St Peter's Catholic Primary School

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School Firbank Road, Newall Green, Manchester, M23 2YS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The relentless determination of the headteacher has been central to the school’s good improvement since the previous inspection. Leaders and the governing body have worked successfully to improve pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching and that of leadership and management.  There are good procedures for checking how well the school is doing and what needs to be improved.  The governing body knows the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is fully involved in helping it move forward.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics.  Teaching is usually good and some is outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge and manage classrooms well.  Pupils’ behave well and understand how to keep themselves and others safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not enough outstanding teaching.  There are inconsistencies in the way teachers check pupils’ learning in lessons and in using marking and discussion to help them improve.  Teachers do not always set work that gets the best out of pupils.  Pupils’ writing lacks accuracy in the use of grammar, punctuation and spelling.  Pupils do not have well enough developed quick mental recall and problem solving skills in mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 17 lessons or parts of lessons taught by nine teachers. One of these observations was a joint one with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, another governor, parents, staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at school documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, records of meetings of the governing body, assessment information and curriculum planning. Work in pupils’ books and displays around the school were examined. Inspectors listened to groups of pupils read.  Account was taken of the 17 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning and carrying out the inspection.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Hemmings, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christine Potter Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Peter’s is an average-sized primary school.  An above average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, pupils whose parents are in the armed forces, and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average as is that of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average, as is that of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  It has gained a number of national awards, including the Active Mark, and has Healthy School status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Raise attainment in writing and mathematics by:  improving pupils’ ability to use grammar, spelling and punctuation accurately  improving the speed and accuracy with which pupils use mental recall skills in solving real- life problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Improve the quality of teaching further by:  ensuring all teachers effectively check pupils’ learning throughout lessons and intervene, as necessary, to enable them to make rapid progress  making sure that teachers always give pupils work that matches their ability and gets the best out of them  ensuring that marking and discussion are used consistently to give pupils precise guidance on how to do better.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well from their skill level on entry, which is well below that typical for their age. They make good progress and their attainment in English and mathematics is broadly average by the end of Key Stage 2.  In the Early Years Foundation stage children confidently make choices for themselves, playing and working happily with others. They enjoy their activities and show enthusiasm in all they do. This was evident when they were discussing characters in the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’  In Years 1 to 6, pupils concentrate well and enjoy working collaboratively. They gain knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills well. Pupils apply themselves diligently in lessons and show they can get on with their work and learn on their own.  Attainment in reading is broadly average at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time pupils leave school. Improvement to the quality of guided reading sessions and the way pupils are taught to

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The achievement of pupils is good

link letters and sounds, since the previous inspection, has accelerated progress but has not had enough time to have full effect on attainment. Pupils enjoy reading and read widely at home and school.  Pupils willingly take part in group and class discussions, speaking clearly and confidently. Their writing is imaginative and maintains the reader’s interest. However, it lacks accuracy in the use of grammar, punctuation and spelling.  In mathematics, pupils have secure calculation skills. However, their mental recall skills are not quick or accurate enough to give them the confidence to use these to solve problems in real-life situations.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress, because their individual needs are quickly identified and extra support provided to effectively meet them. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are provided with well targeted support to

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The achievement of pupils is good

ensure they make the same good progress as other pupils.  The funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium has been used to provide individual and small groups support to raise their attainment in English and mathematics. This has proved successful and the pupils known to be eligible for free school meals make good progress in line with other pupils. Attainment is similar to other pupils throughout the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults provide practical, first hand experiences that capture and maintain children’s interest. There is strong emphasis on encouraging children to make choices and work things out for themselves. The well resourced outdoor area is used well to build upon learning that has taken place indoors.  Through the rest of the school, teachers have good subject knowledge and are able to explain and demonstrate new ideas clearly and confidently. They use questioning well to find out what pupils know and to extend their understanding. Teachers use information about how well pupils have learned to help them plan future lessons.  Teachers manage classrooms well so that pupils learn quickly and little time is lost. Teaching assistants are deployed well to support all pupils, particularly disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, pupils eligible for the pupil premium and those who speak English as

