Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Warton

Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Warton Lytham Road, Warton, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 1AH

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge and enthusiasm to inspire pupils to make at least good progress in lessons.  Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. A high proportion of pupils make excellent progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Outstanding organisation of specialist support has led to improvement in the standards reached by pupils of all abilities in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and attend regularly. They care for one another and try hard to gain rewards for their good behaviour.  Reading skills develop rapidly to a high standard because the teaching of letters and the sounds that they make (phonics) is highly effective.  Teaching assistants are skilful. They provide effective support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs to enable them to make at least good progress.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is strong. The excellent communication with parents helps children to settle quickly and make rapid progress when they start school.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have created a culture of continuous improvement which is shared by all staff. They provide very effective support and guidance to staff and challenge them to be the best they can.  The knowledgeable, effective governing body rigorously monitors the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. It is clear about what the school needs to do to continue to improve further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. Teachers do not always use pupils’ progress data to plan work which is at the right level for them.  Pupils’ work is not always well presented.  Pupils do not always understand how to reach their targets in lessons.  Teachers and their assistants do not always demonstrate high standards in their writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector saw all teachers teach in the six lessons observed, two of which were seen together with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector made a number of other short visits to lessons and learning areas.  Separate meetings were conducted with governors, staff, senior leaders, an adviser from the local authority and a group of pupils. The inspector talked to pupils during lessons, listened to pupils read and scrutinised samples of their work.  The 19 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the results of the school’s own surveys of parents’ views were taken into account. The views of several parents who communicated with the inspector during the inspection were also taken into consideration.  The inspector took account of the 10 responses to the staff questionnaire.  A number of documents were reviewed. These included the school’s improvement plan, its self- evaluation report, information about pupils’ current progress, arrangements for safeguarding and

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Information about this inspection

records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Reports from the local authority about the school’s effectiveness were also examined.

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Inspection team

Cathy Morgan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  There are four mixed-age classes.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs 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 also below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is rising but is below average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and children from service families.)  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There have been significant changes in staffing since the time of the previous inspection.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has a teaching commitment in Year 5 and 6 alongside the deputy headteacher who is the lead teacher in Class 4.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by making sure that:  all teachers use the information they have to plan work which is at the right level for pupils  all pupils have a good understanding about their targets and what they need to do to reach them in lessons  staff demonstrate high standards in their writing  teachers have higher expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work, especially in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children arrive with skills and knowledge that vary each year but are usually below those typical for their age. Outstanding procedures and communication with parents and pre-school settings enable children to settle quickly into the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children rapidly become articulate and confident in making choices from a variety of stimulating and engaging activities and they make good progress in preparation for Key Stage 1.  Excellent organisation of intervention by the leadership team has successfully improved pupils’ progress and raised standards further in Key Stages 1 and 2 since the previous inspection. Unvalidated test results for 2013 demonstrate that a higher than expected number of pupils reach the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.  The specialist support provided by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher for individual

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

Year 6 pupils, particularly the most-able, results in rapid improvement. Unvalidated test results for 2013 indicate that pupils of all abilities and backgrounds reach at least the standards expected in English and mathematics. A significant proportion of pupils make good or better progress to reach standards higher than those ordinarily expected at this age, particularly in reading.  Pupils’ reading skills are developed rapidly, with a strong emphasis on phonics (the sounds that letters make) matched by a focus on understanding and enjoyment. Almost all of the Year 1 pupils reached the expected level in the recent national reading test and many exceeded it.  The small number of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make at least good progress because they receive intensive and effective support from skilled teaching assistants and appropriate specialist agencies.  The pupil premium funding is used successfully to provide additional tuition in one-to-one and

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

small-group sessions for eligible pupils. As a result, this small group of pupils is making progress that is as good as their classmates’. There are not enough pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium to comment in detail on their attainment in English and mathematics without identifying them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is not yet outstanding because, although pupils make at least good progress to reach high standards in reading, writing and mathematics, this is due to the excellent specialist intervention organised by senior leaders and not always as a result of consistently good teaching in lessons.  Teachers and teaching assistants that are new to the school are still developing their expertise in teaching mixed-age classes. They are receiving highly effective training, mentoring and professional support to enable them to implement the school’s strategies to improve teaching. However, there are a few remaining inconsistencies in practice across classes.  The majority of teaching is good and some is outstanding, particularly in Class 1 and in Class 4. Typical features of this teaching are effective planning, probing questioning and the use of stimulating activities which involve pupils of all abilities and enable them to think hard for

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The quality of teaching is good

themselves. Pupils make outstanding progress in these lessons. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils worked excitedly together to decide which of their pre-prepared and enlarged sentences produced the most persuasive writing when combined together with accurate punctuation.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge and enthusiasm well to motivate pupils, extend their natural curiosity and foster good attitudes to learning. Pupils enjoy the plentiful opportunities to discuss ideas together, so they develop their speaking, listening and collaborative skills from an early age. This and the well-designed resources have been major features in the improvements made in writing, as pupils sort out their ideas before they put pen to paper.  The intervention programme for older pupils is exemplary in enabling pupils to reach the highest standards in English and mathematics. Individuals and small groups of pupils receive highly

