Longridge St Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Primary School

Longridge St Wilfrid’s Roman Catholic Primary School St Wilfrid’s Terrace, Longridge, Preston, PR3 3WQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well in all key stages, including the Early Years Foundation Stage. Attainment in English and mathematics is above average.  Teaching is of consistently good quality. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They form very good working relationships with their classes. Pupils work hard.  Pupils behave outstandingly well. They are proud of their school. They have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. They feel very safe and well cared for in the school’s family like environment. Pupils enjoy school greatly. Attendance is consistently well above average.  Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have a sharp and successful focus on improvement. The quality of teaching is monitored regularly and rigorously and as a result pupils’ good achievement has been maintained since the last inspection. Leaders and managers astutely know ‘what

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

works and what doesn’t’ and use this information to identify how the school can be further improved. Teamwork in the pursuit of improvement is strong.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally the level of challenge is not high enough for the more able pupils to ensure they make the best possible progress in lessons. This is particularly in Key Stage 2 where classes are large and of mixed ages and abilities.  The targets set for teachers regarding pupils’ progress and achievement are not challenging enough.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in eight lessons. He also observed the teaching of phonics (letters and sounds) to small groups of pupils, as well as listening to a group of pupils read. An assessment of a sample of work in pupils’ books was also undertaken.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, staff, the Chair of the Governing Body, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of 27 responses to Parent View, as well as the results of a recent questionnaire sent by the school to parents. The questionnaires returned by staff were also considered.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documents including the school’s own data on pupils’ progress and achievement, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

p.2

Inspection team

Stephen Wall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well-below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is also well-below average.  The two classes in Key Stage 2 are made up of more than one age range.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of teaching that is outstanding and thus raise achievement further by:  ensuring that teaching is always challenging enough for all abilities, especially for more able pupils  enabling pupils, especially those who learn quickly, to work independently in lessons as soon as they ready.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more effective use of performance management to drive up achievement further by making sure that teachers’ targets in relation to pupils’ progress are more challenging.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Inspection evidence supports parents’ view that their children make good progress and achieve well. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They strive to give of their best and work hard.  Children enter the Reception Year with attainment that is generally in line with age-related expectations. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage where solid foundations are laid for successful learning higher up the school.  Pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well in Key Stages 1 and 2. By the end of both key stages attainment is above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  The proportion of pupils who make expected progress or more than expected progress, given their starting points on entry to Key Stages 1 and 2, compares favourably with national figures. In Key Stage 2 where class sizes are large and pupils are of mixed ages and abilities, occasionally the level of challenge for more able pupils is not sufficient.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 The small number of pupils who have special educational needs and the small number of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium also make good progress and achieve well because of the good quality, targeted support they receive.  Pupils apply well their skills in reading, writing and mathematics across a range of subjects. They enjoy tackling challenging tasks, although occasionally more able pupils find some activities too easy.  By the time they leave the school, pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education.  Attainment in reading is above average. The teaching of phonics (letters and sounds) in the Reception Class and in Key Stage 1 is good. It enables all pupils to make good progress and lays down solid foundations for reading in Key Stage 2. Pupils say that they enjoy reading and the majority read widely.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make good progress because the quality of teaching is consistently good and occasionally outstanding. Parents and pupils are of the opinion that teaching is good and inspection evidence confirms their view.  Teachers plan their lessons well. Most teaching provides pupils with a good variety of activities to keep them engaged and interested in their learning. However, occasionally teachers spend too long explaining activities to the whole class when higher attaining pupils are eager and able to get on with things on their own. The level of challenge is usually appropriate to pupils’ needs and abilities. However, in Key Stage 2 where classes are large and of mixed ages and abilities, the level of challenge, especially for the most able pupils, is sometimes not high enough. This acts as a barrier to accelerating progress at an even faster rate.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to ask probing questions that

