St Peter's Catholic Primary School

School report St Peter’s Catholic Primary School Horton Road, Gloucester, GL1 3PY

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Standards in reading and mathematics are above the national averages in all year groups and broadly in line with national averages in writing.  Pupils make good progress in their learning and the proportions making more than expected progress in reading and mathematics is much higher than the national average.  Teachers know their pupils well. Learning in reading and mathematics is planned carefully so that pupils make good progress.  The headteacher monitors the quality of teaching and learning effectively and knows what needs to be done next to improve further.  Governors are kept very well informed and are knowledgeable about the school. They use this information to hold the headteacher to account for the progress that the pupils make.  Parents speak highly of the school. They feel that communication is good and that they are welcome in the school. They enjoy being able to enter the school with their children at the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

beginning of each day.  Pupils’ outstanding behaviour has a positive impact on their progress. Pupils say they feel very safe in school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 A small minority of pupils are not making the same accelerated progress in writing as they are in reading and mathematics. This is because teaching is not always effective in moving their learning on to the next stage quickly enough.  Information about pupils’ learning in writing is not always used effectively to plan work that will help pupils improve more quickly in writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 15 teaching sessions, three of which were joint observations with the headteacher. Inspectors also observed three assemblies, listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 6 read and observed pupils during break time, dinner time and around the school.  Inspectors considered a range of documentation, including the school’s improvement plan, the school’s own assessment data, records of observations of teaching, minutes of governor meetings and the school’s safeguarding documentation. A wide range of pupils’ books were seen in lessons, and inspectors also looked at a collection of examples of pupils’ work in subjects other than English and mathematics.  The inspectors held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, the local authority consultant, senior members of staff and two groups of pupils.  The inspectors also took account of 30 responses to the online Parent View Survey, 32 staff

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Information about this inspection

questionnaires and met with some parents informally at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Graeme Burgess, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Carol Warrant Additional Inspector Alwyne Jolly Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Peter’s Catholic Primary School is larger than most primary schools.  The school was rebuilt two years ago on the existing site and is very light and attractive, with ample open spaces to support learning.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is similar to other schools. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is much lower than most other schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families) is lower than the average.  The proportion of pupils whose first language is not believed to be English is much higher than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the quality of teaching so that more pupils make expected, and better than expected, progress in writing by ensuring that:  information about pupils’ learning is used to plan work that is neither too hard nor too easy in order to speed up the rate at which pupils’ work improves .

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in all year groups make good progress from their below-expected starting points. Some pupils make exceptional progress in reading and mathematics. Standards across the whole school are typically above average in reading and mathematics and broadly in line in writing.  Pupils enter Reception classes with knowledge and skills below those expected for their age, and some are well below. By the time they leave Reception, they have made good progress in all areas of learning and children whose first language is believed not to be English have made strong progress in communication and language. Phonics (the sounds letters make) are taught well and, even though the children’s starting points are typically lower than the national average on entry to the school, pupils are reaching levels which are the same as those nationally in the phonics screening check in Year 1.  Standards of attainment and progress in reading are particularly high in all year groups. Reading

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The achievement of pupils is good

is a real strength of the school and pupils can talk knowledgeably about different types of books and their authors.  Pupils achieve well because of consistently good teaching. In particular, teachers are making increasingly effective use of the school’s data tracking system to provide work which is at the right level for the pupils in reading and mathematics. However, achievement is not yet outstanding because pupils are not yet making the same accelerated progress in writing because information about their progress in this area is not being used precisely enough to set work which is at the right level of challenge.  The curriculum has developed well since the last inspection and it is now providing high levels of interest and motivation. Pupils say that they very much enjoy the dressing-up days at the start of their topic work and the school trips that are linked to their learning.  The more-able pupils are making progress which is better than the national average in reading,

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The achievement of pupils is good

writing and mathematics. This is because work is matched closely to their needs and they are fully engaged in their lessons.  The majority of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making progress which is at least in line with the progress of pupils nationally, and the proportions making more than expected progress are high in comparison with pupils who do not have special educational needs. Pupils with complex needs are being supported well individually and are making good progress which is relevant to their starting points and their needs.  The majority of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium funding are making progress which is better than their peers nationally in reading and mathematics and which is line with their peers for writing. The school uses its funding well by providing additional support in lessons and making contributions to school trips and to the Year 6 residential.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to the Parent View online questionnaire are extremely positive about the progress that their children are making at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The majority of teaching in the school over time is at least good and this is contributing to the good, and sometimes exceptional, progress that the pupils are making and to standards which are higher than the national averages in all year groups in reading and mathematics. Teachers have very high expectations of behaviour, plan well and engage the pupils in their learning through interesting lessons.  There is a positive climate for learning throughout the school as a result of the school’s extremely caring ethos. Most pupils listen carefully to their teachers and respond thoughtfully to their questions. Teachers and teaching assistants effectively support pupils in lessons by checking that they understand the work that they are doing and then questioning them skilfully in order to prompt further understanding.  Organisation in lessons is managed effectively by teachers. Additional staff employed to support

