Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 103421 Local Authority Birmingham Inspection number 355380 Inspection dates 31 January 2011–1 February 2011 Reporting inspector David Speakman

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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 236 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maura Halpin Headteacher Marian Mulroy Date of previous school inspection 14 January 2008 School address Coventry Road Birmingham B10 0HT Telephone number 0121 675 2670 Fax number 0121 675 0734 Email address enquiry@holyfam.bham.sch.uk

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Inspection dates

31 January 2011–1 February 2011 Inspection number 355380 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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection dates

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 .

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Inspection dates

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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They observed 17 lessons taught by 10 teachers. Meetings were held with staff members, groups of pupils, members of the governing body and a local authority representative. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at a range of documentation, including monitoring, evaluation and assessment records, policy documents, the school improvement plan, minutes of governing body meetings, teachers' planning and samples of pupils' work. A wide range of documents and records was scrutinised in relation to the safeguarding of pupils. Inspectors took into account the views of 45 parents', 105 pupils' and 18 staff questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Why is attainment in mathematics weaker than other outcomes in the Early Years Foundation Stage and at Key Stage 1?

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Introduction

 Are there specific groups with poor attendance and how much does this affect their academic performance?  How have the monitoring and evaluation skills of senior and middle leaders developed in order to support school improvement and what does the governing body need to do further to challenge and hold the school to account?

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Information about the school

Holy Family Catholic Primary School is similar in size to most other primary schools. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is very high when compared to other schools nationally and a majority of these come from a Pakistani background. A very high proportion speaks English as an additional language and 43 pupils are at the early stages of learning English. One pupil has a statement of special educational needs and the proportion identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to other primary schools. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the Nursery part-time and full-time in a Reception class. A breakfast club operates under the direction of the governing body. The school has achieved Healthy Schools status, holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark and has been awarded the Sportsmark.

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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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Main findings

Holy Family Catholic Primary School is a good school in which pupils from all backgrounds and of all abilities achieve well. The quality of education provided at Holy Family is good; teaching and the curriculum are both good and support effective learning. In addition to the academic progress pupils make, their personal development is good. This is supported by the strong Catholic ethos, which underpins the school's daily routines, and good levels of care, guidance and support. As a result pupils feel safe in school, their behaviour is good and they develop well in terms of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural growth. As one parent wrote, 'Holy Family is not just a school, but a family.' The school has introduced a number of effective initiatives to raise standards. By the end of Year 6, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is broadly in line with the national average. There has been some improvement in reading and writing by the end of

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Main findings

Year 2 and attainment is steadily approaching the national average. However, the same level of improvement is not evident in mathematics, where attainment remains significantly below average. Standards in problem solving, reasoning and number are similarly below those in language at the end of the Reception. Inspection observations show that the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is mostly satisfactory in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. In lessons, pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to learn through meaningful activities, and the language of mathematics often confuses some pupils when solving problems. Improvement has taken place in the Early Years Foundation Stage under new leadership. Overall, children's progress is good, but there is some variation in the quality of teaching and learning across the key stage; it is good in the Reception and satisfactory in Nursery.

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Main findings

Assessment is used satisfactorily in the Nursery and well in the Reception Class. It is used effectively to support and challenge the children capable of achieving higher attainment levels, but less well in supporting those who find learning more challenging and children who speak English as an additional language. Some small group teaching in the Nursery is not followed up with learning activities that provide sufficient enrichment to encourage children to develop their language and learn through experiencing for themselves. The school has improved since its previous inspection, when its overall effectiveness was judged satisfactory. As a result of improved teaching and curriculum, pupils now achieve well. There is a strong drive for continued improvement among the senior leadership team and staff. Through effective self-evaluation, senior leaders are clear about what needs to be improved and the headteacher has a realistic view of where the school is in its

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Main findings

development. Consequently, the school has a good capacity to sustain further improvement.

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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?

