Our Lady of Grace Catholic Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 22–23 February 2012 Inspection number 376358 Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 100168 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 376358 Inspection dates 22–23 February 2012 Lead inspector Madeleine Gerard

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 206 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Sales Headteacher Sean Small Date of previous school inspection 6–7 February 2007 School address 145 Charlton Road London SE7 7EZ Telephone number 020 8858 2262 Fax number 020 8853 4794 Email address sao@ourladygrace.greenwich.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. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 18 lessons, or parts of lessons, taught by 9 teachers, and held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They observed the school’s work, looked at work in pupils’ books and tracking data showing pupils’ attainment and progress. The school’s development plans and records for safeguarding pupils were also seen. The inspectors considered responses to questionnaires received from 155 parents and carers, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This is a smaller-than-average primary school with Early Years Foundation Stage provision for children in one Reception class. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average. A higher proportion of pupils than average speaks English as an additional language, but few are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The school meets the current floor standard. After-school care on the school site is managed by other providers and was not part of this inspection. The school has achieved a number of nationally recognised awards for its provision, and has Healthy Schools status. 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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Key findings

 This is a good school. Pupils are known and valued well as individuals and are happy in the school’s safe and caring environment. The quality of education that the school provides is good rather than outstanding because there is some variability in the rates of pupils’ learning and progress between classes. Regular monitoring of teaching by leaders and managers ensures the school has an accurate view of provision. However, priorities to improve performance in teaching are not always checked rigorously enough to ensure that further swift improvements are made. As a result, a few inconsistencies remain.

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Key findings

 Achievement is good. The school works effectively to meet the needs of all pupils. All groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, receive the help and guidance they need to make good progress.

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Key findings

 Teaching is good. Teachers use assessment information well to match work in lessons to pupils’ learning needs and set suitably challenging tasks. Pupils know their individual targets and teachers’ marking makes the next steps in learning clear. Occasionally, the pace of lessons slows because teachers’ explanations to the whole class take up too much time, or because there are opportunities for only a few pupils to participate fully.

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Key findings

 Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe from harm, for example when using computers.

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Key findings

 Good leadership and management have enabled the school to raise pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 since the previous inspection. This shows the successful impact of curriculum developments, including a focus on reading and opportunities for pupils to regularly practise writing at length. 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?

 Increase the pace of pupils’ learning further by ensuring pupils are set to do independent tasks as early as possible in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the effectiveness of checks on teaching and learning to ensure that all enhancements to provision lead to improvements in pupils’ achievement.

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Achievement of pupils

All groups of pupils achieve well from starting points that are similar to those expected for their age. This includes pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also achieve well. Pupils’ attainment is above average compared with pupils nationally by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 because gaps are narrowing well. In the survey, the overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded were confident that their children are making good progress at the school and inspectors agreed. Outcomes are broadly average by the end of the Reception Year, and improving rapidly, particularly in reading. Pupils’ attainment in reading at the end of Key Stage 1, and by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, is above average. Pupils are enthusiastic, set to work quickly when teachers give them tasks to do, and they concentrate well. This was illustrated in an English lesson where older pupils were

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Achievement of pupils

developing their understanding of persuasive writing. They listened very attentively while the teacher modelled a wide range of language used in advertisements. Pupils worked carefully together in pairs to identify the main points in the text that help persuade the reader. They discussed their ideas sensibly and shared their suggestions readily in small groups. During independent work, they followed the teacher’s instructions closely to write their own advertisements.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are enthusiastic to do well. They enjoy working with teachers and additional adults in individual or small group sessions to increase their literacy skills, so that they keep up and do well. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also benefit from additional sessions to boost their English speaking, reading and writing skills. Higher attaining pupils are motivated to work hard and appreciate the additional challenging tasks that teachers set them. For example, in another English lesson for younger pupils where they were deepening their understanding of words that are difficult to spell, higher attaining pupils, working with the teacher, rapidly progressed to examining some more complicated examples. 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

In the survey, almost all the parents and carers agreed that their children are well taught at the school, a view endorsed by inspection findings. One parent typically wrote, ‘My child enjoys school and comes home telling me how interesting lessons are.’ Teachers use a variety of resources to capture pupils’ interest. For example, older pupils in a mathematics lesson were absorbed in sorting geometrical shapes, using three-dimensional models to examine each shape. Higher attaining pupils were challenged to think very hard about the properties of each shape by using flat pictures of the three-dimensional shapes.

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Quality of teaching

Home visits by staff and opportunities for children to visit the Reception class before they join the school help them to settle quickly. There is an appropriate balance between opportunities for children to choose activities for themselves and adult-led tasks. Working with the teacher, children were exploring symmetrical patterns whilst other children independently chose to use sponge painting to create the symmetrical patterns on butterfly wings. Occasionally, during whole class teaching, learning slows when very few children have an opportunity to discuss new learning.

