St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 27–28 February 2012 Inspection number 376518 St Mary of the Angels RC Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 101137 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 376518 Inspection dates 27–28 February 2012 Lead inspector Liz Bowes

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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 349 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Arthur Soares Headteacher Mary Wilson Date of previous school inspection 10 January 2007 School address Shrewsbury Road Bayswater London W2 5PR Telephone number 020 7641 4482 Fax number 020 7641 4453 Email address office@stmaryangels.co.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 21 lessons or part lessons and all teachers were observed teaching. There was one joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors made short visits to phonics (letters and the sounds they make) sessions and listened to children read. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and school staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised documents including improvement planning, records of pupils’ progress and attainment. During the inspection, 120 parents’ and carers’ questionnaires were analysed as well as those completed by 88 pupils and 25 staff.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school. Over three quarters of the pupils are of ethnic heritage other than White British, with the largest group from Other White backgrounds. The majority of the pupils speak English as an additional language and a significant number are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is close to the average. The proportion of pupils’ known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a Nursery and two Reception classes. The school meets the current government floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. There is an on-site breakfast club. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been in post for four months. The school has recently achieved Enhanced Healthy Schools status.

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Information about the school

There is an on-site children’s centre; this is subject to separate inspection arrangements. 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 have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school. Their academic achievement is good and there are strengths in pupils’ personal development. Overall effectiveness is good rather than outstanding because there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2.

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Key findings

 From their starting points, which are generally below typical expectations, pupils achieve well overall, although the rate of progress is less rapid in Key Stage 2. Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is typically above average, although there was an uncharacteristic dip in standards in 2011. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well supported and make good progress as a result.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is good. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, there are examples of outstanding teaching. In Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is good overall. However, it is more variable and progress can be affected when there is a lack of pace and challenge, particularly for the most-able pupils. Marking is not consistently used throughout the school and so occasionally pupils are not fully aware of how to improve their work.

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Key findings

 Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe within the ethos of a caring environment. Pupils of all backgrounds show respect for, and interest in, other cultures and customs.

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Key findings

 Under the leadership of the dynamic new headteacher, the school has continued to improve and is now doing so rapidly; the effective management of performance is a key factor in this improvement. Middle managers are effectively involved in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work. The supportive governing body has a clear vision for the school’s further improvement. Teaching is managed well, although leaders are aware of the need to iron out remaining inconsistencies .

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching, particularly in Key Stage 2, in order to accelerate pupils’ progress, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 ensuring all teachers fully challenge the more-able pupils, particularly in English and mathematics  increasing the pace of lessons so that time is used more efficiently  adopting consistent marking strategies so that pupils are always aware of the level at which they are working and how they can improve.

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Achievement of pupils

The achievement of pupils is good. An overwhelming majority of parents and carers believe their children are making good progress, and inspection evidence endorses their view. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children enjoy the imaginative, stimulating environment and develop a wide range of skills. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1, particularly in reading; almost all can apply their knowledge of how to blend letter-sounds together to help them read unknown words. Pupils’ reading diaries indicate that most parents and carers support their child’s progress by hearing them read regularly at home. At the end of Key Stage 1, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is high.

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Achievement of pupils

In 2011, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 dipped to average levels. Attainment in previous years has typically been high. Last year’s decline has now been reversed and there is clear evidence of rising attainment. Standards in reading at the end of Year 6 are typically above average. Learning is purposeful; pupils are enthusiastic and start work quickly. This was demonstrated in an English lesson where pupils were required to describe a creature; they sustained their concentration well when developing their ideas. In intervention sessions, pupils often have very enthusiastic attitudes to learning, and this was demonstrated in one lesson where the pupils were seen to be greatly enjoying their learning on the computers and were keen to compete with their peers.

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Achievement of pupils

Good systems are in place to assess and monitor pupils’ progress accurately, which enables the school to quickly identify those pupils or groups of pupils who are in need of additional help. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported and their progress is good. The school identified a gap in the achievement of those Key Stage 1 pupils known to be entitled to free school meals and their peers; this has now been successfully tackled through focused intervention strategies. In Key Stage 2, the school has significantly narrowed the gap in the attainment of free school meal pupils when compared to the attainment of all pupils nationally. A very large majority of pupils in the school speak English as an additional language; the school has a policy of including these pupils fully from the very beginning, and many bilingual teaching assistants ease their inclusion into whole-

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Achievement of pupils

class learning. In both key stages, the attainment of these pupils is above the national average.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils, parents and carers expressed the view that teaching is good, and this is borne out by inspection findings. Key strengths, exemplified in the outstanding lessons observed, include: brisk pace; teachers’ enthusiasm; effective time management; high expectations of all pupils; effective questioning which challenges pupils of all abilities; and a good balance between teacher input and group work.

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Quality of teaching

Much of the teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is consistently good with some outstanding practice. Children in the Nursery are given every opportunity to explore learning for themselves and are well supported in their learning by adults. In Key Stage 1, much teaching is lively and pitched carefully at each pupil’s needs. Interactive whiteboards are used creatively to stimulate pupils’ imaginations. Excellent teaching was most often seen in intervention sessions for pupils who needed targeted support to reach their potential. Teachers regularly use pupil feedback to plan ideas and focus for the following lesson. This was seen to good effect in a mathematics intervention session in Year 3 where pupils requested more reinforcement of a particular area.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching of reading is always good and outstanding practice was observed in a session on phonics, where the teacher showed an excellent understanding of the multi-sensory approach. The teaching of numeracy across the curriculum is also good.

