Christ The King Catholic Primary School, Thornbury

Unique Reference Number 109267 Local Authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 377898 Inspection dates 16–17 November 2011 Reporting inspector Colin Lee

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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 110 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Fr Alex McAllister Headteacher Carol Lawler Date of previous school inspection 10 June 2009 School address Easton Hill Road Thornbury Bristol BS35 1AW Telephone number 01454 866680 Fax number 01454 866681 Email address ChristTheKingPrimary.School@southglos.gov.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 16–17 November 2011 Inspection number 377898 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. 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.

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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 two additional inspectors. The inspectors visited 10 lessons taught by six teachers. They observed the school’s work and looked at the school’s data on pupils’ attainment and progress, the school improvement plan, school planning documents and procedures for keeping pupils safe. Meetings were held with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors analysed 60 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, as well as speaking to a group of parents and carers.

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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

 The specific areas identified by the school for improvement in pupils’ attainment and progress in each year group.  How effectively teachers use information from assessment to plan the next stages in pupils’ learning.  The action being taken by leaders and managers to evaluate the impact of provision on pupils’ outcomes.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than an average-sized primary school. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage although the proportion of minority ethnic learners, mostly from European countries, is gradually increasing. The school is a base school for Traveller pupils who, at times, can represent up to a tenth of the school population but typically less. Pupils are taught in a single-age Reception class and four mixed-age classes of Years 1 and 2, Years 2 and 3, Years 4 and 5, and Years 5 and 6. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average and the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The school has received awards for several aspects of its work, including the Healthy Schools Plus award. A pre-school provision

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Information about the school

is based on the school site but this is not managed by the governing body and did not form part of this inspection. 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

The school provides a good quality of education and there are several aspects of its work that are outstanding. There have been significant improvements since the last inspection and the very strong sense of teamwork among staff is one of the key reasons for the school continually moving forward. This good, collective drive and ambition, and the close cooperation with parents and carers, provide the foundation for the school’s ongoing improvement in its provision and pupils’ academic and personal development outcomes.

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Main findings

The most important areas of growth are the development of high quality provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage, the rising attainment of pupils throughout the school and the improvement in their rates of progress. This is the result of the increasing effectiveness of teaching which owes much to the thoroughness of monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning by senior leaders. Historically, the progress of younger pupils has been satisfactory at best. Until 2011, this had resulted in attainment at the end of Year 2 being below national averages. Pupils over the last three years made good progress in Years 3 to 6, raising attainment to levels above the national average by the end of Year 6. The whole school picture now, for all groups of pupils, is of good achievement, many reaching above-average levels of attainment and all making good progress. Inspection evidence shows that pupils in Year 6 are currently working at above average levels of attainment. The

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Main findings

priority that the school has placed on improving writing skills has been particularly successful, with excellent work on letters and sounds leading to rapid improvement in pupils’ reading and writing.

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Main findings

Outstanding care, guidance and support for all pupils are strengths of the school and are leading to better outcomes in the pupils’ personal development. Their behaviour is outstanding and results in an excellent working atmosphere in all lessons. Pupils show tremendous enjoyment of school and this is reflected in high rates of attendance. Excellent support for potentially vulnerable pupils, particularly from teaching assistants and a range of outside agencies, is helping the pupils make good progress in their personal development. The school provides well for children from a Traveller background.

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Main findings

Self-evaluation is rigorous, as are the continuous monitoring and evaluation of all aspects of the school’s work by the governing body and senior leaders. These processes, together with the improvements that have been made in pupils’ academic and personal development outcomes, show that there is a good capacity for 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

improvement in the future. The quality of teaching is good, and on some occasions outstanding, but senior leaders recognise that there is more work to do to ensure that teaching is consistently outstanding. Variability is seen in the immediate, short- term checking of pupils’ learning in lessons. Similarly, there is some inconsistency in the extent to which pupils themselves have opportunities to evaluate their own and others’ learning in order to reflect on how it can improve. New approaches to the assessment of pupils’ progress over the longer term have quickly become very effective. Good use of this information is made by identifying any pupils whose progress is slowing down, and the impact of programmes to help them catch up is constantly evaluated. Senior leaders know that there is some outstanding practice in these areas which can be shared in order to achieve the consistency they seek.

