Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary School, the Borough

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 4–5 October 2011 Inspection number 376472 Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary School (The Borough) Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 100834 Local Authority Southwark Inspection number 376472 Inspection dates 4–5 October 2011 Reporting inspector Madeleine Gerard

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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 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrew Hurley Headteacher Sue Barber Date of previous school inspection 10–11 February 2009 School address Little Dorrit Court Redcross Way London SE1 1NJ Telephone number 020 7407 2642 Fax number 020 7357 0913 Email address office@st-josephs-borough.southwark.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons or parts of lessons, taught by 10 teachers, and held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. They observed the school’s work and looked at work in pupils’ books, tracking data showing pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s development plans, and policies and records for safeguarding pupils. They considered the 62 responses to the questionnaire received from parents and carers, 99 responses to the questionnaire for pupils in Years 3 to 6, and 16 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 Whether rates of learning and progress are consistently swift in all classes and for all groups of pupils.  How effectively assessment information is used to support and challenge pupils’ learning, particularly in mathematics.  How accurately the school monitors the quality of its work and ensures consistency of provision through the school.

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Information about the school

This is an average sized primary school with Early Years Foundation Stage provision for children in one full-time Nursery class and one Reception class. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic heritages is well above average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. Most of these pupils have speech, language and communication needs. The large majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. The very small minority of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The school operates and manages a breakfast club. There have been a number of staff changes in recent years. The school has achieved several nationally recognised awards including the International School Award and the Activemark for sport.

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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

Saint Joseph’s is a satisfactory school. One of its key strengths is that children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because adults work closely with them to ensure they make good progress in their learning. Teaching is satisfactory through the rest of the school. Effective enhancements to the curriculum and teaching in English, such as regular reading, and opportunities for pupils to write in a variety of different styles on a range of project themes have successfully raised attainment in literacy. Although satisfactory, teaching and learning in mathematics are less consistent and are therefore a priority for improvement. This is because the numeracy curriculum has not always ensured that pupils build steadily on their knowledge, and teachers’ planning does not always focus sharply on what pupils need to do to practise and develop key mathematical skills. The school has satisfactory systems to track the progress that pupils make. Teachers’ planning does

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Main findings

not consistently use assessment information to match work to pupils’ learning needs. This means that not all pupils are suitably challenged in their work, particularly in mathematics. Older pupils find individual targets helpful in identifying what the next steps are in their learning, but this is uneven across classes and subjects. When teachers mark pupils’ books, written feedback is not always used as an effective tool to support pupils in improving their work.

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Main findings

Good gains in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development enable them to show care and consideration for one another. Older pupils enjoy taking on the role of buddies to look after the younger ones. Catholic values are reflected in all aspects of the school’s work and links with the parish are strong. Celebration of other cultures, for example during the school’s annual One World Week festival, ensures that pupils have a good understanding and respect for other beliefs and values within the school, local and wider communities. Relationships are warm and friendly. All groups of pupils work and play well together. Year 6 pupils readily take on responsibility, for example as monitors on the stairs and in assembly, and play their part in maintaining a calm atmosphere within the school.

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Main findings

The headteacher works closely with senior leaders, staff and the governing body. Self-evaluation of the quality of the school’s work is generally accurate and priorities for development are appropriately identified. They have led to improvements in some key areas, including the quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage and raised attainment in English. However, leaders, managers and members of the governing body do not always rigorously monitor the impact of all enhancements to ensure that consistently swift improvements are made. As a result, some positive

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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

initiatives, to raise attainment in mathematics in particular, are not followed up regularly to ensure that they secure improvements to teaching, learning and the curriculum. Together with the school’s success in promoting consistently above average attendance and maintaining good behaviour since the last inspection, the school’s capacity for sustained improvement is satisfactory.

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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?

