Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 108024 Local Authority Leeds Inspection number 356291 Inspection dates 20–21 April 2011 Reporting inspector Glynis Bradley-Peat

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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 376 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Gary Kerrigan Headteacher Mrs Wendy Walsh Date of previous school inspection 18 March 2008 School address Halton Moor Avenue Leeds West Yorkshire LS9 0HA Telephone number 0113 248 3095 Fax number 0113 240 3035 Email address walshw01@leedslearning.net

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 20–21 April 2011 Inspection number 356291 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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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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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. The inspectors visited 22 lessons, observed 15 teachers and held meetings with the headteacher, senior leadership team, teaching staff, members of the governing body and pupils. They observed the school's work and looked at pupils' books. The inspectors checked documents, including the school improvement plan, systems for tracking pupils' progress, safeguarding documentation and school policies. They also analysed information from 142 questionnaires from parents and carers, in addition to those received from staff and pupils. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  What leaders and managers are doing to ensure that attainment at Key Stage 2 rises and progress accelerates.  Whether the quality of teaching and assessment are good enough in Key Stage 2 to raise attainment, accelerate progress and improve achievement.

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Introduction

 Whether all leaders and managers are having sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching and assessment.  Whether leaders evaluate the impact of the actions they take to bring about improvement well enough.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is much higher than average. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups and the number who speak English as an additional language is below average but rising year-on-year. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average and also rising. The needs of these pupils are mainly related to behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The headteacher is new to the school since the previous inspection. The school holds the Activemark and the Stephen Lawrence Award.

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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

This is a school that provides a satisfactory standard of education for its pupils. Senior leaders are well aware of the school's strengths and weaknesses through accurate self- evaluation and have been successful in making improvements in some aspects since the time of the last inspection. Work done to improve mathematics, for instance, has raised attainment by the end of Year 6 and pupils are more confident in their use of mathematical skills. Results in national assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2010 were higher than at any time in the last five years. Pupils make an outstanding contribution to the community through their influential school council, which has a major part to play in making decisions about the way the school is made more exciting for all pupils. The headteacher's vision for improving the school is communicated well to all, so that senior leaders and all staff are fully committed to moving the school forward. The capacity of

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Main findings

leaders and managers to continue to bring about further improvement is satisfactory. Children enter the school with levels of skills well below those for most children of their age. They make a satisfactory start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Pupils go on to make satisfactory progress throughout the rest of the school, although it is inconsistent across year groups and subjects. This results in underachievement in some years that has to be made up in the following year. Senior leaders have taken firm steps to eradicate inadequate teaching and are quite rightly focused on moving the satisfactory teaching to good in order to promote a more consistent picture. However, subject leaders are not always involved enough in monitoring the quality of teaching in their own areas of responsibility. Senior leaders are making better use of the information about pupils' progress available from the school's system of tracking data on pupils' progress. Despite

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Main findings

this, teachers do not always use this information to identify pupils' level of understanding and promote consistently good progress. As a result, lessons are not always pitched correctly to meet the learning needs of all pupils, and progress, especially for the most able, slows. Progress in writing is not as good as in other subjects because pupils do not have enough opportunity to write for a purpose at length in subjects other than literacy. Although teachers now pay better attention to setting effective learning objectives and success criteria in mathematics and English, this practice is underdeveloped in other subjects. The school has implemented a range of effective strategies to care for and support pupils. This has resulted in those pupils who are potentially vulnerable participating fully in what the school provides. Safeguarding is robust and the school is a caring, nurturing place for both pupils and their families. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are

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Main findings

generally well-supported and make satisfactory progress. Most pupils are keen to adopt a healthy lifestyle and know how a good diet and exercise promote this.

