St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Redhill

Age group 4-11 Inspection date(s) 29 February−1 March 2012. Inspection number 125234 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 125234 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 381067 Inspection dates 29 February−1 March 2012 Lead inspector Joy Considine

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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 424 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul McCallum Headteacher Elizabeth Walsh Date of previous school inspection 23 September 2008 School address Linkfield Lane Redhill Surrey RH1 1DU Telephone number 01737 765373 Fax number 01737 768557 Email address office@stjosephs-redhill.surrey.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. Inspectors visited 28 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 14 teachers. They also listened to pupils read and they observed reading activities. They held meetings with staff, members of the governing body and pupils. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at school development plans, pupils’ assessment and tracking information, pupils’ work and documentation relating to the inspection including that regarding safeguarding. They analysed the responses to the questionnaires received from 276 parents and carers, as well as those received from staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school and it serves pupils from the local community. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than usual. The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups is broadly average, although the percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average. The proportion of pupils who have disabilities or special educational needs is lower than average. There is provision in the Reception classes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. There have been some significant changes to the teaching team since the previous inspection. The school has a number of recent awards including Artsmark and Level 1 International Schools. The school exceeded the current floor standards 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. It provides a warm and welcoming environment in which pupils learn and flourish. The school’s ambitious leadership provides a clear educational direction to ensure that all pupils have access to an imaginative curriculum. The school is not yet outstanding because the expectations of pupils in a few lessons are not always high enough and, as a result, a few more-able pupils do not achieve as well as they should.  Pupils’ achievement is good. They develop good communication skills and reach standards in English and mathematics that are above average by the time they leave the school. Disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs are well catered for and they make good progress.  The quality of teaching is good. It is usually lively with exciting lessons planned to engage the interest of all pupils. The curriculum is imaginatively planned, with a wide range of activities that make learning purposeful and relevant. The

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Key findings

high quality of music and art make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils enjoy school and this is reflected in their attendance which is above average. They behave well in their lessons and around the school. They are courteous and polite and they get on well together. Safeguarding is of high priority and there are good systems in place to ensure that pupils are safe.  School leaders, including governors, are ambitious. The effective leadership of teaching is supported by a robust programme of monitoring and professional development, allied to performance management, to improve teaching from good to outstanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils gaining Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 and Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics by July 2013 by:  ensuring that all teachers have consistently high expectation of what pupils can do and that they plan more demanding activities for those who are more able 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?

 planning the curriculum to give a greater emphasis on developing pupils’ reasoning, analysis and problem-solving skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by:  improving the quality of teachers’ marking so that they provide clear guidance to pupils about how they can correct and improve their work  ensuring that pupils clearly understand how much work they are expected to complete within a given time limit  improving teachers’ questioning skills so that they probe pupils’ understanding and develop their learning.

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Achievement of pupils

The very large majority of parents and carers rightly believe that their children make good progress. One parent or carer wrote, ‘My child’s reading ability, interest in learning and all-round confidence has increased dramatically since he joined this school.’ In lessons, pupils are enthusiastic and they enjoy working hard. Their attitudes to learning are positive and they behave well.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start school with skills and abilities that are broadly similar to those expected for their age, although their communication and language skills are lower than those typically found. They make a good start in learning basic skills and they enjoy learning when the context is interesting. For example, in one lesson, a small group of children were able to explain why the duck was unfair to the hen when re- telling the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’. On entry to Year 1, most children reach the expected goals.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, their attainment in these subjects is above average. Currently, most groups of pupils make good progress, although a few more-able pupils do not always do as well as they should because the activities they are given are occasionally too easy. Disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs learn well because work is tailored to meet their needs and they receive good support to help them to meet their individual learning targets. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that they are challenged in most lessons and they are expected to work hard, and this helps them to make good progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils enjoy reading and they have learned a wide range of strategies to tackle unfamiliar words. The systematic way in which letters and sounds (phonics) is taught helps those in Key Stage 1 to reach standards that are above average by the end of Year 2. Pupils make good progress across Key Stage 2 so that, by the end of Year 6, they confidently use their reading skills for research purposes as well as to read independently for pleasure. 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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Achievement of pupils

Pupils write fluently with sophisticated vocabulary that sustains the interest of the reader. There are many opportunities for pupils to practise their skills when learning other subjects and this helps them to develop confidence when committing their ideas to paper. In lessons, pupils have plenty of opportunities to discuss their work and to share their ideas. In one lesson, for example, they discussed the helpful and harmful ways in which water has an impact on people’s lives. Their responses were thoughtful and reflective, and provided a good stimulus for writing.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils in Year 6 have well-developed numeracy skills which they are able to apply to solving real-life problems. In one lesson, they were calculating percentages of participation in leisure activities and using this information to construct accurate pie charts. Pupils’ work shows that in Years 1 and 2, they work confidently with higher numbers and that they select the correct operation to solve word problems.