 By July 2012, raise attainment and increase rates of learning and progress in mathematics in Years 1 to 6 by:  enhancing the consistency of teaching so that all pupils make swift gains in their numeracy skills  planning the mathematics curriculum to build systematically upon pupils’ prior learning  ensuring information gained from tracking pupils’ progress, assessments and marking are used to plan work that is consistently matched well to all pupils’ needs  using marking and target setting to ensure that all pupils know how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the skills of leaders and managers at all levels, including members of the governing body, in ensuring sustained improvements are made to the quality and consistency of teaching, the curriculum, and pupils’ achievement.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils’ overall achievement and enjoyment in their learning are satisfactory. The reason for this was illustrated in a mathematics lesson with older pupils. Pupils were working hard to complete the tasks set although the work they were expected to do was not ensuring that they were building on what they already know and can do. The pace of learning slowed because some pupils were not stretched enough when they were expected to complete work they were already able to do well. Pupils often concentrate well during whole-class teaching but only make satisfactory progress because expectations of new learning are not matched in difficulty to the full range of pupils’ abilities in the class. In another numeracy lesson for older pupils, they made good progress during independent work because they enjoyed completing tasks closely matched to their individual learning needs. Here, for example, more- able pupils appreciated being challenged to work out some particularly difficult

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities enjoy working with additional

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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

adults in lessons and outside the classroom in small groups. Pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties work closely with specialist therapists. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make satisfactory rather than good progress overall because the quality of their learning is uneven. A small number of selected pupils make good progress in their reading because they benefit from individual daily reading support. Pupils speaking English as an additional language receive extra guidance and are helped to develop their English speaking skills quickly and do as well as their peers.

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

Pupils from diverse backgrounds get on well together in lessons and out at play. Their behaviour is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy. The school’s success in achieving the Activemark is reflected in pupils’ enthusiasm to use sporting equipment at break-time. Healthy lunches, cooked in the school’s kitchen, are popular. The school council has produced posters for display around the school encouraging pupils to eat fruit and vegetables regularly, drink water often and to wear a sun hat when the weather is hot. The school choir sings in the local community. Pupils have contributed their ideas to improve the playground in a park near the school and have planted flower bulbs in a local community garden. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from harm, for example on the way home from school, when making a journey by bus and when using computers. Pupils’ above average attendance and satisfactory attainment in their

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

basic skills prepare them satisfactorily for the next stage in their education.

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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

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

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

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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

Resources, including computers, are used effectively to engage pupils’ interest. Pupils’ good social skills are promoted successfully through opportunities to discuss their learning in pairs and small groups. Pupils enjoy tasks that involve them actively in their learning. For example, older pupils in a literacy lesson were working enthusiastically together to prepare stories to tell to younger pupils. The pace of learning is not consistently brisk, for example when teachers’ questioning involves only a few pupils or when all pupils are set fairly similar work despite the wide range of abilities in the class. Although additional adults are sometimes used well in lessons to contribute to pupils’ learning and progress, teachers’ planning does not always identify specifically what they should do to support learning during whole-class teaching. Assessment information is not always analysed precisely enough to be a

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

fully effective tool in checking how well pupils are making progress. Opportunities are sometimes missed to ensure that all pupils know their targets and how to move up to the next level in their work.

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

Extra-curricular activities, including violin lessons, a girls’ sports club and book clubs, are popular. Music and French are particular highlights of the curriculum. Outings to local places of interest bring the curriculum to life and pupils in Year 6 have the opportunity to practise their French during the annual visit to an activity centre in France. However, curriculum planning does not always ensure that tasks are consistently matched to all pupils’ needs. Pupils’ progression in numeracy is not fostered systematically enough through the school to ensure that all pupils develop their skills well. The school effectively monitors pupils’ attendance and follows up absences. Certificates for regular attendance and a celebration day for pupils who come to school every day over the whole year ensure that the school community understands the importance of attending regularly and on time. Staff including

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

outside therapists work hard to support pupils who are experiencing difficult circumstances, and their parents and carers. The breakfast club ensures a calm and healthy start to the school day and promotes social skills well through opportunities to make friends in other classes.

