St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 1–2 February 2012 Inspection number 376750 St Teresa's Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 102669 Local authority Merton Inspection number 376750 Inspection dates 1–2 February 2012 Lead inspector Calvin Pike

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 472 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Virginia Unciano Headteacher Justin Dachtler Date of previous school inspection 27–28 January 2010 School address Montacute Road Morden SM4 6RL Telephone number 0208 648 1846 Fax number 0208 715 1757 Email address school@st-teresas.merton.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice by three additional inspectors. The inspectors visited 26 lessons taught by 17 teachers. Two of these were viewed jointly by members of the inspection team with either the headteacher or the assistant headteacher. Inspectors observed a number of group activities and listened to pupils reading. They attended two school assemblies and after-school clubs and held meetings with representatives of the governing body, staff, and pupils. Inspectors looked at plans, policies, records of assessment and the tracking of pupils’ progress. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They analysed questionnaires completed by 162 parents and carers together with responses from 100 pupils and 28 members of staff.

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Information about the school

This school is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the average nationally. Most pupils attending the school are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language has increased in recent years and is now nearly three times the average nationally. The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at other than the normal times is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in designated Nursery and Reception classes. There is a breakfast club that is not managed by the governing body and this is subject to a separate inspection. The school meets the government’s current floor standard for academic performance. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. Relationships between staff and pupils are supportive and built on mutual trust. Pupils, staff and the vast majority of parents and carers are very positive about the school and its work.

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Key findings

 Pupils make better than the expected progress from their low starting points. Attainment in Year 6 is currently above national expectations. Pupils develop their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills effectively. Standards in reading skills have now overtaken those in writing as a result of the school’s focus in the last year. Improvements in mathematics have continued with a greater proportion of pupils working at higher levels, although insufficient opportunities are taken to reinforce numeracy skills in other subjects.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is good across the school with some that is outstanding in Years 4 and 6. There is some variation in the pace of learning as pupils are not always sufficiently active in their learning or the work set does not challenge them enough to meet their interests, needs or abilities. Consequently, progress within key stages is uneven, especially for higher attaining pupils.

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Key findings

 Responses from parental and pupil questionnaires confirm the inspectors’ judgement that the good behaviour seen in lessons and around the school is typical. Pupils display positive attitudes to learning and enjoy being in school. Attendance has improved and is now above average.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher and assistant headteacher are effective in providing clear direction. Middle managers have become more accountable for the quality of teaching but their impact on raising achievement is uneven. Governors support the school well and offer constructive challenge and attend well to all aspects of pupils’ safety.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment further, especially for higher attaining pupils, by: Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 ensuring all pupils are consistently and fully challenged  providing a greater variety of stimulating tasks and approaches to learning in lessons to enable the rapid progress of all pupils  embedding opportunities to develop numeracy skills across the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the role of middle managers by:  making their monitoring of teaching more robust to ensure greater consistency of learning and progress through the school.

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Achievement of pupils

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage achieve well from starting points that are below age-related expectations. Most attain the goals expected by the end of Reception. They make particularly good progress in their personal and mathematical development. Throughout the school pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, or who are disabled or have special educational needs, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in English and mathematics is above average by the time the pupils leave school because a higher than average proportion of pupils make expected progress over Years 3 to 6. In lessons pupils are keen to cooperate with each other in learning. Year 6 pupils, for example, were thoroughly engaged in solving problems with money. They concentrated well to work out costs and tackled additional challenges to calculate profit margins because this was applied to real life situations and, as one boy said, ‘It

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Achievement of pupils

makes us rack our brains.’ Pupils also collaborate effectively in class and group discussions. In Year 5, they were excited to apply their knowledge of the story of Macbeth to create mood boards for scene designs, reflecting sensitively on the play’s atmosphere and its effect on their feelings.

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Achievement of pupils

Previous gaps in performance between girls and boys are closing quickly but the progress of higher-attaining pupils within each key stage is more variable because they are not always fully challenged in lessons. Pupils with disabilities or special educational needs achieve well because of the well-targeted support provided for them in most lessons or in separate intervention groups in the Learning Zone. As a result of the school’s recent focus on reading skills, standards of reading have improved and are now average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Pupils who join the school at other than normal transfer times, including those for whom English is an additional language, settle well and make good progress. Pupils are very clear in articulating how well they are doing and they know how to improve. They are confident in being supported well and the vast majority of parents and carers agree their children make good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers have high expectations and most are effective in encouraging pupils to learn through tasks that are interesting and challenging. Teachers regularly check Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

how well pupils are doing in lessons and generally intervene effectively to correct misunderstandings or push on the pace of learning as needed. Pupils respond positively. They are keen to answer questions or apply themselves individually or cooperatively in groups to complete work set. For example, children in Reception were engrossed by the teacher’s use of ‘robot’ arms to identify small segments of sounds in words (phonemes). Building on this they made good progress in understanding how two letters can make one sound, such as ‘sh’, then writing a range of words starting with ‘sh’ on white boards. Similarly, very good questioning by a Year 4 teacher enabled her pupils to discuss and reflect confidently on the moral dilemmas faced by Shackleton and similar explorers in extreme situations. Through such links in subjects, during assemblies and through partnerships with other schools in the United Kingdom and overseas, the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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Quality of teaching

Teachers plan work which regularly matches most pupils’ needs, using information from formal assessments and day to day observations. In less successful lessons, teachers do not always challenge more-able pupils well, or do not amend planned activities effectively when pupils have either understood quickly or are struggling. In other cases, particular strategies for learning lack variety. For example, although pairing pupils as ‘solvers and recorders’ is effective, the approach is sometimes over- used. This slows up of the pace of learning, especially for higher-attaining pupils.