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Quality of teaching

Inspection evidence confirmed the views of the large majority of parents and carers who believe that teaching is good. Teachers use imaginative methods to capture pupils’ interest and inspire them to work hard. Pupils said that the lessons inspectors observed were typical of how they were normally conducted and the work in their books confirmed this. One parent or carer wrote, ’My child’s teacher is excellent. He brings a sense of fun into the classroom and has inspired our daughter in so many ways.’ Most teachers are skilled at asking questions which deepen pupils’ understanding and provide additional challenge, although not all teachers do this regularly. In a very few lessons, teachers do not make clear to pupils how much they were expected to do or how much time was available to complete their work.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers ensure that children get a good balance of activities that are led by adults and those that they select for themselves. Staff have made the best use of space available to create opportunities for children to work and play outside as well as in classrooms. Adults carefully observe children’s learning and they use this information to plan new learning experiences which build upon and develop their knowledge and skills.

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Quality of teaching

In all lessons, teachers set clear learning objectives and involve pupils in setting their own success criteria so that they understand what they are expected to learn. Teachers use assessment information to plan lessons that are well matched to the needs of most pupils. There are robust procedures in place to record and track pupils’ progress. This allows teachers to quickly identify those who are at risk of falling behind and to plan timely interventions to help them to catch up. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and they provide detailed comments letting pupils know what they have done well and what they need to learn next. However, a few teachers do not always ensure that pupils correct and improve their work in writing and in mathematics. 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

The planned curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The quality of pupils’ singing during assembly demonstrates the strength of music provision. Teachers plan stimulating lessons using a variety of resources including video clips, music and role play. However, there are not always enough opportunities for pupils to think creatively or to use skills such as analysis, critical thinking and problem solving, and this slows the progress of a few more-able pupils. Scrutiny of pupils’ work showed that pupils use their literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills when learning other subjects. For example, pupils use ICT to research a historical period and use this information to write their own accounts.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

There is a calm and welcoming atmosphere in school and pupils say they feel safe and secure. They enjoy school and this is reflected in their good behaviour and in their above-average attendance. Pupils say there is no bullying and they have a good understanding of different forms of bullying such as racist behaviour and cyber- bullying. On the rare occasions when disagreements do occur, adults are on hand to quickly resolve issues. In the playground and in lessons, pupils are courteous, considerate and helpful to staff and to each other. Older pupils enjoy helping younger ones at break times and often lead playground games, and this makes a good contribution to their social development. Almost all parents and carers who responded to the survey felt that behaviour was good and that few lessons were disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils’ behaviour is good over time, exclusions are rare and there are few recorded incidents of poor behaviour.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils throughout the school are keen to participate in learning and this allows lessons to run smoothly. Although there are consistent systems in place to encourage good behaviour, pupils behave well because they enjoy their lessons and they do not want to miss anything. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they have to work and play with those from different backgrounds and they show respect towards the cultures of those from different parts of the world. Parents and carers believe that their children are safe in school. They find staff approachable and that they deal with issues quickly and sensitively. One parent or carer wrote, ‘The school is especially good at dealing with issues confidentially and in a way that makes the family feel safe, secure and cared for.’

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Leadership and management

School leaders and governors are ambitious and they have high expectations for staff and pupils. Teamwork is strong and staff morale is high. Procedures for monitoring the quality of teachers’ work are systematic and are used well to improve the quality of teaching. This has resulted in teaching which is good and improving. There are robust systems in place to develop the skills of middle leaders and succession planning ensures that there is a seamless transition as new leaders take over roles 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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Leadership and management

vacated when staff leave the school. School leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, and they have successfully brought about improvements since the previous inspection. For example, the quality of pupils’ writing has improved and is now above average. This demonstrates that the school has strong capacity to improve further.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum has been developed effectively to ensure a strong focus on pupils’ learning. It is well organised and provides a range of stimulating experiences for pupils. Those in Year 6 are eagerly anticipating their residential visit to Osmington Bay and looking forward to broadening their horizons by trying out the zip wire and other activities that are not normally available to them. The curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of life in a global society through topics such as ‘Islands’ in which pupils compare and contrast life on different island locations.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is actively involved in many aspects of the life of the school. Governors are provided with quality information which they use effectively to monitor and challenge the work of the school. Along with senior leaders, they provide a clear direction and ensure that statutory requirements for safeguarding and protecting pupils are met. The school ensures that pupils have equal opportunities and that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.

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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 Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Redhill RH1 1DU

Thank you very much for making my colleagues and me so welcome when we visited your school. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all and listening to what you had to say about your school. You told us that you enjoy your lessons and that you learn a lot. You also said that pupils are friendly and helpful and that you all get on well together.

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Inspection of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Redhill RH1 1DU

We found your school to be a good school. Your teachers make lessons interesting and most of you make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and reach standards that are above average at the end of Year 6. However, some of you could be doing even better in your lessons and reach even higher standards. You behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. You show respect towards adults and to each other. Your school leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they have good plans for further improvement. There are two things that we have asked your school leaders to do to make your school even better.

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Inspection of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Redhill RH1 1DU

 Make sure that teachers provide difficult work for those of you who can achieve more.  Make sure that teachers plan learning activities that challenge you and make you work hard.

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Inspection of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Redhill RH1 1DU

All of you can play your part in making St Joseph’s an even better school by telling your teachers when you find lessons too easy and by asking your teachers how much work you need to complete in lessons. I am sure you will all do everything you can to help your school leaders and I would like to wish you all every success in the future.

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Inspection of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Redhill RH1 1DU

Joy Considine 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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