Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Old Lane, Rainford, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 8JF

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils and parents agree that the school is welcoming and caring.  Pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is consistently above average by the end of Year 6.  All groups of pupils achieve well because teaching is good and, at times, outstanding.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and are well prepared for Year 1.  Excellent breakfast and after-school clubs are provided.  The subjects that pupils study promote their spiritual, moral, social, cultural and physical development well.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Most pupils are engrossed in learning, behave well and work hard in lessons.  Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school, which is reflected in their above-average attendance.  The leadership of the headteacher is outstanding and her clear vision is shared by governors and senior leaders. Consequently, pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

are improving well in spite of the high levels of staff changes.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding.  Not all teachers set work which challenges pupils and, particularly the most able, to achieve as well as they could.  Marking is not always used well enough to help pupils to improve their work nor is enough opportunity provided for them to act upon the advice given.  Some senior leaders and governors do not have enough knowledge of the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in all classes and subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons or parts of lessons, two of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, staff, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and groups of pupils.  Inspectors examined the school’s own documentation relating to pupils’ progress, school self- evaluation and policies relating to safeguarding. They carried out a scrutiny of pupils’ work in their science, writing and mathematics books.  The inspectors listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 6 read and spoke informally to pupils during playtimes and lunchtimes.  They took account of the 37 parent responses received at the time of the inspection from the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and parent responses to the school’s own parental survey.  Inspectors took account of the 19 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Clare Henderson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Melvyn Hemmings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has undergone a high level of staff changes since the previous inspection.  The school offers breakfast and after-school clubs every day.  Wrap-around-care for three- year-old children is provided daily in the Early Years Foundation

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching so an even greater proportion is outstanding in order to raise pupils’ achievement further by ensuring that:  work set in lessons is consistently hard enough for pupils, particularly the most able, to enable them to always achieve their best  teachers’ marking consistently shows pupils how to improve and that pupils are given enough time to act upon the advice given.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of leadership to outstanding by ensuring senior leaders and governors have a more detailed knowledge of the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in all classes and subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with skills and knowledge typical for their age. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes because they have plenty of opportunities to investigate and develop their confidence in good quality indoor and outdoor classrooms. Strong links with the adults in Year 1 ensure children are well prepared for the next stage of education.  Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and their attainment is above average overall in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2.  Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 3 to 6 and by Year 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well-above average overall and have been for a number of years.  While pupils make good progress, the most able pupils are not always challenged to do their very best. This is because some teachers do not always set work that really stretches their thinking. Lessons observations, pupils’ work in books and the school’s records confirm this is the

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The achievement of pupils is good

case. This is why achievement is good and not outstanding.  However, when teaching is outstanding, as observed during the inspection in Years 1, 4 and 5, all pupils, including the most able, make outstanding progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The use of probing and challenging questions and constant reminders to pupils of what they are learning ensures pupils understand fully, are suitable challenged and, as a result, make outstanding progress in their learning. However, this high level of challenge is not consistently provided in all year groups.  Pupils enjoy reading and achievement is good and in some year groups it is outstanding. Teaching of reading is strong. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make good use of their letters and sounds to tackle new words. Daily reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation lessons in all classes and visits to the local library are helping all pupils to read with accuracy, expression and

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The achievement of pupils is good

enthusiasm.  Disabled pupils and those pupils who need extra help are fully included in all learning activities. This reflects the school’s commitment to equal opportunities. As a result, they make good progress and achieve well.  The number of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is very low and, in some age groups, for example, Year 6 in 2013, there were no pupils. However, there is nothing to suggest that there are any gaps between the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and that of other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are eager to say how much they enjoy lessons and that teachers prepare ‘fun and interesting lessons’.  Work in pupils’ books and the school’s records of the checks made on teaching indicate that teaching is typically good and improving.  Where learning is strongest, staff frequently check pupils’ understanding during the lesson. Teachers’ skilled questioning based on excellent subject knowledge, gets pupils thinking hard and gives them time to reflect and explain their answers. This was observed in a Year 1 writing lesson when the most able pupils were observed writing an exciting and interesting conclusion to a story using good punctuation and imaginative writing. They persevered well and made rapid progress by the end of the lesson.  In an outstanding Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils were provided with an excellent opportunity to test out their ideas linked to a real-life situation when they had to work out the variety of