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Quality of teaching

Individual lessons are closely linked to the school’s overall curriculum. This is good overall because it is sufficiently broad and balanced to build on most pupils’ previous learning and progress. While initiatives to develop pupils’ literacy skills have been effective in raising standards, particularly in reading, pupils have fewer opportunities outside mathematics lessons to build their number skills across the curriculum. Less able pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because class work matches their needs and teaching assistants support them effectively within lessons or in separate group work. Almost all parents and carers agreed that their children make good progress and that teaching is good.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The safety and good behaviour of pupils are consistently promoted in a variety of ways. Pupils have many opportunities to express their feelings as individuals with peer mentors or talk partners. They are able to empathise with others or reflect on moral issues through class work and assemblies. When they need help, pupils know where to seek it and are confident adults will deal quickly with any issues arising in school. The safety of pupils is given high priority. Good health and well-being are promoted through personal and social elements of the curriculum. For example, the head boy and head girl led a recent assembly on road safety issues following their visit to Junior Citizens. Through physical education lessons, such as with Year 2 which focused on team games, pupils are taught the importance of exercise, control and mutual tolerance. ‘Walk to school’ badges are worn proudly by pupils who regularly choose this exercise rather than encourage car use.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in school. They work cooperatively in lessons and are supportive to each other outside classrooms. There is a harmonious atmosphere throughout the school. Incidents of disruption in lessons or bullying are very rare. Pupils affirm that these are managed effectively. Through discussions with groups of pupils and analysis of records over time, inspectors found that pupils are typically polite and respect each other, irrespective of backgrounds. The vast majority of parents and carers agree that this is the case.

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Leadership and management

Since the last inspection, the headteacher and assistant headteacher have successfully led the improvement of systems to track pupils’ progress and interventions for pupils who may be underachieving. Individual teachers have been supported closely and the middle leaders’ responsibilities have been refined through a rich programme of continuing professional development. Improvements have been accelerated as a result, although the monitoring roles of middle leaders are not currently focused enough to have a strong impact in all year groups. The changes have been effective in raising standards overall, especially in writing in the last year, and in closing attainment gaps between girls and boys. The governing body contributes well in influencing the school’s improvements, offering substantial support and holding leaders to account for the school’s provision and outcomes. Along with improvements in staffing and the school’s learning environment, these

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Leadership and management

developments show the school has good capacity to sustain further improvements.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is good because it is well balanced and enhanced through a range of well chosen topics that have helped to raise standards in extended writing. Clear planning ensures teachers use pupils’ prior learning to make links between subjects. A wide range of visits and visitors enrich learning and pupils participate in the school’s many extra-curricular clubs, including its choir that performed well at the education fair for parents during the inspection. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils show strong social, spiritual and moral awareness, reinforced by the school’s Christian ethos. Pupils regularly express their consideration for others in the local or wider community, as demonstrated by the school council’s funding raising activities for Children in Need. The school has successfully strengthened its links with parents, carers and the church through the appointment

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Leadership and management

of a pastoral worker and a bilingual member of staff who supports home-school communication. Workshops, such as one led by the Nursery teacher during the inspection, enable parents and carers to extend their children’s learning at home.

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Leadership and management

School leaders and governors adopt stringent checks to ensure pupils are safe and undertake training to keep up-to-date with best practice. The governing body monitors carefully to make sure site safety and risk assessment are fully in place, that equal opportunities are promoted well and that discrimination in any form is not tolerated. The school’s development planning is accurate and shared fully. Strengths are built on well and areas for improvement are tackled systematically and effectively.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Morden SM4 6RL

Thank you for helping inspectors to learn more about your school in our recent visit. We appreciated the friendly welcome you gave us and enjoyed talking to you about your work and hearing some of you read. We understood why your responses in the questionnaire were so positive and agree with you that yours is a good school.

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Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Morden SM4 6RL

These are some of the best things we found.

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Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Morden SM4 6RL

 You make good progress overall, especially in speaking and listening and in reading and you are improving in writing and mathematics.  You work hard, are keen to succeed and tell us that you enjoy your lessons.  The quality of teaching is good and helps interest you in what you are doing.  You feel safe because everyone in the school takes care of you.  School leaders work hard to provide you with an interesting curriculum. This supports your good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development with its stress on helping you become aware of moral and social issues.

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Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Morden SM4 6RL

To make things even better, we have asked your school to raise attainment further, especially for the more-able pupils. This can be achieved by making sure you are all always consistently challenged and involved in a greater variety of stimulating tasks in lessons and that you have the opportunity to practise your numeracy skills wherever possible in all subjects. We have also asked senior and all middle leaders to check carefully that pupils of all abilities learn effectively and progress well. You can help by letting teachers know if you find the work too easy.

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Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Morden SM4 6RL

Calvin Pike Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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