 Raise the level of attainment in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 by: improving the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics at Key Stage 1 and in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that it is consistently good or better promoting the development and use of the language of mathematics providing greater opportunities for pupils to solve problems and to learn through meaningful practical tasks.  Establish a greater level of consistency of provision across the Early Years Foundation Stage by: using assessment more effectively to ensure that activities are matched well to children's specific abilities and learning needs develop the curriculum to offer greater opportunities for language development in context plan more small group teaching sessions in the Nursery that are linked to meaningful and enriching learning experiences.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with attainment that is well below that typical for children of their age. Pupils make good progress and achieve standards that are broadly average by the end of Year 6. Through well-planned and focused support for their specific learning needs, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well. Pupils who speak English as an additional language soon pick up sufficient English to enable them to progress well in their learning. However, it is clear that some pupils' speaking skills and limited vocabulary limit their ability to express themselves clearly. Even so, pupils are confident and readily enter into dialogue with each other and with adults. This is particularly evident in lessons where pupils are keen to contribute when working collaboratively. Pupils enjoy lessons. They find them interesting and are eager to engage in sessions such as those where they learn the sounds letters represent. When lessons are

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

interesting, pupils are capable of sustaining their levels of concentration over extended periods. At the end of the day, pupils in Year 6 were still enthusiastic to share their computer based story boards which they had produced working in groups, having started the unit of work mid-morning. Pupils understand what makes a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy and enthusiastically participate in a range of after-school sports clubs. They make healthy choices at lunchtime. Pupils' healthy lifestyles are reflected in the school's Healthy School status and its Sportsmark. They make a satisfactory contribution to school life and to the local community. Pupils from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and from different faiths work, learn and play together harmoniously. They have a well-developed moral code, which is reflected in the good relationships and behaviour. Their satisfactory multicultural understanding is developed through the spiritual life of the school, the curriculum,

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

celebrations of religious festivals and visits to different places of worship. However there are missed opportunities to widen pupils' multicultural awareness further, beyond the faith based approach, and to celebrate a wide range of cultures through displays in the school.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Although the overall attendance figure is below average, factors beyond the school's control have depressed attendance rates. A large majority of pupils take leave for religious observance and a small number of pupils left Holy Family, but were kept on roll until their next school was known. When these factors are taken out of the data, as well as absence due to adverse and extreme weather conditions through which the school remained open, attendance is average. Consequently, there is no significant impact on pupils' achievement.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers' planning is thorough and takes account of pupils' prior attainment so that activities are matched well to individual needs. In Key Stage 2 mathematics lessons, where pupils are grouped according to their prior attainment, teachers plan different activities to match the range of ages and learning needs in their groups. Teaching assistants are fully aware of what is expected of them and fully engage with the pupils they support, making a significant contribution to the good progress in lessons. Teachers make sure that pupils are engaged in learning. It was very rare that teachers talked for too long in lessons seen during the inspection. Introductions were brief but clear and pupils set about their tasks while they still had their initial enthusiasm. Behaviour is managed well. The quality of relationships between adults and pupils means that pupils respond and settle very quickly.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The curriculum is broad and balanced and there are wide opportunities for promoting pupils' personal and social development. Pupils' cultural development is promoted well. All Year 4 pupils learn to play the violin, with the option of continuing beyond Year 4 if they wish, and Key Stage 2 has weekly French lessons. Teachers successfully use themes to provide imaginative contexts for learning based on developing pupils' skills and gaining their interest. A number of initiatives have been introduced which are becoming effective in developing pupils literacy, numeracy and computer skills. The school is a caring establishment where pupils are, and feel well supported and cared for. Pupils attending the breakfast club are well looked after. They receive a small breakfast and, through careful supervision, are kept safe before school starts.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher has been successful in building a team of skilled staff that are committed to school improvement. She has achieved this by distributing responsibility across the staff and providing opportunities for professional development so that they can fulfil their responsibilities effectively. Typical of this arrangement is the inclusion of a higher-level teaching assistant on the senior leadership team and designating the school's business manager as an associate governor. The headteacher and senior staff carefully monitor the school's provision and performance in their discrete areas but they also bring their findings together under whole-school issues. This provides a good and valuable overview on which they act decisively. Effective leadership and management of teaching and learning, for example, have resulted in improved teaching. Governance of the school is satisfactory. The governing body has a few newly appointed

