‘There is something very special about St Matthew’s’
Pupils at a primary school in Jarrow, which has been rated ‘Outstanding’, are proud, engaged and display exemplary behaviour, according to a new report.
St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, was recently inspected by the Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI) and rated ‘Outstanding’.
The CSI, which judges Catholic schools on overall effectiveness, Catholic life and mission, religious education, and collective worship, found that the school has “flourishing partnerships” with all stakeholders, especially with parents and the parish which “enrich and enhance” the daily life of the school.
CSI lead inspector Michael Ewing said in his report: “The behaviour and attitudes of pupils in religious education lessons are exemplary: pupils take great pride in their learning, consistently producing high quality work which demonstrates the priority given to this subject.
“Leaders at all levels are passionate, committed and dedicate to the school’s success; they have clear vision and are inspirational witnesses to Catholic social teaching.
“High quality opportunities to share prayer and liturgy are a strong feature of school life, with pupils playing a key part in planning, leading and evaluating with high levels of confidence.”
A parent, quoted in the report, said: “The Catholic life at St Matthew’s is exemplary. The school provides a sanctuary of prayer and reflection that stays with the children long after the school day has ended.” While another parent said: “There is something very special about St Matthew’s. You feel it as soon as you walk through the door. The sense of community is outstanding.”
“Pupils are happy, confident and secure,” continues the report.
“They care for each other well and are sensitive to the different needs of each other. Older pupils demonstrate this through their roles as playground leaders, peer mediators and buddies. They embrace their school mission and have a strong understanding of the ‘SHINE’ values associated with it and how it influences their lives. They are very knowledgeable about Catholic social teaching and recognise how they can live these out by making a difference locally and globally.
“Pupils willingly take on leadership roles through opportunities provided such as: Mini-Vinnies, Eco Warriors, RE Ambassadors, the Live Simply group and the Junior Leadership group. Pupils are closely involved in leading the school’s chaplaincy provision and their influence provides excellent role models for other pupils.”
The primary school’s commitment to pastoral care is high whilst partnership with parents is a key strength – “leaders work hard to fully support and empower parents in their role as first educators”.
“Parents hold the headteacher in the highest regard because of her knowledge of all pupils, high visibility and approachability,” continued the report. “As a parent commented: ‘This is not a headteacher who stays in her office.’
“There is a thriving partnership with the parish resulting in a sacramental programme with strong engagement from parents. Leaders work closely with the parish priest to plan and provide an extensive range of activities across the school year.
“Leaders show strong commitment to the wellbeing of staff by taking effective action to ease workload. They ensure that Catholic values are threaded through the whole curriculum.
“Teachers at St Matthew’s have strong subject knowledge and there is a high standard of teaching expertise across all classes. They demonstrate their deep commitment to the value of religious education through communicating high expectations to pupils. As a consequence, religious education is seen by teachers as ‘the core of the core’.”
The RE leader is also praised in the report for her “inspiring vision, deep commitment and a high level of expertise”. There are also “excellent” enrichment opportunities with other Catholic schools, Cafod, Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, and the Youth Ministry Team to enhance the curriculum.
“Pupils relish opportunities to share experiences of prayer and liturgy,” added the report.
“They are engaged and demonstrate this through joyful singing, prayerful silence and eagerness to participate.”
Headteacher Eve Alderson said: “This outcome is a wonderful recognition of our whole school community. Our pupils live out Gospel values each day, and this inspection highlights how faith is not just taught but truly lived in our school. I am incredibly proud of our children, staff, governors and families who work together to make our school such a nurturing and special place.”
The school was inspected by the CSI in March 2026 on behalf of the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.
For more information about St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School, visit www.stmatthewsjarrow.co.uk
For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk