St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hunslet

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hunslet Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 108028 Local Authority Leeds Inspection number 356292 Inspection dates 23–24 May 2011 Reporting inspector Kathryn Dodd

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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 173 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Fr Eamon McGeough Headteacher Mrs Elizabeth Snelling Date of previous school inspection 22 January 2008 School address Joseph Street Leeds West Yorkshire LS10 2AD Telephone number 0113 2712093 Fax number 0113 2773938 Email address snellie01@leedslearning.net

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 23–24 May 2011 Inspection number 356292 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 observed teaching and learning in 12 lessons involving eight teachers. The inspectors held discussions with staff, groups of pupils, with the Chair of the Governing Body, and with parents and carers. The inspectors observed the school's work and reviewed documentation, including a review of improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils' progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and a sample of pupils' work. The inspectors analysed 69 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, 80 from pupils and 13 from staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Is pupils' attainment by the end of Year 6 average, particularly in mathematics, and is pupils' attainment in reading by the end of Year 2 improving?  Do children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress?

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Introduction

 To what extent is the school's efforts to improve attendance paying dividends.  Is the curriculum adapted well enough to boost pupils' attainment in mathematics, particularly between Years 3 and 6, and in reading in Years 1 and 2?  How effectively do staff and the governing body review information for pupils' progress and use it to influence their monitoring activities and inform their evaluation of the schools' effectiveness?

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Information about the school

The majority of the pupils at this smaller than average size school are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is increasing. Most are of Black or Black British heritage. Since the previous inspection, the number of pupils on roll has increased by approximately a quarter. The proportion of pupils that join the school other than in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception class), often from other countries, is above average. Although the proportion of pupils that speak English as an additional language is above average, only a few are at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal is well above average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The school has been accredited with Investors in Pupils, Inclusion Charter mark and has achieved Healthy Schools status.

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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 good school. In this friendly, safe, warm and very welcoming setting, pupils show good attitudes to learning. Pupils' behaviour is consistently good and older pupils are excellent role models for the younger ones. Pupils are thoughtful and mature, and those of all ethnic backgrounds learn together in harmony. These factors, along with the confidence they have that any problems they encounter will be dealt with quickly, ensure they feel safe. Parents and carers are extremely supportive. They say that their children learn in a `very caring school', where there is an `incredibly strong family ethos' and acknowledge that staff are `just wonderful'. Although the large majority of pupils make good progress, for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, progress is satisfactory. This is because the questioning skills of staff in assessing children's knowledge and understanding are not fully developed. As a result, the

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Main findings

activities provided do not always match children's varying learning needs. Similarly, opportunities for the children to develop their writing and calculations skills, especially as they learn independently, are sometimes overlooked. Nevertheless, from children's varying starting points, which, are often below those expected, attainment is broadly average by Year 6. This reflects good progress and the good quality of the teaching and an effective curriculum. Between Years 1 and 6, teachers make good use of their assessments of pupils' skills to provide work that meets their varying abilities. Similarly, pupils have a good understanding of what they need to do to reach their challenging learning targets. Despite recent challenges arising from a number of staff and leadership changes, the school has moved forward successfully. Attainment is generally on a rising trend, particularly in mathematics by the end of Year 6 and in reading by the end of Year 2. This

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Main findings

stems from the effective leadership of the headteacher, who provides a strong steer and contributes significantly to ensuring high staff morale. Although staff regularly assess and review the achievement of individual pupils, the information pinpointing varying rates of pupils' progress is not always evaluated with sufficient rigour to influence leaders' monitoring activities, for example, to check the quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Similarly, the governing body is still developing the skills needed to make a fully effective contribution to evaluating the school's performance. Nevertheless, there is an accurate and realistic evaluation of the school's overall effectiveness by senior leaders. This ensures that appropriate improvement priorities are identified. Along with the positive impact of their efforts, which reflects in the trend of rising attainment, it demonstrates that there is a good capacity to continue to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage to a good rate, by:

