Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Primary School

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 11–12 July 2012 Inspection number 377463 Unique Reference Number 106770 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 377463 Inspection dates 11–12 July 2012 Lead inspector Sharona Semlali

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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 135 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Denis Norman Headteacher Mrs Diane Collins Date of previous school inspection 26 November 2008 School address Finkle Street Bentley Doncaster DN5 0RP Telephone number 01302 874291 Fax number 01302 876751 Email address head@ourladys.doncaster.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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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspector observed teaching and learning in 10 lessons or part lessons taught by five different teachers. Meetings were held with parents and carers, groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff. The inspector took account of the responses to the online Parent View survey in planning the inspection and observed the school's work. A range of documentation was analysed, including pupils’ work, tracking data, minutes of the governing body meetings, teachers’ planning, and safeguarding documentation. The inspector analysed 40 questionnaires completed by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school and is part of a hard federation. A large majority of pupils come from White British backgrounds. A significant number of pupils join or leave the school at different times during the year. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus is average, and the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is low. There are no disabled pupils. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. There have been significant changes to the senior leadership since the previous inspection, including three different headteachers. The current acting headteacher and the senior leadership team have been in place since May 2012.

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Information about the school

The school meets the current floor standards, which set the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The breakfast club is managed by the governing body and was included in the inspection. The school has gained the Inclusion Charter Award. 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. It is not yet good because the quality of teaching is not consistently good and, therefore, pupils’ progress is uneven throughout the school. 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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Key Findings

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Although pupils’ attainment is low at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are now making rapid progress, particularly in reading. For older pupils there are still some underlying weaknesses in mathematics and writing.

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Key Findings

 Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is shown in their improved attendance which is now average. Behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning and most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils feel safe and some participate with members of the governing body in undertaking health and safety checks around the school.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Some is good, a higher proportion than at the time of the previous inspection, but there is still not enough good or better teaching to ensure pupils’ better than overall satisfactory achievement over time. In most lessons, teachers monitor pupils’ learning and correct any errors in their knowledge. Most teachers encourage the pupils to work together and learn from each other, however, in some lessons pupils are too passive in their learning due to overlong introductions by teachers.

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Key Findings

 A new senior leadership team is in place which is firmly focused on raising expectations and has a clear view of the improvements needed. Its accurate self-evaluation and effective action have led to secure improvements in the quality of teaching, attendance and in pupils’ attainment in reading. However, the role of the middle leaders is still in its infancy stage and is, therefore, having limited impact on improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from satisfactory to consistently good or better in order to raise pupils’ attainment, particularly in mathematics and writing, by: - ensuring that pupils are actively involved in their learning - reducing the amount of time that teachers talk, particularly during the introductory part of the lessons, so that pupils are not as passive in their learning - ensuring that older pupils spell and punctuate more accurately and present their work consistently well - providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their mental mathematical skills - ensuring that the curriculum provides more mathematical investigations and teachers becomes less reliant on using worksheets - giving pupils the opportunity to reflect, discuss and assess their own learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the role of the middle leaders so that they play a more active part in the school’s self-evaluation process and are more effective in promoting improvement.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers feel that their children are achieving well. Inspection evidence found that pupils make satisfactory progress overall. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are below those expected for their age, with the exception of communication, language and literacy skills, where they are well below. Currently, children make good progress and leave the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills just below those expected for their age. Historically, children have left with skills typically much lower than expected for their age. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have good opportunities to develop their literacy skills. This was observed in a foundation class where children were looking at features of an extra- large letter. Children were intrigued by the size of it. Reading was well promoted. Children were encouraged to use their knowledge of letter sounds when they came

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is low but improving rapidly. Attainment in reading is below average at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 but rapidly approaching national expectations for age. Specific reading intervention programmes are helping to accelerate progress. Pupils enjoy reading regularly and most have a favourite author and can confidently talk about the information in their books, as was seen in a Years 4 and 5 reading lesson. Although improving well, pupils’ progress in writing is less strong than in reading because older pupils still have improvements to make in their basic skills in spelling and punctuation and in the presentation of their work. Older pupils’ mental mathematical skills are also less secure. In most lessons pupils work well together in small groups. This was observed in a Years 5 and 6 lesson where pupils wrote a story about ‘Pandora’s Box.’ Time was allocated for them to read their partner’s work, sharing the strengths and giving

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Achievement of pupils

advice of how to improve it. However, in many lessons pupils are not given enough opportunities to reflect, discuss and assess their own learning. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall, but in common with other groups of pupils are increasingly making good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make their own child-friendly educational plans and find them useful to have in lessons. These pupils are involved in facilitating their own learning, for example, by helping to decide whether they are given the extra support inside or outside the classroom.

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Achievement of pupils

In a Years 2 and 3 class pupils tasted different fruits from different parts of the continents and were asked to describe them. The teaching assistants supported those with special educational needs well through using a range of open and closed questionnaires which challenged their thinking.