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Main findings

Governance is good; the governing body ensures that important responsibilities, such as safeguarding, are secure and effective. It works very closely with school staff and the local authority in order to successfully maintain ongoing improvement in the school’s effectiveness.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to further raise pupils’ attainment and increase their progress, raise the quality of teaching and learning from good to outstanding by:  consistently assessing pupils’ work during lessons in order to give pupils short-term targets for small steps in improvement  providing more opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own work and that of others in order to identify its strengths and make their own suggestions on how it can be improved.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

There are no significant differences in the progress made by different groups of pupils. This not only means that all are achieving well but it also reflects the leaders’ determination to ensure equality of opportunity which is at the heart of the school’s ethos. Senior leaders have established a very high expectation of the progress that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, should make and all are rising to the challenge. In all lessons seen during the inspection, pupils’ behaviour was outstanding and pupils showed an eagerness to work hard and to learn. Their supportive relationships with each other, and appreciation of other pupils’ ideas and feelings, helped them make particularly good progress when working collaboratively with partners and in small groups. Some lessons had an obvious excitement, for example when the whole class of pupils in Years 2 and 3

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

used a complex story plan to recite a story they had learnt by heart. This performance combined expressive speaking with lively actions and was of an exceptionally high quality. Building on this use of story plans, all pupils approached 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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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

writing of their own stories with a tremendous enthusiasm.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils talk of their enjoyment of all that they do in school. They particularly appreciate the extent to which their views are listened to and acted upon. In preparation for the headteacher’s retirement, pupils have prepared a profile of the qualities they hope her successor will have for inclusion in the information pack for applicants. This gives pupils a real sense of responsibility. Those who have specific roles, such as school councillors, acting as buddies to younger pupils or manning the school office at lunchtimes, carry out such responsibilities very conscientiously. Pupils say that they feel completely safe in school and this view is shared by parents and carers. Pupils enjoy physical activity and explain well how this and healthy eating form the basis of a healthy lifestyle. All this has been recognised by the school’s national award.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

The outcomes in pupils’ personal development and their continually improving basic literacy and numeracy skills mean that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education and their future economic well-being.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes 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 The extent to which pupils feel safe 1 Pupils’ behaviour 1 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils are provided with learning activities which are closely matched to their abilities and needs. This was done most effectively in a numeracy lesson where Year 5 and 6 pupils of differing abilities were given different challenges in their work on problem solving. The provision of the right level of challenge for all ensured consistently good

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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 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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How effective is the provision?

progress. Although clear learning objectives are set for each lesson and tasks match needs, not all lessons are stopped frequently enough for short-term progress to be checked. Similarly, pupils do not generally have sufficiently frequent opportunities to reflect on their own learning and think about how their work can be improved. The inconsistency of teachers’ promotion of this type of self-assessment means that individual pupils’ progress in a lesson is not as rapid as it could be. There is some good practice, as is evident in the self-evaluations completed by Years 5 and 6 pupils at the end of lessons.

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How effective is the provision?

An integrated curriculum has recently been introduced with a programme of topics in which subjects are linked together. Topics focus on personal development outcomes as well as subject knowledge and this has helped the school achieve its Healthy Schools status. A strength of the curriculum is the way that it is planned to provide progression in pupils’ learning of specific skills in each subject. Teachers make particularly good use of the topics to help polish literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills. The curriculum is fully inclusive and is adapted to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Similarly, extension tasks are planned in order to provide greater challenge for the more able pupils. Such planning enables all to make good progress. Pupils’ learning is further enhanced by the good range of clubs and activities outside the school day. Take-up of these activities is good. Pupils’ enthusiasm is also very

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How effective is the provision?

evident at the well-run after-school club, which is one of many impressive aspects of the school’s outstanding care, guidance and support for each pupil. The caring concern for the welfare of each pupil is a cornerstone of the school’s ethos and sensitive. Highly effective support is given to pupils and families whenever it is needed.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The whole school community shows collective determination and a shared drive for improvement. Senior leaders have harnessed this ambition and the practical measures adopted to raise the quality of teaching and learning are having a good impact on all pupils’ achievement. The promotion of equal opportunities and tackling discrimination are central to the school’s ethos. This is judged outstanding. Not only because past inequalities in pupils’ progress at different ages have been completely eradicated, but also because the school is vigilant in providing the support for any 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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How effective are leadership and management?

potentially vulnerable pupils that enables them to make the same good progress as their peers.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school promotes community cohesion well. The many opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school and local communities have good impact on pupils’ personal development. An annual cultural week, together with international links arising from contacts established by the local church, promote multicultural education well. The school is at an early stage of developing community cohesion in a national context. Pupils are starting to compare their lives with those of people in a contrasting United Kingdom setting. They have also gained good insight into the lives of Travellers from the presentation made to the school by a group of Traveller pupils. The governing body ensures that safeguarding arrangements are thorough and that staff are thoroughly and regularly trained in attending to health and safety, risk assessment and child protection issues. Close cooperation with staff as well as independent

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How effective are leadership and management?

monitoring and evaluation of school improvement mean that the governing body is well informed about the school’s work and contributing well to strategic decision making.