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The quality of teaching is good

those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding work well, both in the classroom and in small groups around the school. The impact of this is that these pupils supported in this way make accelerated progress.  Pupils make excellent progress in reading and their progress is carefully tracked. However this is not the case in writing. As a result, pupils’ are not yet moving at the same accelerated rate and standards remain broadly average in comparison with those nationally.  There is a consistently good approach to marking in all classes. Where marking is at its very best, it tells pupils what they have done well and what they need to do next in order to improve, and challenges the pupils to do better. Time is built into the start of the school day for pupils to respond to teachers’ marking and this is a strong factor in helping the children to improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils in the school is outstanding and this has a positive impact on the progress that they are making and the standards that they are achieving. Pupils show kindness and respect to each other and to all adults, including those who are not their normal class teachers. All staff show the same level of respect to the pupils. The overall impact of this consistent approach is that the spiritual dimension of the school is outstanding.  Pupils respond particularly well in hymn practices and assemblies where they are encouraged at various times to discuss their learning with the person sitting next to them, even when the whole school of 421 children are in the hall. The fully embedded system of bringing their discussions to a close ‘by the count of five’ and turning their attention back to the person leading their learning is adhered to by all children, who are immediately ready to listen once more.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is also outstanding. Pupils say that they occasionally argue with their friends, but bullying is very rare and is dealt with quickly if it happens. There is a ‘worry box’ which they can use and they trust the adults around them to help them overcome their concerns. They know how to keep safe on the internet and they feel very safe in school.  All of the parents who met with the inspectors, together with all of the parents who completed the online questionnaire, agree that their children are safe and well looked after in school. The views of the staff are also overwhelmingly positive.  Attendance is now just above the national average and the school has worked successfully to reduce the number of children who were persistently absent so that it is now well below national figures. This has been achieved through the introduction of the school’s ‘Attendance Teds, Boris

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

and Doris’, where the two classes with the highest attendance each week get to ‘take care’ of the two school bears. This demonstrates the strong commitment of both the school and the parents to improving pupils’ attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a very clear understanding of the school’s areas for development and her evaluation of the school’s performance is extremely robust. She has placed a strong emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning and this has had a notable impact on the pace of improvement.  Senior and middle leaders share the headteacher’s high expectations and check the progress that the pupils are making regularly with the teachers.  Teaching is monitored regularly and is linked closely to targets which are set for individual teachers in their performance management. These targets are specific to raising standards and increasing the proportions of pupils making expected and better than expected progress in English and mathematics. Although this has impacted significantly in the areas of reading and mathematics, there has not yet been the same impact on standards in writing. Arrangements for performance management are fully in place.

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The leadership and management are good

 All teachers are held to account for pupil progress at regular meetings, where the school’s accurate tracking system highlights any underperformance. This, together with the school’s good care and guidance for all pupils, ensures that the school’s provision to secure equal opportunities and to tackle discrimination is good.  Professional development for all staff is organised well by the school. In-house training focuses on areas of improvement identified within the school’s development plan. The local authority has responded well to the headteacher’s requests for support. Training has been given to teachers in order to raise the quality of learning in lessons.  The curriculum is exciting and engaging and the children say that they really enjoy the trips that support their learning in topics such as the Egyptians, the Romans and, especially, the topic that they have covered on Chocolate.  Pupil premium funding is used highly effectively to help pupils at risk of underachieving to

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The leadership and management are good

succeed. In fact, the majority of the pupils identified for this additional support are making progress which is exceeding expectations. This is because the funding has been used well to provide additional support for small-group work and individual tuition.  The school has clear plans in place to use its primary school funding to impact on pupils’ health and well-being. An initial audit of teachers’ views has allowed the school to provide training and support which is tailored to the needs of the pupils. As a result, sports coaches now deliver lessons for the teachers to watch and provide training during staff meetings and staff also have the opportunity to attend training outside the school.The impact has been that a greater number of inter-school competitions and after-school clubs have led to larger numbers of pupils taking part in sport within the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are kept very well informed by the headteacher and they have an accurate

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The leadership and management are good

understanding of the quality of teaching, the progress that the pupils are making and the areas that need to be improved. In addition to the regular governing body meetings, the Chair of the Governing Body meets informally with the headteacher every two weeks and there is a regular ‘Governor Week’ where all governors attend the school with specific focuses on curriculum standards. As a result, the governors have the information that they require to hold the headteacher to account. Governors are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding teachers’ pay and the systems for setting performance management targets and use the financial and human resources strengths within the governing body to support this process. They ensure that the school’s funds are used effectively to help pupils achieve well, including those eligible for the pupil premium, and ensure that procedures for keeping pupils safe meet

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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 134928 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 441096

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 421 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr James Evans Headteacher Mrs Carol Baron Date of previous school inspection 2–3 February 2011 Telephone number 01452 524792 Email address head@st-peters-pri.gloucs.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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