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Quality of teaching

In Key Stage 2, teaching is good overall. However, at times, pupils spend too long listening to the teacher, and in some classes, teaching is less effective because too much time is allocated to particular activities and the pace of learning slackens. In some instances, teachers do not challenge more-able pupils sufficiently by providing work suited to their needs, particularly in English and mathematics, and this can limit their progress. Teachers’ use of the marking strategy is variable across the school. This leads to variability in the extent to which pupils have a secure knowledge of their achievements and an understanding of how they can improve.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching contributes strongly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and this ensures they have a clear understanding of right and wrong. The many opportunities pupils have to work with their peers helps them to develop social skills. They acquire a good knowledge and awareness of different cultures and religions in a range of subjects and, therefore, the impact of the planned curriculum is good.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Evidence shows that pupils’ behaviour over time both during the school day and in breakfast club is good, and the very large majority of parents agree. Pupils act with consideration and courtesy so that lessons are not disrupted; they demonstrate high levels of concentration and determination when approaching their learning and regularly work well together and tidy up without the need to be asked. Good behaviour contributes well to good progress. The playground is a harmonious environment; as one pupil stated, ‘Everyone in school is my friend, and when I am sad, they always cheer me up.’ Staff and pupils alike strive with great success to ensure that no one is excluded or unhappy, and they are very keen to help newcomers to make friends and settle in quickly. Pupils are confident that any behavioural incidents are dealt with swiftly and that the resolution is fair. They have a clear awareness of the different forms of bullying, including prejudice-based

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

bullying. On the rare occasions where there has been any form of bullying, this has been effectively dealt with and pupils were very pleased with the way an incident of cyberbullying was stopped.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils enjoy their time in school and this helps to secure high attendance. Pupils demonstrate a very strong awareness of how to identify risks and keep themselves safe; they genuinely care about the safety of others and are keen to help. Throughout the school, from the Nursery class to the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have respectful and cooperative relationships. Case studies of vulnerable pupils indicate that the school provides a supportive and safe environment. Pupils are welcoming to visitors; for example, at lunchtimes, pupils made a point of inviting the inspector to sit and eat with them. Pupils show a deep understanding of the value of faith in their lives and use times of reflection to help shape their own values and feelings.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and managers at all levels have successfully contributed to school improvement since the last inspection and the recently appointed headteacher has already had a significant impact. There is a clear focus on developing leaders and managers from within the school. Professional development is good and is now closely aligned with performance management. Middle managers have a detailed understanding of their subjects’ performance data and are now fully involved in developing the school priorities. New teachers become confident practitioners rapidly because of the focus placed on their development, including opportunities for them to work alongside external advisors.

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Leadership and management

The strong governing body contributes effectively to strategic planning, it ensures that safeguarding policies are fully implemented and that the pupils are safe at all times. Accurate self-evaluation, the successful implementation of improvement plans and a track record over time indicates that the school has the capacity to improve.

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Leadership and management

The school has successfully overcome many potential barriers to learning by ensuring all pupils have sufficient English language skills to access the curriculum fully. Equality is promoted well and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. This ensures that all pupils, regardless of background or ability, have an equal opportunity to succeed. By following an inclusive approach, all children can access a wide range of interesting experiences on a daily basis. The school makes full use of its central London location and is very effective in enriching the curriculum by visits to the Tower of London, The British Museum and the Natural History Museum. These trips, as well as themed in-school events such as ‘Italian Week’, create a vibrant and lively curriculum that really stimulates pupils’ imaginations and enables them to connect with the city of London, the country and the wider world. Music is a strength of the

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Leadership and management

school’s work and the school choir benefits from the expertise of a choirmaster from Westminster Cathedral Choir School as part of the Cathedral’s Chorister Outreach Project. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very effectively through the curriculum. In assemblies, teachers choose texts carefully to stimulate the pupils’ imaginations, and there are many opportunities for pupils to reflect and develop their thoughts and feelings.

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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 Mary of the Angels RC Primary School, Bayswater W2 5PR

I am writing to thank you for the wonderful welcome you gave to inspectors during our recent visit. I am pleased to tell you that St Mary of the Angels is a good school. You clearly enjoy school very much and get on very well with each other and with staff. Thank you to all of you who talked to us and filled in questionnaires giving us your views about the school.

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Inspection of St Mary of the Angels RC Primary School, Bayswater W2 5PR

We were very impressed by the way you work together in lessons and try your hardest. This means that your progress from your starting points is good. Your teachers and teaching assistants plan interesting lessons; they work very well together and are very committed to helping you to achieve your best. Your headteacher, the other teachers and staff work well together to help you do your very best to help you to learn.

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Inspection of St Mary of the Angels RC Primary School, Bayswater W2 5PR

In order to make things even better, we have asked teachers to always give you the best possible challenges so that you are really stretched to do your best in every single lesson. We would like the teachers to give you more to do in each lesson and to ensure that the marking always helps you to understand how to improve.

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Inspection of St Mary of the Angels RC Primary School, Bayswater W2 5PR

You too can play a positive role in making your school even better by making sure that you continue to concentrate really well in your lessons. We hope that you continue to enjoy school and learning.

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Inspection of St Mary of the Angels RC Primary School, Bayswater W2 5PR

Liz Bowes 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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