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Quality of teaching

Responses from the questionnaires show that most parents and carers are content with the quality of teaching. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with an increasing amount being good. When teaching is at its best, pupils are given a chance to assess and choose the type of activity that will challenge their understanding. This was observed in a Years 5 and 6 lesson where pupils were applying their knowledge of fractions, decimals and percentages to find amounts of numbers. Partway through the lesson, pupils were given time to choose which of the activities would challenge them by using their ‘challenge cards’. A red card means ‘I’m not sure.’ An amber one says ‘I’m nearly there’ and a green one says, ‘I’m confident’. Pupils choose work according to their level of confidence. Where teaching is good, teachers closely monitor all groups of pupils and are very flexible in adapting plans according to their

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Quality of teaching

needs. This happens particularly well in the Early Years Foundation Stage where children’s interests are effectively followed through. Teachers use assessments well to check pupils’ understanding. When teaching is less successful pupils are not given enough time to explore and do not participate in enough mathematical investigations as there is too much reliance on worksheets. The school acknowledges that the teaching of mental mathematics and of basic writing skills require more rigour. Overall, the higher instance of good teaching is resulting in the rapid improvements in pupils’ achievement.

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Quality of teaching

In a Years 1 and 2 class the teacher made learning fun. Pupils were excited and curious when going into the dark hall with torches to find and describe the pictures of small monsters. However, in some lessons pupils were too passive in their learning because the teachers talked too much, particularly at the beginning of the lessons.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of provision given for those pupils with special educational needs is good. Skilled teaching assistants will personalise their work and use a range of open and closed questions so that they are fully involved in the lessons. This is resulting in these pupils’ increasingly good achievement. Teaching positively encourages pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. There are opportunities to work collaboratively in pairs and in small groups. Time is given for spiritual reflection but not always enough time is given for pupils to reflect and assess their learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A large majority of parents and carers are happy with pupils’ behaviour but a few expressed some concerns. Most pupils felt that behaviour is fine but a few feel it could be improved. Behaviour is typically satisfactory overall. Pupils are friendly and play well together at break times. A few pupils do present some challenging behaviour but staff manage this well.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

In lessons, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do well. The school has recently introduced a new behaviour management system which is not fully embedded but pupils are aware of it. Pupils have a clear understanding of what bullying is. Bullying is infrequent but when it does happen it is mainly in the form of name-calling. Records show that recorded incidents are effectively followed up and dealt with.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say that they feel safe. Almost all parents and carers feel that their children are safe in school and inspection findings confirm this. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations such as when they use the internet, railways and when they cross the roads. Members of the school council enjoy working with members of the governing body to assess any risks or dangers around the school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance is average and has rapidly improved over time. The school has worked closely with a range of external agencies to successfully reduce any persistent absenteeism. Robust systems are in place to ensure this continues to improve. Attendance at the breakfast club has helped to improve attendance.

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Leadership and management

The senior leaders and the governing body have established a warm, caring and inclusive school. Their pursuit of equality of opportunity is shown by the tremendous amount of support given to those pupils and their families who find themselves in potentially vulnerable and challenging circumstances. A typical comment by parents and carers is, ‘…the school has been a fantastic influence on my children’s personal and social development’. As a result, the school has achieved the Inclusion Charter Award. The school does not accept any form of discrimination.

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Leadership and management

Senior leaders use clear and effective systems to check performance. These include holding staff to account for pupil progress through meetings and using informative tracking data to quickly identify any underachievement. Performance management and professional development are well linked to the school’s priorities and have benefited well from the federation arrangements. These have resulted in pupils’ recent rapid progress, their rising attainment, and in improvements in the quality of teaching, in attendance and in provision and outcomes in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This demonstrates the school’s satisfactory capacity to improve further. However, the roles of the middle leaders are not yet fully developed and, therefore, they have limited impact on driving improvement in their subject areas.

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Leadership and management

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum which satisfactorily meets pupils’ needs and successfully promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have enjoyed a diversity week gaining in-depth knowledge about the African, Indian, Polish and Traveller cultures.

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Leadership and management

Members of the governing body are dedicated, supportive and aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are highly visible and use their first-hand knowledge to check the school’s performance. They provide constructive challenge to leaders and managers. Safeguarding procedures meet requirements and staff vetting is carried out and recorded correctly.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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 to 31 December 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

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school's efforts to encourage good attendance.

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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

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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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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Doncaster, DN5 0RP

Thank you for helping me to find out about your school during the inspection. I enjoyed my visit and you were very polite and sociable. While I was there I observed some of your lessons and looked at some of your work. A few of you showed me parts of the school that you are proud of. I had meetings with the teachers, spoke to a few of your parents and carers and met with some members of the governing body.

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Doncaster, DN5 0RP

I found that you go to a satisfactory school. This is because you achieve better in some lessons than others because the quality of teaching varies throughout the school. Your attendance has improved a lot because most of you enjoy coming to school. You work well with each other in lessons. Although you told me that you felt that on the odd occasion you were not pleased with the way a few children behave, you were confident with the way in which staff deal with this. All the adults in your school are very caring and want to make sure that you do well. They work well in helping you to have the extra support when you need it. You are very proud of the ‘Akuna Mutate’ room that you helped to design and you really enjoy playing on the large play equipment in the playground.

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Doncaster, DN5 0RP

In order to improve your school further, I have asked the headteacher and staff to make sure that all your lessons are good or better by helping you to be more involved in your learning and to give you more time to think about what you have learnt. I have requested that your writing and mental mathematical skills are improved and I have asked all the teachers with a responsibility for subjects to regularly check that this is happening.

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Doncaster, DN5 0RP

You can help by encouraging each other to behave well at all times. Also, by continuing to come to school every day and putting all your effort into your work. I wish you well for the future.

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Doncaster, DN5 0RP

Sharona Semlali 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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