Setting

Mrs L Burden The Acting Headteacher St Saviour’s Catholic Primary School Summers Lane Totland Bay Isle of Wight PO39 0HQ

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Saviour’s Catholic Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 31 January 2012 and for the information which you provided during the inspection. Please also pass on my thanks to your consultant, to the Chair of the Governing Body and to pupils for all their involvement.

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Saviour’s Catholic Primary School

There have been significant changes to the school’s context since the 2010 inspection. The island’s educational reorganisation programme has altered the school’s structure to an all-through primary, so Year 4 stayed on to become the first and current Year 6, and the substantive headteacher’s absence has continued. There have been three temporary, acting headteachers in two years and many changes to staffing. The governing body has many new members and a new chair. A significant number of pupils have left the school so, despite two additional year groups, numbers remain similar.

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Saviour’s Catholic Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 25 and 26 November 2010, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Saviour’s Catholic Primary School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in making improvements.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Since the last inspection, children’s progress in Reception has improved and is good. Attainment at the end of Year 2 has been above average for several years, with strengths in writing in 2011. The school recognises from its improved progress Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : rebecca.jackson@tribalgroup.com January 2012 Page 2 tracking, that achievement at Key Stage 2 has been weaker for pupils currently in Year 6. Staff are responding robustly with increased provision to accelerate their progress, particularly through more targeted teaching of smaller groups in English and mathematics. These measures are beginning to improve progress, but whilst achievement is satisfactory, pupils in Year 6 have ground to make up from last year. Observation of lessons in other year groups confirmed their satisfactory, and often

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Achievement of pupils at the school

good, progress as indicated by the school’s tracking information.

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The quality of teaching

Lessons observed on the visit all showed satisfactory or good learning, confirming senior leaders’ recent monitoring and evaluation. Planning now includes the provision of appropriate work and a suitable degree of support and challenge for different groups, although this was not always evident in practice. The expected volume and quality of pupils’ work are now satisfactory. Marking is diligent, but not always helpful or appropriate for pupils’ ages. Pupils know their targets in English and mathematics and understand how to improve towards their next goals. Opportunities to evaluate their own and others’ work are more regular, and pupils learn early on how to signal their understanding, with thumbs-up/down or through smiley/sad faces.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

In the past, there were some behavioural issues linked partly to the significant staffing changes in the leadership and management of the school in the last two years since reorganisation. Pupils agree that behaviour is now improving. This is partly because leaders have provided support, such as visits from the police, to help pupils understand the impact of their actions on others. Staff expectations of behaviour have improved and pupils’ attitudes towards learning, including those observed in Year 6, are positive. Newly-elected school council members are raising the profile of the ‘pupil voice’ in the school considerably. They are, for instance, leading an unusual project, decided by themselves, to improve the quality of prayer in the school. Pupils write prayers of their own and compile a school prayer book, which includes some very moving examples of thoughtful reflection. This demonstrates strength in the provision for pupils’ development of spiritual, moral,

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The quality of leadership and management of the school

During the period of turbulence, middle leaders have moved ahead with determination in their subject management roles, particularly in English and mathematics, with others leaders strengthening their roles. Subject planning is linked effectively with the priorities for school improvement. Assessment data now provide a secure profile of pupils’ attainment and achievement. Where underachievement is identified, intervention programmes, such as finely-targeted groups for mathematics and English, are put in place to accelerate pupils’ learning. Strong partnerships between senior staff, the governing body, the school’s January 2012 Page 3 consultant, the diocese and the local authority have supported the school well through this period and indicate a stronger capacity to sustain improvement.

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The quality of leadership and management of the school

I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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place in November 2010

 Improve attainment and progress, particularly for older pupils, by ensuring that all teachers: - plan work that challenges pupils of different abilities - have high expectations of pupils in terms of both behaviour as well as the quality and quantity of their class and homework.  Encourage pupils to become more independent learners by ensuring that: - teachers' marking clearly shows pupils how to improve their work - pupils have regular opportunities to evaluate their own and others' work - they are given more opportunity to give their views on school, their lessons and how they learn.  Sharpen the knowledge and skills of subject leaders and managers by ensuring that: - assessment data are thoroughly analysed so as to gain a clear picture of attainment and pupils' progress in their subject areas across the school - their action plans have measurable success criteria and clearly show how their subject is going to support the whole-school development plan.

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