Holy Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School, Nelson

Holy Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School Holland Place, Off Reedyford Road, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 8HD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 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 a good school.  ‘We try to do our best and the teachers push us to do even better’ is one of many comments showing pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and enjoyment of school. Consequently, attendance is above average.  In the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), parents said their children are very happy, well cared for and kept very safe.  Achievement is good. Pupils, including those eligible for support through the pupil premium, make good progress and reach above average standards in reading and writing.  Good teaching, with an increasing proportion that is outstanding, captures pupils’ interests so they are keen learners and their progress is accelerating.  ‘Caring and sharing’, the motto at the heart of this inclusive school, is the foundation for pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and outstanding behaviour.  The inspirational headteacher, skilled senior leaders, governors and staff are fully

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

committed to an unwavering view of how good the school can be.  Leaders rigorously check the quality of teaching, implement high quality professional development and analyse pupils’ progress thoroughly.  School data and inspection evidence show that pupils’ progress is accelerating and the proportion of outstanding teaching is increasing in this improving school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching and achievement are not outstanding, and not enough pupils make better than the expected progress, particularly in mathematics.  Standards attained by those supported by the pupil premium still lag behind other pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons and some small group activities and looked at the work in pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with school leaders, pupils and staff, four members of the governing body and two representatives from the local authority.  The team looked at national data and how the school gathers an accurate picture of pupils’ performance, in particular data concerning pupils’ current achievement.  They reviewed records of how leaders check the quality of teaching and learning and scrutinised the arrangements for pupils’ safeguarding.  Inspectors listened to pupils read from Years 1, 2 and 6 and observed pupils during break and lunchtimes.  They took account of the 41 responses online to Parent View and the responses in the 23 questionnaires completed by staff for the inspection.

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Inspection team

Kathleen McArthur, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Fiona McNally Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. About 25% are of other heritages, mainly Pakistani with an increasing number from Eastern Europe. About 18% speak English as their second language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional government funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, children of service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority) is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  In recent years, the school has experienced a period of staff changes and disruption at senior

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Information about this school

leadership level. The current headteacher has been in post since September 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to raise pupils’ attainment and to continue to accelerate their progress by:  ensuring teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and provide activities that inspire them to aim even higher and progress more rapidly  ensuring pupils have secure knowledge and quick recall of basic number facts  providing pupils with varied opportunities to use and embed their mathematical skills and understanding in different ways, such as solving problems and using them in different subjects across the curriculum  continuing to boost the attainment of those pupils supported by the pupil premium through even more tightly focused additional support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school with skills and knowledge that are often well below those typical for their age. High-quality care and skilled teaching makes them feel safe and ready to explore the exciting activities indoors and outside. Progress is rigorously checked and shared with parents. Children make rapid progress, as seen when they wrote orders in the Chinese restaurant activity. At the end of Reception Year, most are ready for Year 1 but their attainment is below the expected levels.  By the end of Year 2, standards are in line with expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. A growing number of new pupils arrive during Key Stage 1 with little or no English, resulting in variations in levels of skills between and within year groups. Skilled language support is quickly provided for these pupils so they rapidly catch up with their classmates.  At the end of Year 6 in 2013, standards were above the national average in reading, writing and

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The achievement of pupils is good

English, grammar, punctuation and spelling, and were average in mathematics. Pupils’ reading and writing skills are often stronger than their mathematical skills. Pupils do not always recall number facts quickly, such as times tables, and sometimes struggle to use their knowledge in different situations, such as solving word problems. Actions to remedy these issues, including guidance from an external consultant, have been identified. However, teachers have not had enough time to take on board fully the advice to enable changes to have a full impact on pupils’ progress.  Additional challenges and tasks are provided for the most able pupils and, in 2013, two reached level 6 in mathematics.  Data for recent years show pupils make the progress expected of them but not enough do better than this. Leaders’ actions, including staff training, have raised the quality of teaching, which is rapidly increasing the rate of pupils’ progress. School data, inspection findings and pupils’ books

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The achievement of pupils is good

show clearly that progress is now good throughout the school. The number of pupils making better than expected progress is rapidly increasing, and a significant proportion of those currently in Year 6 are securely on course to make even faster progress.  Disabled pupils or those with special educational needs make progress at a rate equal to their classmates because they receive very well-organised support, closely matched to their individual needs.  Those pupils supported by the pupil premium receive extra help, such as working in small literacy and numeracy groups each day or sessions in the nurture group to boost their confidence. The pupils known to be eligible for free school meals often make more rapid progress than their classmates, but their attainment is approximately four or five terms behind in English and in mathematics. School data shows this gap is narrowing rapidly.  Reading is taught well, and pupils enjoy extra activities, such as the ‘Bug Club’. Daily lessons on

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The achievement of pupils is good

letters and the sounds they make (phonics) for younger pupils mean they soon learn to ‘sound out’ and blend letters into words. The proportion who reached the expected standard in the 2013 phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils was above the national figure. Older pupils talk confidently about plot and characters, and one said reading ‘takes you into a different world’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The comment, ‘teachers always try to get the best out of us’ sums up pupils’ views of their teachers. High quality, focused staff training has developed uniform systems for planning, marking and assessment and the teaching of reading and writing. This has successfully raised the overall quality of teaching, and inspection evidence and leaders’ monitoring show that the proportion judged to be outstanding is increasing.  Carefully phrased questions encourage pupils to really think and explain their answers. This was observed during a lively mathematics lesson, when a Year 3 pupil showed deep understanding by explaining inverse operations very clearly.  Imaginative tasks make pupils very keen to learn. For example, using music, singing and dancing made learning times tables fun, after which one pupil exclaimed, ‘I love times tables!’ This variety of approaches is not yet evident in all lessons and opportunities to solve problems

