St Osmund's Catholic Primary School, Salisbury

St Osmund’s Catholic Primary School Exeter Street, Salisbury, SP1 2SG

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

 The work set in lessons is not always well matched to the abilities of the pupils in the class. Often, tasks do not challenge the more able so that they can make good progress in their learning.  The quality of teaching is variable and pupils’ progress is inconsistent. Although their attainment is above national averages, they do not make good progress overall from their starting points.  Marking does not always provide pupils with the guidance they need to improve their work. Teachers also do not consistently give pupils the opportunities to make the improvements by responding to comments in this feedback.  Leaders in charge of subjects have recently been given new roles and responsibilities in checking the quality of teaching and learning but this is not yet having enough impact on pupils’ progress.  Leaders’ checks of the quality of the school’s work do not yet focus enough on pupils’ progress.  The governing body does not yet have the

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

skills to analyse pupil data effectively. As a result, governors are not able to provide rigorous challenge, or fully support the senior leaders in their efforts to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths:

 The headteacher has a clear vision of how to move the school forwards. This is shared by all of the staff, who are committed to improving the school.  Actions taken by the headteacher so far have provided a framework for other leaders. This is helping to develop their skills in monitoring and analysing pupils’ progress.  Pupils feel safe and well looked after at school. Behaviour is good in lessons and around school. St Osmund’s provides a caring environment for pupils to learn.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out observations of teaching in 14 lessons. They also observed a lower school assembly. A number of the observations were carried out jointly with either the headteacher or the literacy leader.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, senior and middle leaders.  Telephone conversations were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team looked at a wide range of documents, including planning and monitoring documentation, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  The school’s own data on pupils’ recent progress was unavailable due to a failure of the computer system cause by an overnight power cut in the area. The inspectors listened to pupils read and scrutinised samples of the pupils’ workbooks to review the progress of the current pupils.  Inspectors took into account 46 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), one

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Information about this inspection

telephone call from a parent or carer and two letters from parents and carers. They also took account of the responses to 25 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

David Hogg, Lead inspector Additional inspector Jennifer Cutler Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 St Osmund’s is a slightly smaller than average-sized primary school situated near Salisbury Cathedral and draws its pupils from a diverse range of social backgrounds. The school does not use any alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is close to the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs is less than half the national average. The proportion supported at school action is lower than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The headteacher is a recent appointment, having taken up post in September 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching so that it is consistently at least good by: – ensuring that teachers use assessment data more effectively in planning learning activities that are better matched to the abilities of the pupils, especially the more able pupils – consistently providing precise written feedback to pupils so they have a clear understanding of what they must do to improve their work and then giving them the opportunity to respond to this guidance – providing more opportunities for pupils, especially the most able, to work independently and collaboratively – ensuring that teachers check pupils’ learning regularly in lessons to so that tasks can be modified, or support redirected, as necessary.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by: – ensuring that monitoring has a greater focus on pupils’ progress – ensuring that leaders in charge of subjects develop their role in reviewing the quality of teaching and learning, including the analysis of data, to accelerate improvements and standards – ensuring that the governing body develops the ability to review and analyse performance data so it can challenge leaders and support improvement by holding the school to account, and commissioning a review of governance so as to strengthen the members’ understanding of their responsibilities.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ overall attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is higher than average. However, most do not make good progress from their individual starting points. Evidence on pupils’ current progress shows a similar picture. Many of the most able pupils do not make the progress that they are capable of.  Discussions with senior teachers in pupil progress meetings help teachers identify those pupils who need additional support so that additional resources can be matched to their needs. Monitoring systems to track pupils’ progress are in place but are currently under review so that a more effective system will provide teachers with a clearer overview of their pupils’ progress.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make generally similar progress to their peers.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language also make progress similar to their peers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils read well and reading is supported effectively through sessions on phonics (letters and sounds) and guided reading activities. Pupils enjoy reading and older pupils tackle some difficult texts. The school uses reading records well to provide parents and carers with guidance on how they can support their child when they read together at home.  The school is developing a greater focus on how the additional pupil premium funding is targeted to support the learning of eligible pupils. The average points score of this group of pupils is in line with their peers in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is variable with too many lessons not being challenging enough. As a result pupils do not make good progress over time, especially the more able learners. Teachers do not use data on the progress of pupils effectively to plan tasks at the right level of difficulty for different groups of pupils in the class. Consequently, lessons lack the challenge needed to stretch pupils, particularly the more able, and accelerate their progress.  Although teachers try to ensure that pupils know what they are learning about, guidance to pupils is not linked to targets or levels and does not always give clear examples of what they are expected to produce. Teachers do not always review the learning that takes place in lessons so they can support pupils better if they are unsure about their work.  Lower ability pupils are generally well supported by teaching assistants in morning lessons.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