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How effective are leadership and management?

members. Under the leadership of their new chair, governors are currently auditing their skills and identifying the policy documents they need to review urgently. A governor has just been appointed to oversee safeguarding and revised, more robust systems have recently been put into place to ensure that the school is able to meet its obligations under child protection. Safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory but a number of policy documents are out of date, therefore, safeguarding and child protection practice may not reflect closely enough the most up-to-date requirements. The school has a good relationship with the parents and carers of its pupils and they think highly of the school. Parents' and carers' questionnaire returns confirm they feel well-informed. Equality of opportunity is an important feature of the school's provision. The ethos of the school ensures that all pupils are equally respected and that incidents of harassment are

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How effective are leadership and management?

minimised. Regardless of origin, faith or ability pupils are given good opportunities to

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

succeed. The school is working hard to reduce any gaps and progress is already being seen specifically between the provision of literacy and numeracy in Key Stage 1, and generally between the provision in the Nursery and in Reception. The school promotes community cohesion satisfactorily. There is an audit of this area of provision, which identifies areas the school needs to focus on. Cohesion within the school community is good and the school is currently extending its international links.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage leader is relatively new into role and has already had an impact on improving provision and raising standards in preparation for children to move into Key Stage 1. Teaching is good in the Reception class and satisfactory in the Nursery. When good, teaching is clearly focused and provides children with a good quality spoken English language model. There is a clear purpose to group activities which promote purposeful play. Children are encouraged to select their own resources and therefore learn independence. Teaching assistant support, when good, provides good role models for language development within contexts relevant to children's lives and experiences, frequently including problem solving to develop numeracy. Satisfactory teaching is characterised by being often too adult-led and children not having enough practical experiences in their learning activities. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is

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Early Years Foundation Stage

effective in promoting good learning. There is an appropriate focus on developing children's speaking, listening and early reading skills. However, in the Nursery, there is sometimes a lack of enrichment activities to promote spoken language in context and raise achievement in children's knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

A smaller than average number of parents and carers returned the inspection questionnaire. A few included written responses, but like the vast majority of responses to the questions, these were positive and reflected parents' and carers' satisfaction with the school. A very small minority expressed disagreement that their children are making enough progress and that particular needs are met. The inspection team looked carefully at these two areas and found that progress is generally good and that teachers are careful in planning to meet pupils' individual needs.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Holy Family Catholic Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 45 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 236 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 31 69 14 31 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 29 64 16 36 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 19 42 26 58 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 25 56 17 38 2 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 24 53 18 40 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 16 36 27 60 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 19 42 25 56 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 15 33 25 56 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 15 33 24 53 2 4 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 22 49 21 47 0 0 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 16 36 24 53 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 19 42 23 51 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 25 56 18 40 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all sc hools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Birmingham, B10 0HT

Thank you very much for making us so welcome when we came to inspect your school recently. Your thoughts and opinions about Holy Family School, given to us in conversations and in your questionnaire responses, helped us a great deal when we were making decisions about how good your school really is. You go to a good school and we feel that you all make good progress in your learning and in your personal development. We were impressed by the way you go about your school day and the way in which you all get on well together. We thought that behaviour in school was good and we sensed you had an eagerness to learn. This helps your teachers teach effective lessons so that you can learn well. Your contribution is important to the school's effectiveness. We have asked your headteacher, governors and staff to improve two main areas. Improve standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 by making sure that all teaching is

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Inspection of Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Birmingham, B10 0HT

good and giving you more chances to solve problems. Make sure children in the Nursery have the same kind of exciting things to do and learn that children in the Reception Class enjoy. We wish you all the best in the future and you can help your teachers improve the school by continuing to do your best and behaving well.

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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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