St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School Church Lane, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2ES

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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

 Pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics is not consistently good over time.  Pupils have too few opportunities to apply their calculation skills to solve mathematical problems.  Boys’ attainment in writing is not as high as it is in reading and mathematics.  Teaching does not always lead to effective learning. In some lessons, pupils do not listen closely to their teachers.  Although teachers mark work regularly, they do not always make sure that pupils correct their mistakes or follow the guidance they are given.  Leaders do not analyse their information about pupils’ progress in enough detail to identify weaknesses so that shortcomings in pupils’ achievement and in teaching can be tackled rigorously.  The plans to move the school forward do not provide specific and clear enough guidance to aid leaders and the governing body in ensuring the best rate of improvement.  Governors are not well enough informed about

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

some outcomes of the school’s performance to hold leaders fully to account and accelerate improvement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make good progress and achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Pupils very much enjoy school. Their behaviour is good and they feel very safe. The strong ethos contributes significantly to the high levels of care and very strong relationships between adults and pupils.  Reading is taught well across the school so that pupils make good progress.  The good curriculum and wide range of clubs and visits provide pupils with memorable experiences.  Parents play an important part in helping pupils with their learning both at home and in school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in eight lessons taught by seven teachers. Two joint observations were carried out with the headteacher.  The inspectors considered a sample of pupils’ written work and mathematics in their exercise books. They also observed the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), listened to a group of pupils read and observed parent helpers supporting pupils with their reading.  The inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, two groups of pupils and representatives of the governing body. An inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of a wide range of documentation including: information on pupils’ progress and attainment; the school’s evaluation of how well it is doing; and the school development plan. School records relating to behaviour, safety and the monitoring of teaching and learning were evaluated.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took account of 55 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Brenda Clarke, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Graeme Clarke Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average sized primary school.  Over time, the large majority of pupils have been from White British families. Over the last three years the proportion of pupils from other countries, mostly Poland, has risen significantly so that currently numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language are above those seen across the country.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is well below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus is below average, as is the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by pupil premium funding is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the

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Information about this school

local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good and a greater proportion is outstanding by ensuring that:  teachers’ marking makes clear to pupils how to improve their work and that pupils have sufficient time to correct mistakes  teachers use their records about pupils’ attainment to set work that is not too easy or too hard for pupils’ needs, ages and abilities in the mixed-age classes  teachers call to attention more quickly those pupils who are not listening closely.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils' progress and raise standards further in writing and mathematics at least to match those in reading by ensuring that:  regular opportunities for pupils to build on their skills in phonics and spelling are provided  pupils have opportunities to write at length and to apply their writing skills across other subjects  boys make as much progress as girls in writing by finding topics that interest and excite them  more opportunities are provided for pupils to apply their calculation skills to solve problems in mathematics and other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management including governance, by:  increasing the accuracy of the school’s view of its own performance and producing more detailed plans for improvement, that set out precisely actions that will accelerate pupils’ achievement  using more effectively the information about pupils’ progress to analyse whole-school trends and areas of weakness to inform future development planning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because by the end of Year 6 pupils’ progress in mathematics and writing is not yet good.  In 2013, standards dipped from above average to in line with those seen across the country by the end of Year 6. Mathematics was the weakest subject and reading the strongest. Although by the end of Year 6, most pupils make the progress expected of them from their individual starting points, not enough make more than the progress expected.  Achievement is held back in mathematics because pupils experience difficulties when solving mathematical problems. Scrutiny of pupils’ work in exercise books indicates that teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to apply their calculation skills to solve problems, especially with regard to extending their skills to use more than one calculation step. The introduction of a computer program with a focus on exciting activities to solve problems is