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How effective are leadership and management?

A wide range of successful partnerships with educational and community organisations has a good impact on provision and pupils’ learning. This includes a very positive liaison with the pre-school provider now based on the school site. The home-school partnership is outstanding. The school works tirelessly at this link, providing guidance to parents and carers on pupils’ learning, reporting regularly on progress and keeping all fully informed of events. Parents’ and carers’ high levels of satisfaction with the school reflect the high quality of home-school liaison.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 1 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money 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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Early Years Foundation Stage

Reception children settle quickly in school as a result of excellent liaison with pre- school providers and with parents and carers. They are happy, confident learners who are making rapid progress due to the outstanding provision for all aspects of their development. Outcomes, teaching, leadership and management have all improved from good to outstanding since the previous inspection.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Learning opportunities are carefully planned to provide a balance of indoor and outdoor learning and children move to and fro between these environments throughout the day. Frequent assessment of children’s learning, by recording observations of their successes and areas for development, is used very well to plan next stages in learning for each child. This contributes significantly to the progress each is making. The records of the current Year 1 pupils show that, from starting points below those expected for their age in all areas of learning, they made outstanding progress in their Reception Year and the large majority reached above average attainment overall by the end of the year. The current Reception class children are also making exceptional progress. They have an obvious love of learning and there were many examples of high quality work being produced during the inspection. This ranged from knowledgeable linking of sounds and letters, to complex

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Early Years Foundation Stage

maps showing the features of the local neighbourhood visited during a bear hunt. The latter was used as a stimulus for many exciting learning opportunities and showed how learning is being very skilfully planned to extend the children’s skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage 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

Fifty five per cent of parents and carers returned the questionnaire. This is an above- average return rate. The vast majority of those parents and carers are confident that the school provides a good quality of education. Levels of satisfaction are well above average. Parents and carers see many strengths. They are confident that their children are safe in school and they are appreciative of the leadership and management of the school and the extent to which their children enjoy school. A few parents and carers raised concerns related to the impact of the behaviour of some of the pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in classrooms. Inspection evidence showed the behaviour of those pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties to be as exemplary as that of their peers. Many questionnaires had Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Views of parents and carers

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Views of parents and carers

additional, positive comments and particularly reinforced the positive view of the quality of teaching. This matches inspection evidence insofar as all teaching observed was good and, on some occasions, outstanding.

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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 Christ The King 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 60 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 110 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 43 72 17 28 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 53 88 6 10 1 2 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 40 67 20 33 0 0 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 42 70 18 30 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 45 75 15 25 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 45 75 15 25 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 39 65 20 33 0 0 0 0 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) 42 70 18 30 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 46 77 12 20 2 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 43 72 11 18 5 8 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 40 67 19 32 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 42 70 18 30 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 47 78 12 20 1 2 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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 tha t 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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1AW

I am writing to thank you for helping us during the inspection of your school. We especially enjoyed talking to you and listening to your views. We have taken these views into account in writing this report. Christ The King Catholic Primary School is a good school with some things that are outstanding. Here are some of the main findings from the report.

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1AW

 You all work hard and are making good progress in all your work. By Year 6, standards are well above average in English and mathematics.  You are taught well but we want teachers to check your progress step by step during lessons in order to give you ideas about how you can improve your work, and also to encourage you to think for yourselves about how it can be improved.  Your behaviour is outstanding. We were very impressed by the way that you look out for and help each other.  You have a good understanding of the importance of healthy eating and regular physical activity. We saw how fit many of you are.  You do many jobs around the school and this helps the school community. You also contribute well to the local community.  You say you feel very safe in school. This is because all the adults do an excellent job in looking after you and making sure that you get help whenever you need it.  All the staff and governors work well together to help the school to improve.

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1AW

All of you can help your teachers to make Christ The King Catholic Primary School an even better school by continuing to work hard and enjoying your learning. Thank you once again for your help during our visit, and best wishes for your work in the future.

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1AW

Colin Lee 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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