However, the support is lacking in lessons in the afternoon when fewer teaching assistants are in class.  In class, pupils generally engage well with the work set, more so where the pace of lessons is good. When activities are more routine or less well matched to their abilities, pupils can be passive and less enthused. Pupils, especially the most able, do not have enough opportunities to discuss their work or work collaboratively on tasks. They also do not have the opportunities to develop their skills in working independently.  Pupils’ work is marked by the teachers and pupils also review each other’s work. The feedback from teachers does not consistently provide precise guidance to pupils on how to improve their work. Pupils are not consistently given opportunities to respond to the points raised in the teachers’ comments and address the issues identified in the feedback.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils at St Osmund’s enjoy school, feel safe when they are there and say they are well looked after by the adults who work with them. They say incidents of unkindness are rare and dealt with effectively by the staff if they do occur. Pupils have a good awareness of personal safety and the issues surrounding the use of the internet.  In lessons they cooperate well with one another in discussions and show they can work independently of adults when they are given the opportunities to do so. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and demonstrate good levels of engagement and interest in their activities when teaching is most effective. Good relationships between pupils, and with the adults they work with, are a strong feature of lessons.  Pupils feel behaviour is good at school and this is echoed by the views of teachers and parents and carers. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors to the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is in line with national averages. The more structured start to the day introduced by the headteacher recently has improved punctuality and the school is more robust in its attitude towards holidays taken during term- time.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The new headteacher has conducted a thorough review of the school and has begun to implement a range of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of the teaching and learning. This has meant redefining and refocusing the work of the leadership team so it takes a more strategic view of the work of the school. These changes are relatively recent and have yet to demonstrate that they are having a significant impact on improving the learning and achievement of the pupils.  The headteacher has shared a clear vision of how to move the school forwards and is fully supported by the staff and the governing body in driving the necessary changes. Consequently, the school has the capacity to improve and develop further.  Leaders in charge of subjects are still developing the skills to analyse and effectively use pupil progress data to identify and support those pupils who need additional help.  Support from the local authority over time has had little impact in improving the quality of

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The leadership and management require improvement

teaching. The local authority is looking to support the school more actively in the future.  Judgements by the senior leaders about the quality of teaching are secure. Staff training is linked to the school development plans and salary progression is now more closely linked to outcomes through the performance management process.  The school is now in the process of developing a more creative topic-based approach to learning. Pupils are provided with some opportunities to develop independent working through interesting activities, such as researching the everyday life of the Vikings. A range of activities broadens the experience of the pupils, with visits to places of significance and through visitors to the school, helping pupils gain a wider view of the world and contributing to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school promotes equality of opportunity, ensuring that all have access to the activities on

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The leadership and management require improvement

offer and that there is no discrimination.  Safeguarding in the school is good with clear management of child protection procedures.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The governance of the school: – The governing body is active in the school and has a good understanding of many of the strengths and areas to develop further. The governors themselves have a wide scope of expertise to draw upon and have used additional training to develop their skills further. They have had some involvement in reviewing and monitoring the work of the school. The governors do monitor the progress of particular groups of pupils, for example, those in receipt of the pupil premium grant and those for whom English is an additional language. However, they are not skilled enough in reviewing performance data, including nationally published data, to offer the necessary challenge to the senior leadership team in their efforts to improve pupils’ progress. They are aware of how teachers’ performance is linked to salary progression through robust performance management and review. The governors manage

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The leadership and management require improvement

finances well, supervising closely the way the school uses its resources to the best effect. Governors review and monitor the safeguarding procedures and policies as required.

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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 126425 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 403608

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 198 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Nick Cusack Headteacher Mrs Elizabeth Jolly Date of previous school inspection 23–24 January 2008 Telephone number 01722 322632 Fax number 01722 344960 Email address admin@st-osmunds.wilts.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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