspired by the Lionesses’ success in last summer’s Euros.

“I played football from a young age, but I didn’t really have any role models to look up to and think, ‘Gosh, that’s what I could do’.

“But quite a few England players come from small towns in the North-East. Beth Mead, Jordan Nobbs, Steph Houghton and Lucy Bronze are all from our region and that’s four big players. Why shouldn’t our girls have the same aspirations as them?

“We’ve always had a strong girls’ football programme at Trinity and bringing the national cup home would be a remarkable achievement.

“But as a school, as a sixth form and as a trust, we should celebrate this whether we win or lose. Just reaching the final is a tremendous success.

“I couldn’t be prouder of every single one of them. When they step out onto that pitch, I know in my mind they will give me 100 per cent.

The squad comprises Year 11, 12 and 13 players from Trinity Catholic College and Sixth Form, which boasts the superb new T6 Football Academy, where highly talented male and female footballers can continue their academic studies alongside elite soccer training on world-class facilities.

“We work closely with T6 and they have been exceptionally accommodating with their equipment, facilities and kit,” said Gemma.

“If pupils in any of NPCAT’s secondary schools or any other schools in the Teesside and North Yorkshire area are good footballers, they should know they have an opportunity to be part of this.”

St Bernadette’s, a primary school in Nunthorpe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, marking half a century of inspiring young people.

The school commemorated the occasion with a series of special events and activities, including inviting former pupils to share their career journeys, a visit from a BBC Tees reporter, a Mass and celebration for past and present staff and governors, and a 1970s-themed party for current pupils and staff.

The celebration kicked off with the school’s “Career Journeys” campaign, which invited former pupils to share their career paths and how St Bernadette’s helped shape their careers. The campaign received an overwhelming response, with hundreds of former pupils sharing stories of success and accomplishment. The alumni who responded now work in a wide range of exciting roles, including engineers, artists, doctors, and many more. The school collated all the responses and created a fantastic display, reminding current pupils that they too can achieve anything they set their minds to.

The celebrations also included a visit from Charlotte Brammer, a reporter from BBC Tees, as part of the station’s Make a Difference campaign. Brammer took photographs of the pupils with a drone and interviewed some of them for a radio report. During the interview, the school talked about its vision of being courageous and shining in the light of Christ, making a positive impact in the world, and how its values help pupils make a positive difference wherever they go. The school also shared its work on vocations and Pope Francis’ letter on the environment, Laudato Si’, which the children have taken to heart.

The celebrations continued with a Mass and celebration for all past and present staff and governors, followed by an exhibition of old photographs and the school’s original logbook, open to everyone who has a connection to St Bernadette’s, including parents, carers, families, and former pupils. The visitors took a trip down memory lane and reminisced about their time at the school.

The following day, the current pupils and staff put on their dancing shoes for a 1970s-themed party day in school. The day was filled with groovy music, disco lights, and plenty of fun activities.

Overall, the celebrations were a fantastic way to mark the 50th anniversary of St Bernadette’s. The school has played a vital role in shaping the lives of many young people over the years, and it was wonderful to see so many former pupils, staff, and governors come together to celebrate its achievements. As the school’s mantra says, once a St Bernadette’s child, always a St Bernadette’s child! The ties of family and community will undoubtedly continue to thrive and blossom in this very special community for many more years to come.

Check our the latest editions of our secondary schools and sixth forms newsletters below…

Pupils praised for ‘outstanding’ behaviour

Pupils at the school where Middlesbrough FC chairman Steve Gibson OBE and TV personality Chris Kamara MBE were once classmates are celebrating after Ofsted said their behaviour was “outstanding”.

Inspectors judged St Pius X Catholic Primary School in Park End to be good in all other areas and gave them top marks in the “behaviour and attitudes” category.

“Pupils behave exceptionally well,” the report said. “They are polite and considerate towards staff and each other. Staff encourage working collaboratively. Pupils support each other with their behaviour and their learning.

“Many pupils enjoy earning rewards for positive behaviours. Staff model how they want pupils to behave. They make sure that pupils behave consistently well.

“The few pupils who struggle to manage their emotions receive excellent support so that they can participate fully in all school activities.

“Leaders ensure that pupils contribute to the life of the school and the wider community. “Older pupils understand the importance of being ‘Eco Warriors’ and enjoy the opportunity to plant fruit trees and recycle plastic. They appreciate playing with younger children in their roles as peer mediators and play leaders.”

“Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary … There is a calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school.”

Executive headteacher Anna McClurey said she was “incredibly proud” that the report highlights exemplary behaviour, as well as illustrating the school’s ambition for all pupils.

She said: “The newly adopted curriculum provides academic rigour alongside the many enrichment opportunities for the pupils. The inspection team praised the curriculum and the work of leaders and staff on developing the curriculum and improving learning. 

“I am delighted they recognised the dedication of leaders and staff, from acting as models of how they want pupils to behave, to the determination that all pupils gain the knowledge they need for future success. 

“At St Pius X, we are resolute in our determination that all pupils will achieve the ambitious goals we set for them, and staff are diligent in checking pupils’ understanding and ensuring an inclusive curriculum, where all succeed. 

“Parents have been hugely supportive of the school and the expectations we have for the pupils, and we would not have achieved such a fantastic report without their support.

“The pupils are a credit to St Pius X, their families and the local community and we are pleased the report reflects our exceptional school.” 

Nick Bennett, head of school, said the report is a fantastic validation of St Pius X’s self-evaluation and improvement work to date.

He added: “The children of St Pius have always been our strongest asset – they are keen to learn and are keen to show our ARC (Aspiration, Resilience & Collaboration) values in all they do.

“To have their behaviour and attitudes graded as outstanding is a wonderful recognition of this and the calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school.

“We have continued to prioritise the teaching of reading as we recognise this is the gateway to the world of work, and to have our provision for phonics and reading commented upon so favourably is a real boon.” 

Pupils told inspectors they enjoy the clubs and experiences on offer, including visits to Blue Reef Aquarium, Guisborough Woods, Robinwood residential, Forbidden Corner and the local cenotaph.

There was also praise in the report for the contribution of governors and for safeguarding at the 232-pupil school, which is on Amersham Road.

Trust CEO Hugh Hegarty said: “Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to make St Pius the wonderful school it is.

“I know Mrs McClurey and all the staff are thrilled that Ofsted has acknowledged their efforts in this way, and I’m sure both parents and pupils will be even more proud of their school and community.

“Trust director and former St Pius X executive leader Carol Walker also deserves great credit for her role in transitioning expectations and supporting NPCAT’s central teams. 

“We continue to deliver significant impact in our magnificent family of Catholic primary schools, and that’s why places are so keenly sought after by parents who are impressed by the nurturing and ambitious climate for learning.”