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The quality of teaching is good

effective support from the headteacher and the deputy headteacher to enable them to succeed in these sessions. Teaching assistants work effectively with teachers to provide an important contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Pupils in Class 4 clearly understand their targets, which are regularly updated to make sure that they know how to progress to the next highest level in lessons. Not all teachers use the school’s extensive pupils’ progress data to plan work which is at the right level for pupils. In addition, not all pupils have a good understanding about their targets and how to reach them in all lessons.  From an early age, many pupils speak confidently using mature vocabulary and they reach high standards in writing tests. Work in pupils’ books across subjects, however, is not always presented to a high standard; in numeracy, this prevents pupils from always recognising

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The quality of teaching is good

inaccuracies in the position of their numbers and restricts the progress they make in lessons.  The focus upon improving pupils’ basic skills across the school has been very successful in raising standards and achievement. As a result, teachers and their assistants are gaining in confidence. Written comments in pupils’ books, however, do not always exemplify high standards in writing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very proud of their school. They are respectful towards adults and are happy, enjoying their learning and opportunities to attend clubs and activities. They say they really like the way teachers gain their interest by making learning fun. These positive aspects are reflected in high levels of attendance.  Pupils confirm how safe they feel in school. They are knowledgeable about the various kinds of bullying, including physical bullying, cyber bullying and name calling. Pupils agree that they occasionally have ‘falling-outs’ but any major problems are rare and adults quickly sort them out.  A few pupils find it difficult to manage their behaviour. School records confirm that staff deal with incidents quickly to ensure that any disruption to the learning of others is minimised. Equality of opportunity is promoted well; the school is highly effective in promoting good relationships and ensuring discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. More than one parent

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

described the school as ‘one happy family’.  Pupils have regular opportunities for reflection through the school’s collective worship programme. Pupils are taught well how to consider the feelings of others carefully and to understand that their actions have consequences. Pupils respond exceptionally well to the many positive rewards for good behaviour, such as their ‘star for a day’ awards. These are key factors in pupils’ positive attitudes and successfully develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. On occasion, when teaching is not of the highest quality, pupils do not always take pride in their work or show mature attitudes to their learning as their concentration wanes.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The excellent headteacher, expertly supported by the deputy headteacher, provides the school with extremely strong and purposeful leadership. Together they have created a strong team spirit among staff and instil a determination for continuous improvement.  Senior leaders lead by example and demonstrate meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of their work. The mentoring of new staff, particularly those who have recently joined the profession, is extremely well organised and highly effective. This ensures they quickly understand the school’s well-established routines and adhere to the headteacher’s drive for perfection.  Teachers and teaching assistants are developing their expertise well but this has not yet resulted in outstanding teaching. They are actively encouraged to attend and contribute to training sessions that keep them abreast of educational developments and develop them as potential

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The leadership and management are outstanding

leaders.  Improving teaching is at the heart of the school and the quality of teaching is checked robustly by subject leaders. The information gathered is used astutely to set challenging targets for staff and to hold them accountable for raising achievement. Targets and progress towards them are linked closely to teachers’ pay progression.  School leaders track meticulously the progress of all pupils to detect and rectify any underperformance. Their analyses provide a highly detailed and comprehensive picture of what is working well and where they need to provide additional support. Although this information is not yet used well by all teachers, it has been central to the school’s outstanding achievement of pupils since the previous inspection.  The school’s subjects are well organised and offer many opportunities for pupils to develop their ideas together. This makes their lessons enjoyable and is one reason for their positive attitudes

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The leadership and management are outstanding

to learning. Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs, competitions, visitors and visits which enable them to develop skills in art, sport, music and horticulture. The excellent provision made for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development ensures that pupils are fully prepared for the next stage in their learning.  The primary school sport funding is being used well to provide pupils and staff with expert tuition from specialist sport and dance teachers. Teachers have already begun to improve their skills and the school fully intends to monitor carefully its effectiveness in improving the health and well-being of pupils.  The headteacher and the governing body ensure that good use is made of pupil premium money to help eligible pupils to achieve well, make good progress and to take part in all aspects of school life.  The school has a strong sense of community. Leaders know exactly how well the school is doing

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and have an exceptionally sharp focus on identifying accurate priorities. These are very well supported by detailed and informative action plans, demonstrating that the school has an excellent capacity to improve further.  The local authority supports the school well. This has strengthened the expertise of staff and provided opportunities for them to work closely with other schools.  Safeguarding procedures meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the school well. It is exceptionally rigorous in holding school leaders to account for improving teaching and pupils’ achievement. Governors ensure that procedures to manage teaching quality are robust, addressing any relative weaknesses decisively. The governing body sets challenging targets for the headteacher and other members of staff. It links the outcomes firmly to decisions regarding pay progression. The governing body uses data knowledgeably to compare the effectiveness of the school with

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The leadership and management are outstanding

other small schools both locally and nationally. Finances are tightly controlled and decisions on spending are linked closely to priorities in the school’s improvement plan. Governors are fully aware of the use of the school’s sports funding and check very carefully the effect of the pupil premium on pupils’ progress. Governors attend training regularly and keep themselves up to date with changes.

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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 119590 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 429208

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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 106 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mary Wilson Headteacher Austin Manfredi Date of previous school inspection 11 February 2009 Telephone number 01772 633623 Fax number 01772 633625 Email address head@family.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 .

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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

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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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