St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School Sands Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, L18 8BD

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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.  Pupils’ behaviour is excellent; they are extremely kind to each other and well mannered.  Pupils’ attendance has improved and is now above average because they are proud of their school, value their teachers and enjoy learning.  Pupils feel safe and are kept safe in school.  Achievement is good because children get off to a successful start in Reception class and then continue to make good progress from their individual starting points.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently above average by the end of Year 2 and 6.  Teaching is good and there are examples of outstanding teaching across the school.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to make sure tasks set meet the learning needs of all pupils.  The curriculum provides a wide range of stimulating and exciting experiences for pupils.  The school makes a valuable contribution toward pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

cultural development.  The headteacher is ambitious for the school. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the staff team. Together they are making sure that the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress continues to improve even further.  Well-informed governors give good levels of support and challenge to school leaders. They have an accurate view of how well the school is performing.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet outstanding.  Teachers do not always check that pupils complete corrections and learn from their mistakes.  The most able pupils do not always get on with their challenging tasks quickly enough to achieve their best.  Some of the targets in the school development plan, and some of those set for teachers, are not always measureable enough to make sure that pupils progress at an even rate as they move through the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 15 parts of lessons, one jointly with the headteacher, sessions taken by teaching assistants, and listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, members of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 57 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), 61 responses to a parental questionnaire distributed recently by the school, and 18 responses to a staff questionnaire. They also received a letter and an email from parents, met a number of parents informally at the school gates, and spoke to a parent governor on the telephone.  A range of documents were considered by inspectors, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, checks on the quality of teaching, minutes of governing body meetings, and records relating to attendance and

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Martin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary is smaller than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well-below average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from services families, and those children that are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are from a White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils with disabilities or special educational needs supported through school action is well-below national levels.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets out the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and pupils’ progress to outstanding by making sure that:  the most able pupils always get on with their challenging tasks quickly so that they make as much progress as possible  teachers always check that, once work has been marked, pupils complete their corrections and follow the good advice given so that they are able to improve their work even more.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and management of the school by making sure that targets set out in the school development plan and those set for teachers are measureable and closely linked to pupils’ progress as they move up through the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start in the Reception class with the skills and knowledge typically expected for their age; however, this does sometimes vary significantly between cohorts. Children make good and sometimes excellent progress and join Year 1 well prepared for learning in Key Stage 1.  Since 2011, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 has varied between above and well- above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents at least good progress for pupils relative to their starting points. At the end of Year 6 in 2013, over half of the pupils reached the higher Level 5 in reading and mathematics and almost half attained this level in writing. The school has more highly skilled mathematicians and writers than in most other schools and these pupils reached the very high Level 6.  The 2013 Year 6 test results showed overall good progress with an increasing number of pupils making more than expected progress across Key Stage 2 in reading and mathematics. This

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The achievement of pupils is good

shows a rising attainment trend in the school, which is also supported by school data and the work seen in current pupils’ books.  Although overall pupils’ progress is good, it is faster in some classes than it is in others. The school recognises this and has introduced a range of strategies that are now proving successful, and inconsistencies between subjects have been successfully eradicated. However, there remains some unevenness between classes.  All pupils are encouraged to read regularly, younger pupils are effectively taught to match letters to the sounds they make. Pupils continue to use their reading skills well as they move up through the school. Older pupils who spoke to the inspectors said that they enjoyed the wide range of books available in school and the frequent opportunities to read on their own and in small groups with the support of their teacher.  The school provides focused support for disabled pupils and those with special educational

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The achievement of pupils is good

needs. These pupils learn well and make good progress.  The school takes care to sign post the most able pupils to out of school activities that will help further develop their skills and knowledge. They are also provided with challenging activities in most lessons. However, they sometimes have to listen to teachers’ explanations when they already understand and could be quickly working things out for themselves and making even better progress.  In Year 6 in 2013, the small number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and supported through pupil premium funding make it impossible to make meaningful analysis about any gaps between their performance and that of their peers. Current school data shows that any gaps between eligible pupils and others are quickly addressed so that all pupils are supported to make good progress. This reflects the school’s commitment to making sure that all pupils are

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The achievement of pupils is good

given the same opportunities to succeed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Inspection evidence, including lesson observations and work in pupils’ books, shows that the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning is usually good and there are examples of outstanding teaching across the school.  The progress that children make while in the Reception class is consistently strong. The wide range of indoor activities and the newly developed outdoor environment supports children’s development well. Adults work together well as a team. They monitor children closely so that they can assess how well each child is doing and step in when necessary to effectively support learning.  Teachers model what they want pupils to learn; consequently, pupils are clear about what they have to do. A good range of resources are provided to support learning, including prompts displayed around the classroom that pupils consistently refer to when they are a bit stuck.  Pupils have ample opportunities to share their ideas and learn from each other. Teachers