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

starting to address this weaker aspect.  Pupils’ progress in writing is inconsistent across year groups. It accelerates in Years 5 and 6 because pupils are taught effectively and their work shows an understanding of how to write in different styles, for example, in letters and reports. However, across all year groups, boys achieve less well than girls in writing because activities do not always capture their interest and make them want to write.  The progress of the most-able pupils is similar to that of other learners and is satisfactory rather than good overall. This is because, in the mixed-age classes especially, these pupils do not get enough opportunities to attempt harder tasks and thus extend their learning in writing and mathematics. For example, scrutiny of their work suggests that in mathematics they are not always moved on to solve multi-part problems that challenge and extend their learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that range from well below to above those typical for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching is good. It provides them with a good range of stimulating and memorable learning experiences both indoors and outside. By the end of the Reception Year the vast majority reach a good level of development. Children make outstanding progress in their personal and social development. They relish school, behave extremely well and sit and listen attentively. This prepares them well for their next stage of learning.  In recent years, the standards reached by pupils at the end of Year 2 have been broadly in line with those seen across the country and pupils have achieved satisfactorily. Reading and mathematics have been the strongest subjects and writing, although average, not quite as high. Inspection findings indicate that pupils’ standards are broadly average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress in reading is good throughout the school, and by the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is above average. In Key Stage 1, pupils enjoy reading and most read with good expression. Older pupils develop a love of books and read with confidence and understanding.  Pupils have good opportunities to practise their speaking skills in lessons and activities such as the school council and class discussion times. Most develop confidence as speakers and explain their answers very clearly.  In 2013, results of the Year 1 reading assessment were above those seen nationally. This is due to a carefully planned and effective letters and sounds programme for younger pupils.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, make good progress, with approximately 60% making expected or better progress against their individual targets. They receive effective additional support that boosts their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

learning of basic skills, enabling them to attain at least average standards in English and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs respond well to the care and support they receive and make good progress.  The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language is good overall. The school has responded quickly and in a variety of ways to their differing needs. For example, some pupils receive additional reading time with parents and a buddy system enables a more confident Polish-speaking pupil to befriend and translate for a new learner.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because it is not fully effective in accelerating pupils’ learning and promoting good achievement.  Pupils do not always listen attentively and not all teachers tackle this swiftly so that pupils take on board new learning.  Teachers pay insufficient attention to information about pupils’ progress to check that the work set is neither too easy nor too difficult, especially in the mixed-age classes. This is especially evident in activities to teach writing skills such as sentence structure, resulting in activities that do not move the most able on fast enough but which are too difficult for those at an earlier stage of learning.  Pupils benefit from being taught numeracy skills well, but they lack confidence in using these calculation skills to solve problems. This is because not enough opportunities for problem solving are provided.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly, but it is not always made clear to pupils how to improve and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

time is not allocated to this activity. As a result, pupils do not always learn from their mistakes.  Pupils enjoy learning most when their interest is sustained. This worked well when a humorous video clip captured their attention and led them to write a good set of instructions. Role play and the electronic white boards are used well to seize pupils’ attention.  When tasks are explained clearly and questions used to monitor pupils’ understanding, the rate of learning accelerates. This is extended further when pupils are made aware of what to include in their work so that they know how to be successful.  Knowledgeable teaching assistants are used effectively to support small groups and individuals so that they can extend their skills and make good progress.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are taught to sit appropriately and to listen attentively to their teachers and others. Opportunities such as snack time are used to count the

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

apples to be eaten and who might have more or less. During the inspection, a visit by Dewey the Dragon caused great excitement. Earlier this had spurred the children on to write letters to him.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. They conduct themselves around the school in an orderly manner and show care and consideration for others even when playing a boisterous game of football at playtime.  All adults have consistently high expectations of how well pupils behave. For example, the school cook asked pupils to be a little quieter whilst eating their lunch. This they immediately did.  In the good lessons observed, pupils persevered to complete their tasks, working with industry and diligence. Teachers’ strong behaviour management skills meant that lessons ran smoothly without interruption, although at times pupils did not listen to the entire lesson, their attention waned and they did not produce their best work.  Children in the Reception class are taught from an early age to show care and consideration, for example, holding a nursery child’s hand when entering and leaving assembly. Even the youngest