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The quality of teaching is good

an additional language.  Not all teachers check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons in order to enable them to intervene, as necessary, to bring about rapid gains in learning. There are times when the work given to pupils is too easy for some and too hard for others and this limits the progress they make. Marking and discussion is not always used effectively to give pupils precise guidance on how to improve.  In outstanding lessons, teachers very effectively meet the individual needs of all pupils. They provide inspiring and highly motivational activities that enable pupils to learn exceptionally well. This was evident in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Year 6, in which they were exploring a variety of ideas, including how to enlarge different shapes to scale.  Teachers encourage pupils to think about the wonders of the world around them to promote their spiritual development. Social and moral development is fostered by opportunities for pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

to work collaboratively and discuss the effect of their actions on others. Pupils from the different cultures represented in school are given opportunity to discuss with other pupils their traditions and beliefs and this, together with a range of activities such as music tuition, effectively supports their cultural development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is welcoming and positive and makes a strong contribution to good learning in lessons. They are kind and considerate and encourage others to conduct themselves well. Parents, staff, pupils and the school’s behaviour logs indicate that behaviour is good and has improved considerably over time.  There is a good understanding among pupils of the different types of bullying, such as name calling and cyber bullying. They say such occurrences are rare and are confident staff would deal with any such instances. Pupils say that, ‘Teachers really help us make the right choices and care about us a lot.’  Pupils know how to keep themselves and others safe. They have a thorough understanding of issues relating to railway, road and water safety and what to do if approached by a stranger. Pupils say they feel safe and secure in school at all times.  Pupils are eager to get on with their work, commenting that ‘Teachers make learning fun but

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

educational.’ They enjoy coming to school as is reflected in their greatly improved attendance in recent years, which is now above average. Pupils have mature attitudes and are proud of their school.  There are good opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility and they accept these readily. School councillors carry out their roles diligently and ensure that pupils have a voice in how the school develops. They have been fully involved, for example, in planning an upgrade to the facilities in the pupil toilets and in improving playground equipment.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a very clear view of how successful the school can be. Senior leaders and the governing body are highly ambitious for the school and show determination in driving forward improvements.  The management of staff performance and training of teachers and other adults are well matched to whole school and individual staff needs. Performance management is used effectively to ensure that teachers are accountable for the progress their pupils make. There is a strong link between how successful teachers are and their salary progression.  The procedures for checking the quality of teaching are rigorous and have successfully brought about improvement since the previous inspection. The arrangements for checking how well the school is doing are good and correctly identify areas for development. Action taken to bring about improvement is assessed regularly to see if any further changes need to be made.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s leadership has shown it is capable of continuing to make improvements. The local authority provides light touch support.  Leaders promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination well. Improved procedures for checking pupils’ progress mean leaders have a very clear picture of how well individuals and different groups are doing through the school. They use the information effectively to provide extra support, if needed, as is seen in the way the attainment of pupils eligible for the pupil premium has been raised.  Staff show respect and courtesy for pupils and others, modelling professional standards in all of their work.  The curriculum has been improved to better meet the needs and aspirations of pupils. It is enhanced by extra-curricular activities, the opportunity to play different musical instruments and to learn to speak Italian. The curriculum effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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The leadership and management are good

cultural development.  Stronger links with parents have led to the considerable increase in pupils’ attendance. Parents are kept fully informed about their children’s progress and achievement.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a comprehensive understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is fully involved in driving improvement. It makes sure that safeguarding requirements are met, so staff and pupils are safe. Governors take part in relevant training to maintain their effectiveness. Their view of the quality of teaching is accurate. Governors know how the management of performance is used to improve staff expertise, reward good teaching and tackle any areas of underperformance. The governing body manages the budget efficiently and carefully checks how the funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium is used to raise their achievement.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ 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 pupils’ 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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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School details

Unique reference number 105537 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 404998

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Gretton Headteacher Anne Loftus Date of previous school inspection 15 March 2011 Telephone number 0161 437 1495 Fax number 0161 437 9337 Email address admin@st-peters.manchester.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 .

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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.

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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

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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, please

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School details

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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School details

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

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