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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

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The governing body is supportive, knows the school well and ensures that safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory. Staff receive regular training on safeguarding and risk assessments are detailed. Community cohesion is promoted

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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

well. Pupils have a good knowledge of themselves as part of the school and local community. Success in securing the International School Award reflects the school’s strengths in establishing links with schools in Finland and Gambia and ensures pupils have a good understanding of the lives of those who live in global communities. School council members have the opportunity to visit a primary school in Kent to find out about life in a contrasting community in the United Kingdom. Leaders, managers and the governing body drive improvements and embed ambition adequately. This is because initiatives to increase pupils’ progress and raise attainment, particularly in mathematics, are not always monitored and followed up regularly enough. Consequently, despite enhancements, inconsistencies remain in the quality of provision for mathematics, and teaching is not consistently good. Pupils have equal opportunities to make satisfactory progress in their learning. All pupils whatever their

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

background or ability receive the support and encouragement they need to participate in activities in and out of school because discrimination is appropriately tackled. The school works hard to engage the support of parents and carers: sessions for parents and carers explaining how literacy and numeracy are taught, and additional guidance on how to help their children with reading at home are a particular strength.

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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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driving improvement

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Home visits made by staff before children join the school in Nursery and Reception help children to settle quickly when they start. Staff work successfully to establish positive relationships and create an environment where children develop strong personal and social skills, grow in confidence and are happy. Children work and play well together. For example, in the outdoor area used by children in both the Nursery and Reception classes, they make friends and share resources readily. They take

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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

turns, for example to use the tricycles and scooters. Topic themes are used to plan interesting activities for children to choose. For example, children learning about money in the Reception class used sieves to find coins hidden in the sand tray, made rubbings of the designs on flat surfaces of coins using crayons and paper, and by using magnets they sorted real coins from plastic toy coins that had been mixed up together. There is an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. In the outdoor café role-play area, children working with an adult practised their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make to write signs advertising what was for sale in the café. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed and detailed records of observations of children’s learning and progress are kept. Children progress well in the Nursery and Reception classes. Occasionally, the planning of

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

activities for children in the outdoor area does not use assessment information rigorously to plan the next steps in children’s learning, so that they are challenged to make even faster progress.

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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

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Slightly fewer parents and carers responded to the questionnaire than is usually found nationally. In the survey, the very large majority of parents and carers are happy with their child’s experience of school and the overwhelming majority confirm that their children enjoy their time there. Most are confident that the school keeps their children safe and evaluate the quality of the school’s work to develop pupils’ personal skills positively. A few parents and carers do not agree, for example, that the school meets their child’s particular needs and another very small minority do not agree that their child is making enough progress at the school. Inspectors judged teaching, pupils’ progress and aspects of leadership and management to be satisfactory.

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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 Saint Joseph’s in the Borough 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 62 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 225 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 47 76 13 21 0 0 1 2 The school keeps my child safe 46 74 10 16 1 2 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 42 68 16 26 2 3 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 42 68 16 26 0 0 2 3 The teaching is good at this school 40 65 18 29 0 0 3 5 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 43 69 16 26 1 2 2 3 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 36 58 21 34 1 2 2 3 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) 32 52 24 39 2 3 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 33 53 22 35 2 3 1 2 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 35 56 22 35 1 2 1 2 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 30 48 24 39 1 2 3 5

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 39 63 20 32 1 2 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 42 68 15 24 1 2 2 3

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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. 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 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 08 April 2011 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.  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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London SE1 1NJ

Thank you very much for your friendly welcome and for helping the inspectors when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking to you all very much and listening to what you had to say. This letter is to tell you about the judgements that we reached.

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London SE1 1NJ

Saint Joseph’s in the Borough Catholic Primary is a satisfactory school. You like coming to school as your above average-attendance shows. You behave well, get along well with each other and are keen to learn. This makes your school a happy place to be. You have a good understanding of how to keep yourselves fit, healthy and safe. All the adults work well together to take good care of you. The youngest children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. You make satisfactory progress through the rest of the school. Although attainment in tests in English at the end of Year 6 has improved, we would like you to do better in mathematics.

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London SE1 1NJ

The staff are aware that you need to develop your numeracy skills quickly. We would like the staff to make sure that you practise very regularly so that you build up a good knowledge of mathematics and do well. We have asked the staff to make sure that all of you are set work that is the right level of difficulty for you. All of you can help by telling your teachers if the work is too easy or too difficult. We would also like the school to make even more checks on its work so that it continues to improve. We would like all the lessons to be good ones. You can help further by continuing to attend school every day and arriving on time.

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London SE1 1NJ

Finally, I would like to thank you again and wish you well in the future.

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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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