Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School Vale Lane, Acton, London W3 0DY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The headteacher has established a school that deeply cares for all of its pupils while at the same time challenging them to achieve their full potential. She sets the tone for staff and pupils and the many excellent qualities of the school are greatly appreciated by parents and carers.  Children make outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Many start school with barriers to learning, especially in their language development, but these are quickly overcome and children are exceptionally well prepared to enter Key Stage 1 and start the National Curriculum.  Pupils continue to make excellent progress in Year 1, reaching attainment levels that are above those expected for their age. Their reading skills are especially strong. The inclusive agenda of the school helps all pupils to perform well, including the most able and those who do not speak English as their first

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

language. This pattern represents outstanding achievement for all groups of children and pupils during their time at school.  Teaching is outstanding. Lessons are planned in detail to offer interesting experiences that are well judged to keep all pupils working at full stretch. The additional assistance that is provided is carefully planned and targeted to help those in danger of falling behind. Marking and verbal advice offered to pupils are very helpful so they know how to improve.  Children from the Nursery onwards show great maturity, a readiness to cooperate with one another and adults and a huge appetite for learning. Behaviour is excellent. Staff, pupils and parents and carers agree that the school is exceptionally safe.  Rigorous checks are made on teachers and pupils, especially through the analysis of assessment results. This helps leaders and managers know what needs improvement and to act on this information.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governing body offers robust support that has benefited the school as it has established itself. It provides relevant challenges to the school as it continues to grow and improve.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited seven lessons taught by five teachers and undertook five joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, parents and carers, representatives of the governing body and a local authority officer.  The inspector examined numerous school documents, including policies, assessment information, planning documents, staff questionnaires and records of all kinds.  The views of 64 parents and carers were analysed through the Parent View questionnaire.

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Inspection team

John Carnaghan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. It opened in September 2012 and moved into its new buildings in September 2013. At the time of the inspection the school educated nursery, reception and Year 1 pupils.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families) is below average.  Nine out of every 10 pupils are from a minority ethnic background, predominantly Other White. About six out of every 10 pupils do not speak English as their first language  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on work that has already started to share the leadership and management of the school more broadly as the school grows, by developing staff responsibilities for whole-school issues and ensuring that they receive appropriate training.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children enter the Nursery with attainment levels below those expected for their age. Many do not speak English well as it is not their first language. The school is quick to check on each individual and to identify what their learning needs are. Teaching is adjusted accordingly and the appropriate additional support for each child is selected.  Assessment is judiciously used to check the success of the additional help and to make modifications if required. In most cases targeted children make exceptionally rapid gains in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that, for example, most of those who had previously struggled with speaking and understanding English, display growing competency and confidence by the time they are in the Reception class.  Excellent teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage, carefully planned, offers many exciting learning opportunities to these young children. They develop a love of learning and good

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

classroom habits like listening to one another, taking turns and working collaboratively to meet their aims. This leads to excellent progress which is consistent across all groups of children.  Children leave to join Year 1 with attainment levels that are higher than those expected for their age. This represents outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Current Year 1 pupils – the first in the school – continue to build on the good start that they made last year. Their attainment is above what is expected for pupils of their age in reading, writing and mathematics. The most able pupils receive work that is designed to interest them and keep them working to their full potential so that they are empowered to reach high attainment standards.  Year 1 pupils are avid learners, listening carefully to staff and quickly getting into their studies. They are enthusiastic to improve and this is helped by the good marking of their work. Work is

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

well adjusted to provide the correct support and challenge for all groups, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, so they are all able to make outstanding progress. This ensures that there is equality of opportunity for all pupils, whatever their ethnic background and that there is no discrimination.  The school is rich in texts of all kinds and reading is extensively promoted. All pupils get the chance to read to adults very regularly. This helps them to develop a love of books and an enthusiasm for reading; they reach levels of attainment that are well above those expected for their age.  The school only recently received its first pupil premium funds. However, in anticipation, it put in place numerous initiatives, especially the additional deployment of specialist teaching assistants and other skilled staff. This has ensured that the attainment gap in both English and

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

mathematics is very small. In fact this group of pupils is half a term behind their peers in reading and there are no discernible gaps in writing and mathematics.  These strengths indicate that the achievement of all groups of pupils at the school is excellent.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The school’s robust checks on teaching and persistent dissemination of good practice, including by providing effective professional development opportunities, have ensured that teachers are skilful practitioners and that lessons are consistently at least good and often excellent.  Teaching is purposeful. Teachers plan very thoroughly to provide stimulating lessons so pupils are focused and attentive. Brief and varied activities keep interest up and ensure that there are good learning challenges for all.  Pupils of all ages bring a pleasure in learning and receptivity to teachers to their lessons. They listen well to staff and one another and switch from task to task with alacrity. Interruptions to the progress of lessons through pupils drifting off task are very rare.  Teachers show considerable expertise; this helps them to inspire confidence in their pupils and promote rapid learning. They go out of their way to foster good relationships. Staff manage

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

pupils with a light touch but still communicate high expectations of all aspects of pupils’ performance in the classroom. Pupils are keen to please and strive to meet these expectations.  Assessment information is very well used to keep a check on pupils’ progress and make sure each one is in the best group or has the high-quality support required to help them overcome any problems. Skilled teaching assistants contribute fully to promoting learning, taking responsibility for ensuring that all individuals and groups are able to learn.  An excellent guided reading lesson typified many of the strengths in teaching. Very careful planning had provided each group with an interesting and suitably challenging task. The teacher and teaching assistant guided their groups capably, while the other groups enjoyed getting on with their task on their own, supporting one another when necessary. A high-attaining group