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

children in the nursery behave well. They share resources and very much enjoy their play with others.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel very safe. They talk knowledgeably about how to avoid strangers and take care when using computers. The school has strengthened security and pupils appreciate the new perimeter fence and the extra safety it provides.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including on the internet. They agree there is a small amount of bullying but that this is quickly sorted out by adults.  In the on-line questionnaire (Parents View) the vast majority of parents agree that the school takes good care of their children and keeps them safe.  Pupils’ attendance has been consistently high since the last inspection and is above average. There have been no exclusions over time.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because actions have not been effective enough to raise pupils’ attainment and progress, particularly in mathematics and writing.  Some of the areas for improvement identified in the school’s improvement plan are not precise enough or sufficiently challenging. It is unclear how success will be measured. As a result, senior leaders and the governing body are not able to ensure all aspects of teaching and learning improve strongly.  Over the last two years, the headteacher has developed a system for systematically checking pupils’ progress. This is beginning to make teachers more accountable for the progress of pupils in their class. However, leaders do not analyse this information sufficiently rigorously to ensure maximum progress for all pupils. Consequently, boys’ weak progress in writing has not been resolved fully. The lack of an overview of the information gained from this tracking to provide a

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The leadership and management requires improvement

quick summary for leaders and governors means that information loses its impact as a management tool.  The checks made on teaching identify aspects needing improvement, although these are not yet fully resolved. The headteacher and governing body ensure that staff fulfil suitably stringent criteria before they achieve the next salary level.  Subject leaders are becoming more effective as their roles develop and have introduced some important initiatives. For example, the new mathematics scheme is already accelerating pupils’ progress. A whole-school approach to the teaching of reading has resulted in higher standards.  The headteacher is highly regarded by staff, pupils, parents and members of the community. The school’s strong Catholic ethos underpins all that it does and contributes significantly to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Relationships at all levels are

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The leadership and management requires improvement

exemplary and high levels of care and consideration permeate the school’s life. Staff work as a cohesive team, determined to improve provision further.  Links with parents are exemplary. Parents give freely of their time to support many activities. Parents work with pupils in paired reading sessions, giving good support and guidance and enabling pupils to gain confidence as readers.  The overall promotion of equality of opportunity is good. Actions are in place to close the gap between the achievement of boys and girls in writing, and in other instances leaders tackle any issues of discrimination rigorously. The school goes the extra mile in ensuring that the needs of those who have recently arrived from other countries are well supported and their differing needs met.  The headteacher and his staff are passionate about ensuring pupils enjoy their learning and feel safe. Procedures to ensure pupils’ safety meet requirements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum provides a full range of subjects and encourages enthusiasm for learning. Links with partner institutions enhance opportunities for competitive sport and drama. Many activities foster a love of reading in pupils, as in the use by all pupils of the attractive school library, but fewer activities raise the profile of mathematics.  The governing body and leaders use the primary school sports funding effectively to enhance provision now and enhance teachers’ skills for future years. Staff have been trained to lead sporting activities and are providing exciting, well-attended clubs such as multi-sports and football.  The local authority is working closely with the school’s leaders to improve weaker aspects by offering training and advice on a regular basis.  The governance of the school:  Governors are extremely committed to the school and to the community. However, governors are not well enough informed to hold leaders fully to account. In the past, they have relied too

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The leadership and management requires improvement

heavily on information and data on pupils’ progress and teachers’ performance provided by the headteacher. They do not gather enough first-hand information to check for themselves what is happening in the school. Governors have recognised this issue and have begun to audit their skills and review their practice to better fulfil their responsibilities. They now look at data and compare standards with other schools, but acknowledge that they find this difficult without a simple overview of pupils’ progress. However, governors check closely that the pupil premium funding is used to benefit the pupils for whom it is intended. They have judiciously allocated these funds to provide well-targeted support so that pupils make progress in line with their classmates.

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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 121638 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 431355

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 155 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nick Price Headteacher Peter Burdekin Date of previous school inspection 30 March 2009 Telephone number 01765 603232 Fax number 01765 603232 Email address admin@riponst-wilfrids.n-yorks.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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