St Winefride's Catholic Primary School

St Winefride's Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 March 2012 Inspection number 378274 Unique Reference Number 111313 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 378274 Inspection dates 21–22 March 2012 Lead inspector Shirley Herring

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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 163 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Bernard Phelan Headteacher Dawn Ormes Date of previous school inspection 19 November 2008 School address Mellock Lane Little Neston Neston CH64 9RW Telephone number 0151 338 2468 Fax number 0151 336 2468 Email address admin@stwinefrides.cheshire.sch.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Shirley Herring John Shutt Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed eight teachers in 14 lessons, observed support staff working with small groups of pupils, listened to pupils read, and held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. They observed the school's work and looked at pupils’ books, documentation regarding the safeguarding of pupils, assessments and the tracking of pupils’ progress, the analysis of the progress of different groups of pupils and the school development plan. They scrutinised 45 questionnaires completed by parents and carers as well as those completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average primary school. The vast majority of pupils are from a White British or other White background, with small numbers of pupils from a range of minority ethnic groups. The proportion learning English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average, though increasing. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is broadly average. The nursery and the before- and after-school clubs on site are managed independently and will be inspected separately. The school meets the current floor standard. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Pupils’ behaviour and the provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Children get off to a good start in the Reception class because activities are suitably practical and well suited to their needs. The school’s overall effectiveness is satisfactory rather than good because the quality of teaching in mathematics is not effective enough to drive up attainment.

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Key Findings

 Achievement is satisfactory and attainment is broadly average. Attainment in English is higher than in mathematics. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well because of the good level of support they receive. Pupils learning English as an additional language show a good attitude to their work and are well supported so they achieve well. However, some more-able pupils do not achieve as well as they could in mathematics.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. It is better in English than in mathematics and this is reflected in pupils’ progress. The skills of teaching assistants are used effectively to support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs so they learn well.

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Key Findings

 Pupils' behaviour in lessons and in the playground is good. They cooperate well in class, for example discussing ideas with their ‘elbow partner’, and play with each other amicably in the playground. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe and are aware of different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. Attendance is broadly average and pupils are punctual.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Teachers have responded well to the school’s actions, including staff training, to improve provision in literacy and this has resulted in improvements in teaching and raised attainment. Actions to improve provision in mathematics are at an earlier stage and have not yet had a measurable impact on attainment. Management of staff’s performance has been effective in literacy but not yet so effective in numeracy.

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Key Findings

Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit from 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 in mathematics by July 2013 and increase the proportion of teaching that is good or better by: - providing more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills in solving problems, in open-ended investigations and in other subjects - providing greater challenge for more-able pupils by letting them get on with tasks more suited to their ability earlier in the lesson - increasing the pace of lessons so all pupils remain fully engaged.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the school with a range of skills that, overall, are typical for their age. Letter sounds and counting skills are taught systematically and well and children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Hitherto the development of children’s writing skills has been less advanced but many examples of children’s work on display in the Reception class indicate that this is being addressed successfully. Pupils make satisfactory progress through the school and attainment is broadly average by the time they leave. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well because of the good level of support they receive. In the most recent national tests attainment and progress in English were much better than in mathematics, both in the numbers attaining and those exceeding the level expected for their age. This is because the school has introduced a range of effective strategies and new resources to improve provision in English. The school’s

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Achievement of pupils

assessments for the current Year 6 and the work in pupils’ books show some improvement in mathematics as the school focuses on improving numeracy skills. Attainment in reading is broadly average in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Achievement of pupils

Learning is most effective when lessons are interesting and pupils are actively involved. This was seen in a good literacy lesson in Year 2 where pupils showed their understanding of a plot by cooperating in groups to act out a drama. Learning is less effective when pupils spend a high proportion of the lesson listening to the teacher before getting on with their independent tasks and they are not sufficiently challenged.

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Achievement of pupils

The majority of parents and carers feel that their children make good progress. Inspection evidence shows progress is better in English than in mathematics.