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The quality of teaching is good

question pupils carefully to deepen their understanding and assess learning. Pupils are regularly asked to assess their own level of learning so that staff can provide help quickly when pupils are not sure about what to do next.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is good and continues to improve. There is an ongoing commitment toward developing the subject knowledge of teachers and teaching assistants through training, peer support and the sharing of good practice.  Exciting methods are used to encourage pupils to aim high. For example, the Year 5 and 6 enterprise morning involved a range of professionals being invited into school to share their experience and insights with pupils. For their part, pupils researched the professions for their weekend homework and were extraordinarily well prepared with questions for the specialists. Pupils were inspired to want to work even harder in school to prepare themselves to secure the

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The quality of teaching is good

job that they want. On these occasions, pupils’ academic achievement is promoted together with their social, communication and research skills.  Pupils understand how to improve their work because teachers mark pupils’ workbooks regularly and consistently provide good written advice, which pupils are given time to look at. However, teachers do not always check that pupils have completed their corrections and followed the guidance given so that they can learn from their mistakes.  Teachers and skilled teaching assistants work together closely and this guarantees a high level of support for all groups of pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Staff, pupils and the majority of parents say that behaviour is extremely good and evidence gathered during the inspection confirms that the school makes sure pupils are very well behaved.  Pupils are really keen to learn, exceptionally polite, and show respect for adults and each other. Behaviour is superb in and around the school, including in the dining hall, and also when pupils go out on trips.  The school uniform is worn with pride, the school building and outdoor areas are all very well kept and the classrooms are bright and well set out.  There are many opportunities available for pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. Pupils are keen to contribute to the school community, by becoming school and e-safety councillors and reading and playground buddies.  Pupils are also proud of their fundraising efforts. For example, older pupils organised a book fair

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

and used the proceeds to buy new books for school. Moreover, displays around school show the large sums raised for charities such as NSPCC and Barnardo’s, to name but a few.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school because adults care for them well and children look after each other. For example, one pupil said that the only thing that would make the school even better would be the return of the ‘Friendship Bus Stop’ (which had blown down in the recent wind) so that pupils could be sure that everyone had someone to play with.  Pupils can explain different forms of bullying and the difference between bullying and falling out. A small minority of parents reported that they did not feel that bullying was effectively managed at the school. However, inspectors found that school leaders scrupulously follow up incidents of any type. What is more, pupils agree that there is no bullying and are confident that staff would

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

resolve any problems that did occur.  Punctuality is excellent and attendance has improved and is currently above average, which reflects the pupils’ highly positive attitudes to school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The highly ambitious headteacher has a clear view of how successful the school can be. She has the determination and expertise to succeed and is very well supported by the deputy headteacher, staff and governors. Areas for development identified at the previous inspection have been addressed and pupils’ attainment is consistently above national average levels. The effective strategies put into place by the school demonstrate that it can improve even further.  The school’s evaluation of how well it is doing is accurate because it is based on detailed and regular examination of the work that it does. The headteacher has been influential in the development of the school self-evaluation practice promoted by the local authority.  Targets set for teachers are closely linked to the school’s planning documents and both are focused on improving standards. However, targets do not always state how much progress is

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The leadership and management are good

expected each term or year, and this can lead to some unevenness in pupils’ progress as they move up through the school.  Senior and subject leaders regularly and robustly check the quality of teaching and learning. Staff are supported by an effective programme of ongoing training for teachers and teaching assistants.  The curriculum is a strength of the school and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceedingly well. The Reception class curriculum is carefully planned to match children’s interests and learning needs. For all pupils the curriculum is enriched by a wide range of after-school activities, exciting trips and memorable experiences that bring learning to life. For example, when the school became a ‘crime scene’ pupils were supported by the local police to investigate clues and apprehend the culprit, who was actually the ‘Big Bad Wolf’, responsible for causing damage and stealing biscuits.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils are encouraged to take part in sports to help them stay healthy and promote well-being. The primary school sport funding is used to pay for expert coaches to work with pupils and staff. Staff are improving their skills in teaching sports and often link physical education activities with other subjects. Pupil participation in sporting activities has increased and they are extremely proud of their successful involvement in local competitions.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are extremely supportive of the school. They know its strengths and priorities because they visit school regularly and receive accurate and comprehensive reports from school leaders. Governors seek out and regularly attend training. They are able to analyse data about pupils’ progress to help them challenge school leaders effectively. Governors

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The leadership and management are good

monitor the progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding to confirm that their spending is effective. They know about the quality of teaching and make sure that teachers’ progression through the pay scale is linked to the effectiveness of their teaching. The governing body successfully undertakes statutory duties, including making sure that pupils and staff are kept safe and that the budget is spent wisely.

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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 104676 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 439521

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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 209 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Denise Hart Headteacher Paula Jacobs Date of previous school inspection 1 July 2009 Telephone number 0151 724 3233 Fax number 0151 724 6911 Email address padua-ao@st-anthonypadua.liverpool.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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