Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: hcarnall@cfbt.com

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Mr K Powell Acting Headteacher St Saviours Catholic Primary School Seacombe Drive Great Sutton Ellesmere Port Cheshire CH66 2BD

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

Following my visit with Mrs Doreen Davenport, additional inspector, to your school on Wednesday 12 October 2011 and Thursday 13 October 2011, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place on Tuesday 6 July 2010.The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

Newly Qualified Teachers may not be appointed.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Strategic Director of Children's Services for Cheshire West and Chester.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of St Saviours Catholic Primary School

Angela Westington Her Majesty's Inspector September 2011

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Tuesday 6 July 2010

 Raise pupils’ attainment and achievement in English, particularly writing, and mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2, by ensuring that:  the quality of teaching, including teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve, is at least consistently good throughout the school  staff make accurate assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress throughout the year and use this information to support transition between classes  teachers use assessment information to ensure that tasks match the learning needs of all pupils in lessons  marking provides clear guidance to pupils so that they can improve their work  agreed policies are implemented and adhered to by all staff.

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Tuesday 6 July 2010

 Improve the quality and use of self-evaluation by ensuring that:  leaders and managers, including the governing body, use all the data available to them to set challenging targets for pupils  the senior leadership team monitors and evaluates the quality of teaching with sufficient rigour to secure improvement  staff evaluate the impact of their actions on the outcomes for pupils  the views of all stakeholders are taken into account routinely in setting the priorities for school improvement  the governing body holds the school to account for the outcomes for all groups of pupils.

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Tuesday 6 July 2010

 Improve partnerships with parents and carers by ensuring that:  parents and carers receive sufficient information about their children's progress to be able to support them in their learning  the school's priorities are communicated clearly to all stakeholders. September 2011

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school's work, scrutinised documents, met with the seconded headteacher and deputy headteacher, groups of pupils, parents, the Chair of the Interim Executive Board and representatives from the local authority.

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Context

Since the last monitoring inspection, there have been further significant staff and leadership changes. The former seconded headteachers have returned to their own schools and an experienced headteacher and deputy headteacher team has been seconded to lead the school for 12 months. One part-time teacher has resigned; two teachers and one teaching assistant are on extended sick leave and a new substantive teacher has been employed. The governing body was disbanded in the summer term and an Interim Executive Board put in place. There has been a significant reduction in the number of pupils on roll: the current figure is 241. Consequently, the proportion of pupils in the school known to be eligible for free school meals has risen sharply and is currently 18%. All classes, bar the Reception class, have been moved into one of the two buildings on the site.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Standards attained by pupils by the end of Key Stage 2 are still broadly average but there remains considerable underachievement across the year groups. Pupils make inconsistent progress across the school and within subjects. In the 2011 national tests for 11-year-olds, results were broadly average but too few pupils gained the higher levels. The proportion of boys attaining the expected Level 4 in both English and mathematics was significantly below the national figure. At the last monitoring visit, inspectors noted gaps in pupils’ wider mathematical knowledge. During this inspection, inspectors observed unsatisfactory teaching of key mathematical concepts in two Key Stage 2 classes, leading to pupil confusion, misunderstanding and inadequate progress. Pupils have made better progress overall in Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1, but less so in mathematics.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

In the period between the last monitoring inspection and this visit, pupils in Key Stage 1 made inadequate progress in reading and writing and, consequently, almost half have entered Key Stage 2 not having reached the expected level of reading and only a handful have reached the expected level in writing. As a result, teachers in Years 2 and 3 are, again, having to ‘catch up’ and fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Pupils across the school, but especially in Key Stage 1, do not write often enough or for long enough. On entry to September 2011

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Page4 Year 2, too many pupils are unable to write simple sentences and struggle to hold pencils correctly.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

The new headteacher and deputy headteacher have instigated a wide-ranging programme of support for identified pupils across the school and a structured handwriting programme. The reading system and the system to teach letter sounds knowledge, which were established by the previous seconded headteachers, have been maintained and are having a good impact.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:  Raise attainment and achievement in English, particularly writing, and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and 2 – inadequate

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Pupils remain polite, friendly and are willing to talk about what the school has to offer and the changes they can see taking place. They welcome many of the changes including the focus on handwriting, reading and number bonds. Their behaviour is good and they report that instances of bullying are rare and quickly dealt with.

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The effectiveness of provision

Inspectors observed 16 lessons or part lessons in all bar three of which pupils’ learning was good or better. In seven lessons pupils made good progress and in six their progress was satisfactory. The profile of teaching in Key Stage 1 is better than it was at the last monitoring inspection. Across the school, teachers’ lesson plans are sharper and the match of work to pupils’ needs and abilities is improving, especially for middle-ability and less-able pupils. In satisfactory lessons, more-able pupils are not challenged sufficiently, whereas in the better lessons the level of challenge for all pupils is greater.

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The effectiveness of provision

There are weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics in some classes in Key Stage 2. Aspects of teacher subject knowledge are insecure and the subject is not taught in a clear and progressive manner. Insufficient time is given to some topics and there is too much repetition of others. The lack of clear leadership of the subject to date is evident: there has been little analysis of results in national tests and assessments and consequent tailoring of the programme of study to meet the specific needs of pupils in each year group or class. Assessment of pupils’ progress within lessons remains insecure. Some teaching of key mathematical concepts lacks clarity.

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The effectiveness of provision

The newly appointed seconded headteacher has introduced specialist modern foreign language teaching, performing arts provision and physical education teaching. September 2011

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The seconded headteacher is providing clear direction for the school. Robust monitoring procedures have been put in place and expectations about the quality of teaching, lesson planning, use of time and deadlines are explicit and are followed up. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have analysed the school level results of national tests and assessments while individual class teachers have begun to analyse class level data and set targets for the progress of pupils in the classes they teach. Staff are gradually becoming aware of the range of data used by the school to evaluate the impact of its work and the progress made by pupils but it is not embedded in the day-to-day life of the school.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The change of leadership has resulted in a lull in the development of middle managers and this needs to be picked up again as quickly as possible. The new subject leader for mathematics is due to undertake specialist mathematics training and the literacy leader has overseen the forthcoming book week events but, beyond this, leadership at other levels remains underdeveloped.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The governing body has been replaced by an Interim Executive Board which includes local headteachers and local authority officers. The board meets frequently; reports of the meetings show that the board is challenging the school leaders about the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils are making.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Parents spoken to were positive about the changes at the school. They recognise that the headteacher has been at the school for a very short period of time but have been impressed by the quality of the weekly newsletters, the opportunities to canvass parents’ and carers’ views and the attention paid to informing them about their child’s progress and targets set. They are pleased with the introduction of the daily intervention groups for pupils who need extra help.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:  Improve the quality and use of self-evaluation – satisfactory  Improve partnerships with parents and carers – good

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External support

The local authority continues to provide good support and oversight of the school, with the support of the diocese. A senior local authority officer is a member of the Interim Executive Board and takes responsibility for brokering any consultancy or professional support the school needs. Together, the local authority and diocese took the decision to appoint a full- time seconded headteacher and deputy headteacher to lead the school through the next 12 months.

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