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The quality of teaching is good

and apply number skills in other subjects are not fully established. The most able pupils are taught well with additional challenges given to them. However, the expectations of staff as to how well other pupils can achieve are not always high enough.  The effective deployment of skilled teaching assistants makes a strong contribution to pupils’ good or better progress. They provide valuable support for pupils who may find learning difficult, those learning to speak English and those pupils whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable, so they progress as well as their classmates.  Staff are rigorously held to account for the progress made by their pupils. The tracking system for pupils’ progress provides staff with very detailed information so they can plan work for their pupils’ different learning needs.  Pupils are keen to achieve their targets, and refer to them while they work. Marking is thorough,

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The quality of teaching is good

and pupils receive feedback that praises their efforts and tells them what needs to improve. From Year 1 onwards, pupils have daily ‘Fix-it’ time to check their work and respond to teachers’ marking.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils say, ‘We always care and share’, and really implement these values, so the school environment is calm, happy and friendly. Very strong, supportive relationships between pupils and staff ensure lessons proceed smoothly. Pupils work happily together and their very positive approach to all their tasks make a strong contribution to their good progress.  Excellent behaviour was seen everywhere in the school, for example, when pupils line up outside after break. Staff apply the rules on behaviour consistently, pupils understand the need for these, and feel the school rules are fair. They present their work with care and work hard to ensure they do not miss any ‘Golden Time’ because they appreciate the wide variety of activities on offer.  In the online Parent View questionnaire, a very small minority of parents said bullying was not dealt with well. Pupils, however, told inspectors that bullying is not an issue, and the school’s

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

records support this. They understand how bullying can happen in different ways, such as cyber- bullying, and say anti-bullying week taught them how to handle any situations that might arise.  Pupils willingly take on responsibilities, representing their classmates as school councillors or as Buddies to help in the playground.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Every parent who responded to the questionnaire agreed their children are kept very safe. Pupils say they feel very safe because staff are ‘always there’, and will always listen to any worries and quickly sort them out.  Attendance is above average and pupils arrive promptly, ready to learn.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Staff morale is high. In a relatively short space of time, the new leadership team has successfully united the staff with an ambitious vision for school improvement so all pupils have the same opportunities for high-quality learning in a safe and stimulating environment.  The school’s thorough evaluation of its own performance gives a clear picture of exactly what needs to be done. Leaders’ actions and initiatives are already proving very effective, as seen in the rapid acceleration in pupils’ progress.  Staff are held fully accountable for their pupils’ progress. Rigorous management of teachers’ performance is supported with well-targeted staff development, including visits to other schools and training on the use of data and the outcomes are carefully related to financial rewards. As a result, the quality of teaching is good with much that is outstanding.  Senior staff and subject leaders are very good role models of good practice and high-quality

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The leadership and management are outstanding

teaching. The professional and management skills of middle leaders are developed very effectively and are focused on improving the achievement of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  Excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is shown in pupils’ considerate attitudes, excellent behaviour and enthusiasm for learning and for all the school has to offer. They particularly enjoy visits out of school, for example, to the Jewish Museum, and the choir are looking forward to performing with other schools in Manchester.  The rich curriculum is carefully adapted to meet the needs of pupils, whatever their individual needs and abilities. Their basic skills and caring attitudes equip them well for future learning and to mature into responsible members of society.  Well-planned, stimulating experiences link subjects and make learning even more relevant. History, literacy and geography skills were used when Year 4 pupils thought hard to question a

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The leadership and management are outstanding

visitor who witnessed a Viking raid. Pupils develop literacy skills in other subjects, but have fewer opportunities to use their numeracy skills.  Arrangements for pupils’ safeguarding meet all statutory requirements. Records are carefully maintained, staff training is up-to-date and regular pupil well-being meetings ensure all staff are fully informed about any issues pupils may be experiencing.  The local authority has provided good quality support for this good school, with valuable guidance for leaders and staff development.  The governance of the school:  Governors have ensured they are highly trained to deepen their understanding and knowledge of all aspects of the school’s work and of their responsibilities, for example, in staff appointments. Governors provide a wide range of useful skills, challenge and question rigorously and offer well-informed support. They are well equipped to contribute effectively to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

procedures to evaluate the school’s performance and are not afraid to make difficult decisions.  Governors question leaders about pupils’ attainment and progress, using data and information from different sources, including school and national data. This enables them to compare the school’s performance with others both locally and nationally. They know that the attainment of those supported by pupil premium funding lags behind their classmates and ensure that funding is being used effectively to fully close the rapidly narrowing gap.  Governors ensure the initiatives provided by the new primary school sports funding include staff training and will have long-term benefits to pupils’ health. They ensure pupils have access to a wide range of sports activities and participation is increasing as a result.  The finance committee carefully directs funds to support improvement. Governors ensure professional development is used to improve the quality of teaching, develop all levels of

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The leadership and management are outstanding

leadership and that outcomes of staff performance reviews are related to any pay rewards for good teaching.

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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 119654 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 432121

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 199 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr B Swarbrick Headteacher Mrs A Nield Date of previous school inspection 9 January 2013 Telephone number 01282 612319 Fax number 01282 612319 Email address head@holysaviour.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

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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