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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

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and accelerate progress in mathematics and English, and in writing in particular by:  - ensuring that systems for tracking and analysing data on pupils' achievement are used by teachers more effectively to challenge pupils of all abilities, especially the more able  - ensuring that pupils have more opportunity to write for a purpose across a variety of subjects.  Improve the quality of teaching from satisfactory to at least good by:  - ensuring that teachers plan more effectively to build upon what pupils already know and can do  - ensuring lesson objectives and success criteria are sharply focused on what teachers expect pupils to learn in all subjects  - involving leaders at all levels in the monitoring and evaluation of their areas of responsibility.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Most pupils enjoy coming to school, have a good attitude to learning and behave well. Their achievement is satisfactory. They are keen to contribute their ideas and work collaboratively together in a mature way. When presented with challenges they are eager to improve their knowledge and understanding. In a good mathematics lesson in Year 6, pupils worked together in groups to solve a real life problem about ratio and proportion. The pupils enjoyed working out the amounts needed of the different ingredients to make a 'smoothie' which then they were able to make. It was also clear that pupils knew the drinks were healthy. Consequently, pupils reached above average levels of attainment and made good progress. However, this is not consistent across all year groups or subjects. In a number of other lessons where objectives were unclear, pupils' enthusiasm for learning slowed because they were unable to contribute their ideas, and teachers spent too much

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

time talking. This slowed the rate of progress. In 2010, mathematics improved but attainment in English continued to decline. However, it is clear from the current tracking data and the quality of pupils' work that the school is set to achieve better results this year and the decline has been halted. There is little difference in the performance of girls and boys or between different ethnic groups. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make similar progress to their classmates. Attendance is broadly average and improving as a result of the school's effective tracking and response systems. In light of this and the improving picture of attainment, pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education and develop workplace and other skills satisfactorily. Pupils say they feel safe in school and that they can approach adults confidently with any issues and are assured that any problems would

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

be sorted out effectively. Pupils' behaviour is well-managed resulting in good support for those with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Behaviour in and around the

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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

school is good. Pupils' eco-friendly approach ensures that the school grounds are an area of focus. They have done much to improve the local environment. They develop a good understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues.

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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 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

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?

Overall, teaching is satisfactory. Although the majority of teaching is good, there is work to be done to more quickly improve the significant proportion of satisfactory teaching. There are examples of good teaching across the school and on some occasions it is outstanding. For example, in a mathematics lesson about time, Year 3 pupils learnt how to solve problems highly effectively. Pupils' learning was excellent because the teacher consistently evaluated their progress towards their objective and adjusted the work in response. This resulted in high levels of challenge for all learners, that coupled with praise and encouragement ensured pupils' excellent engagement and enjoyment. In the satisfactory lessons, pupils are not always clear about what they are expected to learn or whether they have been successful. In addition, lack of attention to the starting points of all pupils slows the rate at which some of them learn. Teachers are beginning to make

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How effective is the provision?

better links between subjects, for example, in history, literacy and art, but pupils are not given opportunities to write at length often enough, apart from in literacy. The school is making increasingly effective use of specialist provision, such as in music and modern foreign languages, to broaden pupils' opportunities and to enrich the curriculum. This is

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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

further enhanced by frequent and regular opportunities to participate in after-school clubs, such as football, cheerleading and Bollywood dancing. The school is currently working on improving the creativity in the curriculum, but it is too early to gauge the impact of this work on achievement. Relationships between the school, potentially vulnerable pupils and their families are good. This is because the school successfully tackles barriers to learning, for example, the work of the youth inclusion worker helps to prevent pupils being drawn into undesirable activities in the local community. Some pupils with emotional and behavioural problems work with other agencies to develop their social skills which help them to cope better with their difficulties and to contribute well in school. Good, care, guidance and support are at the heart of everything the school does. Teachers ensure that those pupils who have

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

missed work are able to catch up on their return. Teaching assistants provide variable support for those pupils with additional needs. Sometimes they sit inactively for too long during lessons and do not promote learning as effectively as they could.

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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 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The effective leadership of the headteacher provides a clear vision for the school and this is beginning to motivate all staff to strive for improvement. The rate of improvement is satisfactory but is slowed down by the inconsistency in the quality of teaching. Some subject leaders do not always contribute sufficiently well towards monitoring their own areas of responsibility. Although the system to track pupils' progress is used increasingly effectively by senior leaders, it does not drive through improvements as well as it could, because many teachers do not use information from it well enough. The quality of lesson observations is good and these provide clear areas for improvement, but systems to ensure that teachers are held responsible for the progress their pupils make is still developing. The governing body is effective and provides robust support and challenge for the school. Members of the governing body understand the performance data clearly and

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How effective are leadership and management?

know the school's strengths and weaknesses. They promote community cohesion and as a result, the school has a good understanding of its context and works well in partnership with the local community and beyond. As a result, the school has been awarded the Stephen Lawrence Award. The school overcomes discrimination and promotes an ethos of equality for all satisfactorily, but there is work to be done to ensure that progress becomes more consistent across classes. Leaders ensure that potentially vulnerable pupils participate fully in the life of the school. The school pays close attention to safeguarding and effective policies are in place to check all adults prior to them working in the school. The governing body works diligently to minimise risks.

