Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School

Dean Oaks Primary School Handforth Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 2LX

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Leaders and managers, including the governors, are working hard with the staff to create an environment where children are enthusiastic about learning. This is having a significant impact on the quality of teaching and, as a result, achievement is improving.  Achievement is good from pupils’ individual starting points and pupils are well prepared for their next stage in learning. Pupils are given lots of opportunities to read for pleasure. As a result of this, pupils have a real love of books and they make good progress.  Pupils get off to a good start in the Reception class and make good progress in their first year in school.  Teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they use probing questions to gauge pupils’ understanding.  The support given by teaching assistants is of a high standard. The work they do with pupils who have special educational needs helps

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

them to make good progress.  The large numbers of pupils who do not start school in the Reception class but join mid-year, settle quickly and make good progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they are keen to get on with their work. Pupils are polite and the school is a happy and caring place.  Staff hold a lot of information about the achievement of pupils and this is used to good effect in raising standards.  Governors have a high profile in school and they have a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.  The curriculum offers a wide range of practical and problem solving activities which contribute well to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching.  In some lessons, pupils do not have enough time to learn on their own.  Marking is not consistent across the school and does not always make it clear what pupils need to do next to improve their work.  Guidance on how teachers can improve their teaching is not explicit or followed up regularly enough.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 12 teachers.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and looked at pupils’ exercise books.  Discussions were held with representatives of the governing body, senior leaders, subject leaders and other staff and pupils.  Inspectors looked at the school’s documentation to gain an accurate view of its performance, safeguarding information, the school development plan, minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour records and displays around school.  Inspectors looked at the ways in which the school checks the progress of pupils.  Inspectors evaluated the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Desmond Stubbs, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ian Wellens Additional Inspector Jennifer Lawrence Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is a larger than the average sized primary school.  Pupils are predominantly White British.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is in line with the national average. In this school, the pupil premium almost entirely applies to pupils eligible for free school meals. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after.)  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Twenty-one per cent of pupils currently on roll did not start in the Reception class.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that a greater proportion is outstanding by:  organising lessons so that pupils are provided with sufficient opportunities to work on their own  ensuring all teachers use the new marking policy in English and mathematics and that it is made clear to the pupils what they must do to improve  ensuring that all staff who undertake the checking of teaching make it explicit what teachers need to do to improve and ensure that this is checked regularly as part of the school’s performance management systems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement has rapidly improved in the past year and school data shows that attainment is now well above the national average. By the time pupils go onto their next stage of education they have acquired a secure understanding of the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children join the school with basic skills that are below those typically expected for their age. They make good progress during their first year in school and this continues throughout Key Stage 1.  By the end of Year 2 pupils are working at levels above that expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics and this has been the case for a long period of time.  Pupils consistently make good progress across the whole school and in all subjects.  The school allocates the pupil premium funding very effectively, providing pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal with additional support in the basic skills from a teacher. These

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils make similar progress to all other pupils. By the end of Key Stage 2, these pupils are approximately one term behind their peers who are not eligible for the pupil premium in English and two terms behind in mathematics.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good. The special needs coordinator uses information about these pupils very effectively to organise appropriate support.  Information about the large number of pupils who do not start in the Reception class shows that these pupils are on average as much as a year behind other pupils in school. However, these pupils settle quickly and make good progress.  Achievement in lessons is consistently good and by Year 6 many pupils have the opportunity to work at higher levels than would be expected.  The school dedicates a lot of time to reading for pleasure and as a result of this pupils have a real love of books and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In writing, activities are carefully planned to broaden pupils’ vocabulary, this makes a significant impact on standards and achievement in writing is good.  Pupils have lots of opportunities to solve problems and apply their skills in mathematics and this ensures pupils make good progress.  Equality of opportunity is highly effective. Senior leaders effectively use the information they have about the different groups of pupils to ensure they are all making good progress.  Parents agree that their children make good progress. A parent wrote that the school ‘provides pupils with every opportunity to progress and learn’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good. Relationships in class are a real strength of the school. Pupils have lots of opportunities to work collaboratively and this makes a significant impact on the progress observed in lessons.  All adults have very good subject knowledge. In particular, teachers and teaching assistants use very precise mathematical language and teaching methods which are consistent across the school.  Teachers are skilled in asking pupils probing, open-ended questions which not only make pupils think deeply about their learning but also helps the teacher understand clearly what each pupil knows and what they need to learn next. Pupils say ‘Teachers don’t give us the answers but they help us by encouraging us and giving us time.’  Time in lessons is generally well used although inspectors observed occasions where pupils did not have enough opportunities to learn on their own. Pupils told inspectors that, ‘Sometimes