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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

ensuring all adults question children's understanding effectively in order to identify their next steps more precisely and use this information to plan activities that precisely match children's varying needs provide more opportunities to develop children's writing and calculation skills particularly as they learn independently.  Improve the rigour with which staff and the governing body review information for pupils' progress, particularly to influence the monitoring of the quality of provision and inform self-evaluation even more precisely.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Achievement is good. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that speak English as an additional language, make good progress. In lessons, pupils behave well. They are usually attentive and keen to learn, working at a good pace, particularly alongside adults or in pairs. Although most respond enthusiastically to teachers' questions, learning occasionally slows when pupils listen to their teacher for too long or become passive during discussions. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is average, although it fluctuates from year to year due to the small numbers of pupils in each year group. The above average proportion of pupils that joins the school partway through their primary education, such as, from other countries, are helped to settle and so make the same progress as their classmates. Consequently, attainment is rising and progress is accelerating. In mathematics, for example, attainment in Year 6 is now above

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

average, the highest for five years. Similarly, in Year 2, attainment is average, which reflects a significant improvement on previous years. In Years 1 and 2, attainment in reading, although improving, remains lower than in writing and mathematics. Pupils' enjoyment is reflected in the enthusiasm with which they participate in and talk about all that is on offer. Pupils relish opportunities to take on responsibilities, for example, as school councillors, zone park leaders or reading buddies. Attendance is average and recently has improved significantly. Pupils are well aware of the importance of good attendance. They are knowledgeable about how to keep safe, showing concern for one another's welfare, particularly for new pupils. They are confident that if they are worried, by placing a note into the `Wobbly Box,' they will quickly have the chance to discuss it with an adult. Pupils' good understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

shows in the enthusiasm with which they talk about sporting activities. Pupils discuss their learning together, and with adults with confidence, ease and maturity. This, along with their improving attainment, good progress and behaviour, and good opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills, demonstrates that they are well prepared with the skills necessary for future success.

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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 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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2

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' enthusiasm, good organisation and very positive relationships all make a strong contribution to pupils' good progress. Sensitive deployment of support staff enables pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress. Teachers make good reference to lesson objectives, ensuring that pupils are clear about what they need to do if they are to achieve them. Good quality marking identifies precisely how pupils can improve and often challenges them to do so. In the best lessons, teachers ensure all pupils continually respond to very direct, fast-paced, individualised, well targeted and challenging questioning. This keeps them on their toes. Occasionally, pupils' concentration drifts when teachers' questioning techniques fails to engage everyone. In mathematics, assessments of pupils' achievements are used effectively to influence teachers' planning. Booster sessions for pupils who need to catch up, along with a well-developed programme

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How effective is the provision?

of activities to challenge the more-able pupils and good opportunities for talking about solving mathematical problems, are all helping to raise attainment in mathematics. In Year 2, recent adaptations to the reading curriculum, such as, providing daily opportunities for pupils to read with adults, or with reading buddies, and new reading resources are all helping to raise attainment. The success of these adaptations is why advanced plans are now in place to extend them into other year groups, particularly Year 1. Effective partnerships beyond school help to extend the curriculum in areas such as, sport and music and in French. A good range of trips and visitors and clubs at lunchtime or after

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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 successfully enrich the curriculum, broaden pupils' horizons and contribute well to their enjoyment. The way in which every child is cared for and nurtured is seen in the warmth and care that radiates from staff. Well-thought through arrangements for welcoming new pupils ensure they settle quickly into their new environment. Close partnerships with external support agencies underpin the school's commitment to helping pupils with additional needs and in supporting families experiencing personal difficulties. Strenuous efforts of staff with responsibilities for improving attendance are paying dividends.

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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?