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

relished using a thesaurus to help them understand complex words such as ‘intelligent’ that they had come across in their reading. The progress of all groups in this session was outstanding.  Marking of pupils’ work is very thorough. Teachers feed back to pupils both verbally and with supportive written comments; they also set plainly written individual targets. This gives pupils a precise indication of what they should do to improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school puts a great emphasis on knowing and nurturing every pupil. The way it cares for and encourages all children is recognised and greatly appreciated by parents and carers, who almost universally are delighted with the school. Pupils are treated with great courtesy by all staff and, in turn, they show care and politeness when talking to adults and one another.  The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are very proud of their new school building and playgrounds and are delighted with their smart uniforms. They show great maturity – even those in the Nursery share readily with one another, cooperate easily and follow the correct ways of working, such as by putting their hands up. Bullying in all of its forms is almost completely absent from the school.  Pupils are very eager to learn and heed adults’ instructions carefully so that, for example, they quickly pack away and get the classroom tidy so they can move on to their next work promptly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

They listen well and show strong concentration. This helps them learn more quickly.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Staff are on duty at the start and end of the day and at playtimes to make sure the school is as safe as it can be. Parents and carers report that they leave their children at the start of the day, secure in the knowledge that all pupils are kept very safe.  Pupils have a good grasp of safe and unsafe behaviour and know how to avoid risk. For example, they are careful to save running around until playtimes and move around the building safely and sensibly.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, working with the vigorous support of the governing body, has been the key figure in setting up Holy Family Catholic Primary School and promoting excellence. Her caring philosophy, linked with a rigorous approach, is fully embraced by all staff. She has created a culture where teaching can flourish and excellent behaviour is the norm.  The transition to the current outstanding accommodation from the previous church hall was accomplished very smoothly and has transformed the environment for teaching and learning.  The school is now well established as a fully functioning, high-quality establishment. Its plans are clear-sighted and thorough and provide an excellent template for future growth and improvement. The need to spread the responsibilities of leadership and management across more staff as the school expands, developing middle management, is accepted and being planned for. The school receives good support from the local authority and the diocese. It has

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The leadership and management are outstanding

the capacity for continuing improvement.  The checks the school makes on itself are thorough and informative. Regular checks on teaching through observation and looking at pupils’ work provide a clear picture of where strengths and weaknesses lie and give the school the opportunity to tackle the latter. The effectiveness of this process is seen in consistently high-quality teaching across the school.  Regular assessment of pupils’ progress helps map how well each is progressing and triggers extra assistance for individuals, if required. Teachers’ assessments are carefully checked for accuracy both within the school and by using outside expertise. This information is used sympathetically to hold teachers to account for the success of their pupils and to trigger additional support, including professional development, for staff where appropriate.  The school has been very successful in engaging with parents and carers, some of whom were

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The leadership and management are outstanding

initially reluctant to send their children to a new and unproven school. The many parents and carers met during the inspection were unstinting with their praise, saying the school is both caring and wholly supportive. Many report that their children love everything about school and say they are very confident in their safety while in the school’s care.  The mixture of subjects and activities offered by the school is carefully planned to engage pupils’ interest and broaden their horizons. For example, all Year 1 pupils went on a trip to the Sussex coast that provided a stimulating start to their work on the seaside. This was used imaginatively to promote learning, for example by encouraging pupils to write descriptively about their experience. Other special events regularly enliven pupils’ work. ‘One World Week’ saw parents and carers from Polish, Japanese, Spanish and other backgrounds telling pupils about their

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The leadership and management are outstanding

homelands and sharing some of their culture. Plans for the new National Curriculum are well advanced and provide a fully practical pathway for this to be implemented.  The school had not received its primary sports funding at the time of the inspection. However, it does provide numerous sport and exercise opportunities to help keep pupils fit and healthy.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is most carefully planned and features throughout school life. These elements are woven through the subjects studied and assemblies. Teachers take every opportunity to emphasise spiritual values, encouraging all children to reflect and pray. Excellent behaviour and attitudes are a testament to pupils’ exceptionally strong social and moral development. Links with a local primary school brought a visit from a number of Year 5 pupils and introduced these very young children to older primary

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The leadership and management are outstanding

age pupils from a different range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Pupils begin to develop a grasp of the wider world through charity fund raising to support natural and other disasters worldwide.  The governance of the school:  Many governors bring educational and managerial skills to their role. This has been invaluable in the establishment of this new school. Members regularly check up on the school and work in close partnership with the headteacher, who provides them with valuable information. Their knowledge is used judiciously to both support and challenge leaders and managers. Governors understand the characteristics of teaching in the school and are aware of the links between the quality of teaching and individual teachers' pay progression. They have received effective training in understanding assessment data so know how pupils’ attainment and progress at the school compares with what is seen nationally. Pupils’ safety is a priority for governors and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

their work helps to ensure that the school fully meets all of its safeguarding requirements.

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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 137569 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 430666

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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 3–6 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 151 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mena Rego Headteacher Evelyn Ward Date of previous school inspection None Telephone number 020 8992 3980 Fax number None Email address admin@holyfamily.ealing.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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