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Quality of teaching

Parents, carers and pupils are of the view that teaching is good. Inspection evidence shows that teaching is satisfactory overall but is more effective in English than mathematics. Teachers have responded well to the wide variety of strategies to raise achievement in English and this has resulted in pupils making better progress. Literacy lessons are usually good. These lessons move at a good pace with appropriate challenge for all pupils, including the more able. Lessons are generally interesting and older pupils were proud to talk about the autobiographies they had written. In contrast, numeracy lessons are rarely better than satisfactory and progress over time has been slower. The mental mathematics session at the start of a lesson provides good opportunities for pupils to develop basic skills. However, in the main part of the lesson pupils spend too much time sitting, listening to the teacher before getting on with independent work. While in some lessons the teacher sets interesting

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Quality of teaching

problems for pupils to solve, they do not always allow pupils enough time to investigate and work things out for themselves. The whole-school policy for marking is used consistently and is having a positive impact on pupils’ writing. Marking of mathematics is improving.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Teachers plan a good range of interesting, practical activities indoors and outside in all areas of learning so children make good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers adjust the curriculum to suit the different needs of most pupils, particularly disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, so they make good progress. Teachers plan work to suit the more-able pupils, though in mathematics it is often half way through a lesson before the pupils get on with this work, having first completed less challenging activities. Teachers plan good opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through opportunities for pupils to work together and to create art based on different cultures. Behaviour is managed well.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils, parents and carers agree that behaviour is good and has never been a concern during their time in school. This contributes well to the orderly environment within school. Pupils cooperate well in class, for example in discussing ideas with their ‘elbow’ partner, and this contributes well to their learning. Pupils are well aware of different forms of bullying, such as cyber-bullying, as the school arranges time to illustrate and explain the dangers. Pupils say that instances of bullying are minimal and are dealt with swiftly.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are confident and feel safe in school as adults take good care of them and they develop a good understanding of safety. This was seen in a lesson in Year 4, preparing for their trip to Beeston. Pupils followed a pictorial map of a walk they would take and enacted how they would deal with possible hazards such as walking on country roads without a pavement.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

They accept responsibility readily and older pupils enjoy their role as ‘buddies’ to Reception children. Pupils are generally punctual and attendance is broadly average.

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Leadership and management

Strategies to improve literacy, including staff training and improvements in marking, have been introduced and have had a positive impact on the quality of teaching. This has helped to raise achievement in reading and writing across the school. Following less favourable results in mathematics in the 2011 national tests in Year 6, senior leaders introduced steps to address the identified weakness in pupils’ ability to use and apply their skills to solve problems. These included in-service training, development of questioning skills and the introduction of a range of practical resources to enhance pupils’ learning, but they have not yet had a measurable impact on achievement.

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Leadership and management

The governing body provides support and challenge for the headteacher. They are well aware of their responsibilities in safeguarding pupils and staff, and all required systems and procedures are in place. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well and contributes to pupils’ good behaviour. Opportunities for prayer and reflection are an intrinsic part of school life and promote spirituality well. Pupils learn about different cultures through art work and during events such as ‘International Day’, celebrating the different heritage and backgrounds of pupils in school.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is satisfactory. It matches the needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs well and they make good progress. It is not quite so well matched to the needs of the more able. Extensive opportunities for pupils to write in different subjects and not just in their English lessons have resulted in improvements in writing. Opportunities for pupils to practise their numeracy skills in solving problems across the curriculum are at an early stage of development. Visitors, residential visits and activities such as the Fun Run for Sport Relief enhance the curriculum.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and the governing body effectively promote equal opportunities and tackle discrimination. The good provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs as well as those learning English as an additional language is helping them to close the gap with their peers. The school’s self-evaluation has accurately identified areas for improvement and has a suitable programme to address them. The school has successfully tackled the areas for improvement since the last inspection. The outdoor area in the Early Years Foundation Stage now provides exciting learning opportunities in all areas of learning and there has been a satisfactory improvement in science. This indicates the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

Thank you for making my colleague and me so welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking to you in lessons and in small groups and we found your views very useful. You cooperate with each other in class and are well-behaved. Well done.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

St. Winefride’s is a satisfactory school. This means that there are some things about it that are good and some things which could be improved. The children in the Reception class get off to a good start in school and enjoy learning, particularly in the new outdoor area. We were impressed with how much you know about keeping safe, including e-safety, and I enjoyed watching Year 4 acting out possible hazards on their proposed walk from Beeston to Bunbury. I hope you enjoyed your visit.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

You reach the standards expected for your age by the end of Year 6 but do better in English than mathematics. Lessons are generally interesting and there is always someone to give extra help to those who find things difficult. In some lessons, however, those who find things a little easier could be given harder work sooner in the lesson, particularly in numeracy.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

It is part of our job to suggest ways to improve your school. We have asked your teachers to improve mathematics by:  providing more opportunities for you to use and apply your numeracy skills in solving problems and in open-ended investigations  providing more challenge for those of you who find learning easy by letting you get on with more difficult tasks sooner in the lesson  increasing the pace of lessons so you all remain engaged.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

I hope you enjoy the Easter holiday as I know it is a special time for many of you.

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Inspection of St Winefride's Catholic Primary School, Neston, CH64 9RW

Shirley Herring Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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