Leaders place a strong emphasis on the inclusion of all pupils in everything the school has to offer. Pupil's welfare and encouragement of their participation, including encouraging good attendance, are kept in firm view. Efforts to promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination help to bring about improved achievement, such as in mathematics. Even so, there remains more to do to accelerate the progress of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Although leaders and mangers regularly undertake a good range of activities aimed at checking the quality of provision, these activities are not always well targeted because they do not always stem from a rigorous analysis of attainment and progress information. In their quest to drive improvement forward, however, leaders forge effective partnerships beyond the school. External partners provide good opportunities for staff professional development, such as, to improve the teaching of mathematics.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Similarly, leaders successfully enlist the support of parents and carers. The parental support worker provides a good range of opportunities for parents and carers to find out how they help their children with learning at home and ensure they are supportive in efforts to improve attendance. Safeguarding procedures are satisfactory. Arrangements to safeguard pupils whose circumstances make them most vulnerable and in ensuring staff are well trained, are good. Assessments of potential risks on the premises are not always completed with rigour, however. The school started to rectify these during the inspection. The governing body makes a satisfactory contribution. It has been particularly successful in supporting efforts to improve attendance and it contributes effectively to financial management. The governing body is, however, still developing the skills and knowledge needed to hold the school fully to account for its performance and safeguarding arrangements. The school

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How effective are leadership and management?

makes a good contribution to community cohesion. Pupils learn in a particularly harmonious school community. Opportunities for pupils to engage with other diverse

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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

communities nearby are good. Advanced plans are now in place to further extend pupils knowledge about global diversity.

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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

Learning gets off to a steady start. Children make satisfactory progress from their usually below average starting points. Warm and caring relationships between adults and children, along with a welcoming learning environment ensure that children feel happy and safe. Children's personal, social and emotional development is good. They quickly learn to behave well, to become good listeners, to share and to take turns. This reflects the continual encouragement from all staff. As children learn in small groups alongside their class teacher, as seen for example, during a group reading activity, learning moves forward at a good rate. Learning slows, however, when children play and work independently because it is not always clear what they are expected to learn. Similarly, not all staff have the necessary skills to effectively question children's understanding, particularly when directing small group activities. As a result, opportunities for assessing

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Early Years Foundation Stage

children's achievement and identifying their next steps are sometimes overlooked. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Leaders and managers are well aware of the improvements needed to accelerate progress to a consistently good rate. The new Early Years Foundation Stage leader is making increasingly good use of the information about children's achievement in order to pinpoint where learning needs to speed up. This is why teachers are now focused on extending opportunities for children to develop their basic writing and calculation skills. Their efforts however, are yet to manifest in improving children's progress to a consistently good rate and so by the start of Year 1, a below average proportion of children reach the learning goals expected.

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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 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

Parents and carers, including those that held discussions with inspectors, express their overwhelming support for almost all aspects of the school's work. They are in full agreement that their children enjoy school, are kept safe and are pleased with the quality of education on offer. A very small minority of those who returned questionnaires disagreed that the school takes into account their suggestions and concerns. Even so, those who talked with inspectors indicated that they find staff very approachable and dealing very effectively and immediately with any concerns that arise. The governing body, however, acknowledges there remains scope to canvass the views of parents and carers more formally.

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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 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hunslet 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 69 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 173 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 41 59 26 38 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 39 57 28 41 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 27 39 38 55 2 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 25 36 42 61 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 34 49 34 49 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 31 45 34 49 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 27 39 40 58 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) 29 42 36 52 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 27 39 35 51 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 30 43 36 52 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 21 30 39 57 4 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 32 46 35 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 34 49 31 45 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 2010 to 31 December 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 2010/11 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 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hunslet, Leeds, LS10 2AD

Thank you so much for the extremely warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and finding out your views. You go to a good school. By the time pupils leave school, their attainment is similar to that expected and you are making good progress. We were particularly pleased to:  find out that your attainment is improving, particularly in mathematics by the end of Year 6 and in reading by the end of Year 2  see your good behaviour and how mature, polite, courteous you are  see how well you get on together, treat one another with respect and learn peacefully together  hear your joyful singing in assembly and as part of the Leeds Cathedral Choir  hear about how quickly you settle in when you join from another school or from another country  find out that many more of you are now coming to school every day. We have asked that some improvements be made. These are to make sure that:

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Inspection of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hunslet, Leeds, LS10 2AD

 your progress speeds up in the Reception Year so that it is always good  adults improve how they check on your progress and make sure that you learn equally well. You can help by making sure that you always check what you still have to do to reach your learning targets, by making sure that you tell your teacher if your work is too easy or is too hard and, of course, you should make sure that you come to school every day. I send my very best wishes to you all for a bright and successful future.

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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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