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The quality of teaching is good

teachers talk a lot and we don’t get enough time to do the work.’  Pupils enjoy their lessons. They enjoy practical activities such as those observed in a Year 6 mathematics lesson when pupils had the opportunity to use and apply their mathematical skills as part of an orienteering activity. Problem solving and logic puzzles ensure that pupils are challenged in interesting ways.  The support of teaching assistants is of a high standard.  All work is marked regularly. While there is some high quality marking, particularly in Key Stage 2, there is not a consistent approach throughout the whole school. Marking does not always make clear what pupils must do to improve their work.  Teachers are sensitive to the different ways in which pupils learn. In one lesson, the teacher discussed this with pupils and then provided the opportunity for pupils to learn in their preferred style. Pupils know their targets and teachers dedicate time in lessons to discuss these. These

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The quality of teaching is good

strategies contribute well to pupils’ good progress.  Parents agree that their children are taught well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school is consistently good. Pupils work and play well together. The school is a happy and caring place.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally good but there are times when pupils lose concentration, such as when explanations from teachers are unnecessarily long. Pupils cooperate well together, this was observed throughout the school.  Pupils understand the different forms which bullying can take and say that incidents of bullying are rare.  Pupils have lots of opportunities to take on responsibilities. The school council are very active. Recycling monitors ensure energy is saved in class and even read the meters to see the impact of their work. The Junior Safety Officers are there ‘if you want to know anything about being safe!’  Parents who responded to the online parent questionnaire agree that their children are happy and safe when in school and that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel very safe in school. Pupils told inspectors that behaviour is good in class and on the playground because there are lots of activities and they also understand how to stay safe on the computer.  Attendance is good. The Family Support Worker checks attendance regularly, she works closely with families and the impact of her work has seen a marked improvement in attendance. Pupils are punctual.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders and governors have a very accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The school has a highly comprehensive plan for improvement which outlines very clearly the actions that the school needs to undertake in order to improve further. This indicates that the school has great potential for continued success.  The subject leaders for both English and mathematics make frequent checks of their subjects and they hold a lot of information about pupils’ achievement. This is used effectively to target appropriate support. The effectiveness of subject leaders has improved since the last inspection.  All teachers are committed to improving their practice. Teachers talk about the effectiveness of their training and the opportunities they have to reflect on their teaching and ways in which pupils can learn more effectively.  The school’s system for managing the performance of teachers is generally good. There are

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The leadership and management are good

many opportunities for senior leaders and subject leaders to observe teaching. However, it is not always made clear what the teacher must do to improve and there are no follow-up visits to check that the appropriate action has been taken. This is a key reason why teaching is good but not yet outstanding.  The curriculum is well designed using cross-curricular themes. There are a wide variety of enrichment activities and pupils have lots of opportunities to use and apply their basic skills. These experiences contribute very well to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, which is good.  The school is a member of the Wilmslow Education Partnership and this provides good further curricular opportunities such as activities for pupils who are gifted and talented. Teachers also share practice with other schools in the partnership and come together for training which enhances the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides the school with information which compares their performance with that of other schools both locally and nationally, which the school uses effectively.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are regular visitors to the school. They are all linked to a class and a subject. This gives them an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and ensures that they both support and challenge the school. They have received training, including an analysis of the data held by the school. As a result, they are clear about the progress of the different pupil groups. The budget is well managed and governors understand how the pupil premium funding is allocated and how the gap is narrowing between these and all other pupils. They understand the managing of performance of teachers through their involvement

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The leadership and management are good

in the various committees to which teachers are invited to come and talk about their work and ensure that this is closely linked to salary progression.

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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 135246 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 412952

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 301 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Helen Marsh Headteacher Janet Ciaputa Date of previous school inspection 9 March 2009 Telephone number 01625 383333 Fax number 01625 533909 Email address head@deanoaks.cheshire.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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