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

encourage pupils to give extended answers and justify their opinions. As a result, pupils’ speaking and communication skills are well-developed across the school. In a Key Stage 2 English lesson, for example, pupils took part in a debate. They made confident and articulate contributions in response to the teacher’s careful and sensitive questioning and probing.  The school has sharpened its tracking of pupils’ individual progress. Teaching is making increasingly effective use of the resulting information to match tasks to the needs of different groups of learners. Sometimes, however, a group finds a task too easy and on other occasions a group has work that is too difficult.  Teaching assistants play an important and effective role in supporting pupils, especially those who are slower learners or who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, so that these pupils make good progress and achieve well.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. Their comments are consistently of good quality in showing pupils what they need to do to improve their work.  Teachers form very strong relationships with their classes. Respect is mutual. Pupils respond readily to high expectations of their behaviour and the expectation that they will work hard. They are given many opportunities to reflect, think hard and to work in cooperation with others. As a result, teaching plays a major part in pupils’ good spiritual, social and moral development.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Nearly all parents believe that behaviour gives no cause for concern and that their children are very safe in school. Inspection findings agree with this view.  In lessons and around the school, pupils are always exceptionally polite and well-mannered. They welcome visitors to the school and are eager to tell them all about it. Pupils are obviously very proud of their school. ‘I shall miss it so much when I leave’, is a typical comment.  The school’s records and incident logs relating to behaviour over time show very few incidents of poor behaviour and that, when there have been isolated cases, they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately. There have been no fixed-term or permanent exclusions since the previous inspection.  Older pupils say that they cannot think of any incidents of any kind of bullying while they have been at school. Records show very few incidents and that they have been dealt with swiftly

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

and appropriately.  Pupils are fully aware of what constitute potentially unsafe situations and how to avoid or tackle them. They can explain the dangers of inappropriate use of social networking sites on the internet. They are well aware of the dangers to their health of substance abuse and smoking.  Pupils say that that there is always an adult to turn to if they have a problem and are confident that any concerns will be treated seriously and dealt with swiftly.  Pupils’ high levels of enjoyment of school are seen in their consistently well-above-average levels of attendance and punctuality, and in very low levels of persistent absence.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour and positive attitudes to school make an outstanding contribution to their good learning and progress.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management, including the governing body, give the school a sharp focus on improvement. They promote strong teamwork among all members of the school community.  Leaders and managers evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately. They use the outcomes to identify what could be done better and incorporate this into the good quality school development plan.  The quality of teaching is monitored regularly and accurately by the headteacher. It leads to discussion with teachers about the strengths and weaknesses of their teaching and the identification of effective professional development opportunities to improve its quality and impact on learning.  The link between performance management, improvement in outcomes for pupils and pay progression is firmly established. However, the performance management targets, identified for staff regarding the progress of pupils in each class, lack some rigour because they focus on

p.5

The leadership and management are good

proportions of pupils making expected progress rather than being aspirational about proportions making more than expected progress. The school is aware of this and the school development plan, agreed with the full knowledge of the governing body, contains this as a focus for improvement.  The small number of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium brings into the school only a modest amount of extra funding. Nevertheless, the funding is used astutely to provide extra, targeted support for this group. The progress of these pupils is closely monitored and evaluated; their progress is good and matches that of other pupils.  Leaders and managers have fostered very strong partnerships with parents who are very supportive.  The curriculum is good. It meets pupils’ needs and supports good learning and progress. Pupils are enthusiastic about the topics that they cover. For a small school, there is an unusually wide

p.5

The leadership and management are good

range of enrichment activities that are both popular and well-attended. These activities make a major contribution to pupils’ excellent personal development.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour, their confidence in dealing with others, their willingness to reflect and think deeply, and their awareness of the world around them both locally and abroad testify to their very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Statutory duties relating to safeguarding are met.  The local authority has provided light touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are knowledgeable, supportive and hold the school to account for its work. This includes governors’ full understanding of and involvement in performance management Governors control the school budget very tightly and make sure expenditure is linked closely to development planning and that best value is obtained.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupil’s needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupil’s needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 119636 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 403402

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

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 115 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gillian Luff Headteacher John McHugh Date of previous school inspection 14 February 2008 Telephone number 01772 782394 Fax number 01772 786408 Email address head@longridge-st-wilfrids.lancs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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 .

p.8

School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

p.9

School details

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9