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The quality of teaching is good

number sequences needed to get astronauts out of a rocket before an asteroid hit it. This task was confidently tackled by pupils both with partners and on their own. They were absorbed and engrossed in their learning which was set at the right level for them to achieve the very best they could.  In the few lessons where learning is less successful, there is too little difference in the activities given to different groups of pupils. In particular, in some lessons the work set was not hard enough to challenge the most able pupils to achieve their best in English and mathematics and furthermore, a small number of pupils interrupt the learning of others by chatting when they are supposed to be working.  In most instances, teachers make good use of what pupils already know to identify what they need to do next to improve. However, occasionally, teachers do not help pupils speed up in their learning because they do not always mark pupils’ work in a way that tells pupils clearly enough

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The quality of teaching is good

what they need to do next or give them enough time to carry out the improvements suggested  Teaching assistants are well informed and work in close partnership with teachers. They provide sensitive and helpful advice and support for pupils who need extra help or are at risk of not doing as well as they could.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Behaviour observed in lessons was good and sometimes outstanding, which has a positive effect on pupils’ good achievement.  Inspectors’ observations and school records show that behaviour is typically good in classes, around the school and over time. Pupils say that poor behaviour never stops them learning in lessons.  Pupils are friendly, considerate and confident. They are proud of their school, work hard and enjoy learning. They behave well in the dining hall, on the playground and around school. They are courteous to each other, to staff and to visitors. They display good attitudes to learning and any minor lapses in behaviour in class are dealt with straight away.  The school is a welcoming and friendly place. Pupils told inspectors that children all get on well together. School leaders have successfully created an atmosphere in which all groups of pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

are included in the life of the school and feel valued. Those pupils the inspectors spoke to describe the school as a ‘family community’.  Pupils value the wide range of responsibilities they have, as play leaders, members of the school council or being a representative on Rainford Parish Council, for example. They are eager to say how much they enjoy gathering the views of pupils in their classes and improving the school and especially buying new equipment to use at playtimes.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are safe and secure and settle quickly because of the good care and opportunities for ‘wrap around care’ provided.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents spoken with and those who returned the school’s questionnaire agree with these views and believe their children are safe, happy and cared for well.  Pupils say they feel safe at school. They know how to keep themselves safe, and have a good

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

understanding of e-safety. Parents are confident that their children will be kept safe.  Pupils know about different types of bullying, such as cyber-bullying. They say bullying is rare, but their teachers deal with it quickly and effectively.  Attendance is above average and pupils arrive promptly. The school’s breakfast and after-school clubs are extremely well run, and provide excellent care, so pupils enjoy a calm and purposeful start and end to their school day.

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The leadership and management are good

 The highly committed headteacher, together with the governing body, has created a strong team who share the same values, support each other very well and are committed to raising standards. Teachers work well as a team of middle leaders and share good practice. As a result, a culture of good teaching and behaviour flourishes in the school.  This positive attitude is supported well by valuable training for all staff. The good opportunities for them to work and learn from the recently appointed experienced senior leaders, helps ensure good and improving achievement for all groups of pupils.  There are thorough plans in place for checking the school's work, which include making sure that targets set for teachers are met, that they link to teachers’ pay and help pupils to achieve the best they can.  Leadership is good and not outstanding overall because some senior leaders and governors do not have a detailed enough knowledge of the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in all

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The leadership and management are good

classes and subjects.  Senior leaders make good use of the support of the local authority to check the quality of their work. The school’s track record for well-above average standards by the time pupils leave in Year 6 shows good capacity for further improvement.  The area of care for those groups at risk of not doing as they could is well managed. This ensures all groups of pupils have the same chances of success. In this way, everyone is respected and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.  The subjects that pupils study promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well because good opportunities to practice their painting and design skills or to learn to play a musical instrument are built into lessons.  Arrangements for safeguarding meet all requirements. Records are maintained carefully and child protection and first-aid training are up to date.  The Primary School Sport funding has increased pupils’ participation in physical education and

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The leadership and management are good

sport and is contributing well to developing better physical wellbeing for pupils.  The governance of the school:  Governors know the school well because they are regular visitors to school. They check the information available on pupils’ progress and attainment through raising questions at governors meetings. However, they do not have enough knowledge of the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement in all classes and subjects. They keep a careful watch on the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding. They also check the spending of the Primary School Sport funding and the impact of both these funds on pupils’ learning. They are involved in setting targets for teachers and make sure that clear steps needed to show improvement are in place. They make sure they meet all legal requirements about keeping children safe. They also keep a close eye on the school budget.

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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 104814 Local authority St. Helens Inspection number 431391

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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 189 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Ashton Headteacher Joyce Cottrell Date of previous school inspection 26 March 2009 Telephone number 01744 678102 Fax number 01744 678103 Email address corpuschristi@sthelens.org.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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