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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 leadership and management

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3

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make satisfactory progress from their well below average starting points. They enter Reception Year with levels of skills well below those expected for their age in personal and social development and in communication, language and literacy. When children enter Year 1, their skills are still below expected levels. Good attention to the development of children's personal and social skills pays dividends. This in turn contributes well to good behaviour not only in the Early Years Foundation Stage but throughout the school. There have been significant improvements made to the Early Years Foundation Stage provision and accommodation recently. However, some initiatives are still new and have yet to have a sustained impact on achievement. The curriculum has been improved by significant investment in new information and communication technology resources to support children's independence. Children were

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Early Years Foundation Stage

observed assessing each other's number formation on a split screen, which supported number recognition well. Adults ensure that children also enjoy activities that promote their early reading and writing skills. Whilst pointing to a wall display, one child excitedly said to another: 'That's a letter sound'. Teachers make good use of questioning skills to identify gaps in learning and also to motivate children to explore more creatively. Playing outside with a variety of objects, children travelled to the moon in a space rocket and chased sharks on a submarine, with explosions of glee. Children increasingly demonstrate an awareness of how to make choices about their behaviour; some are developing tolerance of others who at times find this difficult. Opportunities for children to adopt healthy eating habits are currently underdeveloped, for example, when choosing a snack. The school has not yet planned effectively for children to experience stimulating learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

opportunities outside as frequently as those found inside. Leaders are aware of these

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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

shortcomings and have implemented plans to rectify them but as yet it is too early to see any impact.

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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 3

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

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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

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Views of parents and carers

Of the parents and carers who returned the inspection questionnaire, most were extremely positive about the school. An overwhelming majority feel that their children are kept safe in school and that they enjoy their time there. A small minority feel that unacceptable behaviour is not dealt with effectively. Inspectors found behaviour to be good during the inspection. A few parents and carers feel that the school does not take account of their suggestions and concerns. Inspectors brought this to the attention of the school.

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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 Corpus Christi 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.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 142 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 376 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 60 42 78 55 3 2 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 80 56 59 42 3 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 54 38 76 54 9 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 61 43 73 51 6 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 68 48 68 48 5 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 56 39 70 49 11 8 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 49 35 77 54 13 9 1 1

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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) 52 37 76 54 7 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 61 43 72 51 6 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 48 34 67 47 20 14 2 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 43 30 77 54 11 8 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 57 40 76 54 5 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 69 49 64 45 5 4 1 1

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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 schools 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 Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, Leeds, LS9 0HA

Thank you very much for your hospitality when we visited your school recently. My colleagues and I were impressed by how polite and well behaved you all were. Well done! We thought you would like to know what we found out during our visit. The school takes good care of you and you told us that you feel safe. You enjoy the extra activities the school provides, and the sport especially helps you to stay fit and healthy. We think that your school provides you all with a satisfactory education. Your headteacher has worked hard to make sure that all the staff are trying to improve your school. Unfortunately, when pupils in Year 6 took their national tests last year they did not do as well as the school had hoped in English, particularly in writing. However, we think that your work in class and the school's information show that things are now getting better. Your teachers all work very hard and many of them teach you well. Sometimes though,

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Inspection of Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, Leeds, LS9 0HA

teaching does not help you to make as much progress as you should. We have, therefore, asked that your headteacher and staff do a number of things to help the school to improve.  We would like the school to make sure that you make more progress and do better in national tests, particularly in writing. We have also asked that you are given lots of opportunities to write in subjects other than literacy. In addition we have asked the headteacher to check that teachers use information they have about each of you to make sure the work you complete in lessons is hard enough.  We have also asked that teaching that is satisfactory is helped to become good by making sure that you all know clearly what you are learning in every lesson. We have also asked that teachers who are in charge of different subjects check how well teachers teach you. I wish you all the best in your future education at Corpus Christi Primary.

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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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