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Quality of teaching

The school tracks the progress pupils are making and teachers use the information carefully to ensure pupils are suitably challenged in their learning. Marking and written feedback in pupils’ books, as well as individualised targets, are used very well so that pupils know how to improve and what to do in order to move up to the next level in their work. Pupils develop their good writing skills by regularly writing at length on a wide variety of different topics. The teaching of handwriting is well planned so that Reception children learn using a method that helps them develop fluency quickly. The pleasure of reading is encouraged throughout the school. For example, pupils write reviews of books they have enjoyed to recommend them to other pupils. Other adults are well trained and support pupils’ learning well to help them understand new work. Occasionally, the pace of learning slows when only one pupil at a time has the opportunity to contribute their ideas or answer questions, or

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Quality of teaching

when teachers’ lengthy introductions leave limited time for pupils to get on with independent tasks.

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Quality of teaching

Older pupils enjoy taking responsibility for helping the younger ones as class monitors and reading buddies. Self-confidence and self-esteem grow through taking part in performances in the local community. Residential visits to activity centres for pupils in Year 4, and in Year 6, develop team-work skills. Close links with the parish church and regular opportunities to learn about, and celebrate, Catholic traditions and festivals support pupils’ spiritual development. As a result, pupils build a strong sense of their shared culture and faith. Established links with a school in Uganda and opportunities to learn to play musical instruments promote pupils’ wider cultural awareness. Moral values are encouraged clearly; rewards for good manners and acts of kindness ensure that the whole school community values these qualities. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Quality of teaching

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

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes make a good contribution to their own learning. Pupils participate in activities enthusiastically and enjoy coming to school, as their above average attendance reflects. Pupils respond promptly to reminders from staff about the behaviour that is expected. Inspection findings endorse the views of parents and carers expressed in the survey. Most are confident that lessons are not disrupted by poor behaviour. The vast majority were confident that behaviour is good at the school. One, typical of others, wrote, ‘My child is happy, has made lots of friends and likes to come to school.’ Pupils from diverse backgrounds get on well together and show caring attitudes towards one another. They are confident that adults will help them should any problems occur and say that incidents of bullying, including name calling or demeaning comments, are very rare. In the survey for pupils in Years 3 to 6, the very large majority confirm that the school consistently

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

deals with all types of bullying very well. Guidance on keeping safe when using computers and advice from representatives from the local emergency services help pupils develop a confident awareness of how to avoid risks to their health and safety in a variety of situations.

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Leadership and management

Leaders, managers and members of the governing body have worked successfully to secure improvements in key areas of the school’s work. Supported by well-targeted training and professional development, staff have a shared vision for the school. Occasionally, the impact of key actions to secure further improvements to the consistency of teaching, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage, is not thoroughly checked. Since the previous inspection, the school has improved pupils’ attendance, and raised attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. The school has also increased provision to ensure that higher attaining pupils are suitably challenged to reach higher levels in their work. Staff have secured a consistent approach to marking and individual target setting. Working together with staff as a team, leaders, managers and members of the governing body tackle discrimination and promote equality well. As a result, all groups of pupils, whatever their

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Leadership and management

background or ability, have equal access to the exciting and motivating curriculum and do well. The variety of extra-curricular clubs has expanded and these clubs are popular. Leaders and managers ensure that spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is consistently prioritised. The school works effectively to harness the support of parents and carers in the work of the school and in supporting their children’s learning. In the survey, the overwhelming majority of parents and carers confirmed that the school keeps them well informed. All these strengths demonstrate the school’s capacity to improve further.

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Leadership and management

Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements; staff have received recent training, thorough records are kept and the school site is very secure.

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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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SE7 7EZ

Thank you very much for your friendly welcome and for helping the inspectors when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking to you all very much and listening to what you had to say. We were very pleased to hear about all the activities Year 6 enjoyed during their recent residential visit to Kent.

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SE7 7EZ

Our Lady of Grace is a good school. You behave well and are keen to learn. You have a good awareness of how to keep yourselves safe from harm and most of you who completed the survey told us that you feel safe in school. You attend school very regularly. Your parents and carers like the school a lot too. You enjoy all the interesting work the teachers plan. You make good progress in your learning, and reach higher standards compared to other pupils nationally by the end of Year 6. Those of you who need additional help are well supported by the adults in school, and also make good progress.

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SE7 7EZ

To help you do even better, we have asked that teachers set you tasks to do on your own, or in small groups, as early as possible in lessons. We have also asked the school’s leaders and managers to make even more checks on the quality of the school’s work so that they help you make even faster progress. All of you can help by continuing to work hard and attend school every day.

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SE7 7EZ

Finally, I would like to thank you again and wish you well for the future.

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SE7 7EZ

Madeleine Gerard 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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