St Mary's RC Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School Canterbury Road, Kilburn, London NW6 5ST

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  The quality of education provided by the school has declined significantly since the last inspection. Leaders and governors have not been effective in making the necessary improvements since the previous inspection to ensure that teaching is good and that pupils achieve well.  Leaders do not check well enough that individuals and groups of pupils make good progress, or hold staff fully to account for pupils’ achievement.  Not all pupils behave well. Some pupils lose concentration when teaching fails to interest them. Leaders do not ensure that all pupils develop good attitudes to their learning.  Support for pupils with a statement of special educational needs is not good enough. Too few make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils’ written work is not always assessed accurately and the information it provides is often not used to set work at the right level.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Marking does not consistently guide pupils in knowing how to improve their learning. Pupils do not always respond to comments in marked work and this limits their progress.  Additional adults are not used well in lessons to support pupils to make good progress. They often do not have the necessary skills to support pupils’ learning or behaviour.  Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because they do not make enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have not made quick enough progress in their writing over time.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds feel safe, enjoy school and attend regularly.  The school is a welcoming and happy community. This supports harmonious relationships between pupils and teachers.  Year 6 pupils made rapid progress across Key Stage 2 in 2011 and 2012 and reached above- average standards in national tests.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

 The school had half-a-days’ notice of the inspection and the inspection took place over two days.  Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. Six observations were conducted with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with pupils, leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors held informal discussions with parents. They also reviewed 19 responses to the Parent View online survey, responses to the school’s internal parent survey, as well as 35 questionnaire responses from staff.  They looked at pupils’ work in lessons and also separately with leaders. Inspectors heard pupils reading and observed them in class and around the school, including at break times.  A wide range of school documentation was considered. This included: information provided by the school on pupils' attainment and progress across the school; the performance management

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Information about this inspection

of staff; evidence of checks on teaching; external evaluations of the school; the school’s website; action plans; the governing body minutes; the school’s self-evaluation; and behaviour records and safeguarding information.  Year 6 pupils were involved in a drama activity for the second day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Najoud Ensaff, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Velia Hartland Additional Inspector Christopher Crouch Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. The school should not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Information about this school

 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is much larger than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils at the school has risen since its previous inspection by almost 100.  Pupils come from a diverse range of cultural heritages. Pupils from Black African, White Other, Black Caribbean and White British backgrounds account for the large majority of pupils at the school.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is double the national average. A small proportion of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is just above the national average. The proportion of these pupils supported through school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is much higher than found nationally.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium, which is additional funding for

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Information about this school

pupils eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority or those with a parent in the armed services, is much higher than average. There are no pupils with a parent in the armed services at the school.  The number of pupils who enter and leave the school other than at usual times is above average.  The school’s work on meditation to support pupils’ personal and emotional development is used as a model of good practice by the local authority.  The school has an inclusion team who support pupils with low self-confidence and those who require additional help to achieve good behaviour. This is called ‘the Ark’.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to at least good so that standards, especially in writing and mathematics across the school rise by ensuring that:  teachers assess work accurately, especially in writing, and use this information to set work at the right level for pupils of different abilities, so that tasks build on what they know already  teachers always provide pupils with clear guidance in their marking so that pupils know how they can improve their learning  pupils are provided with regular opportunities to respond to comments in marked work  additional adults have the necessary skills to support pupils effectively in their learning and to help manage their behaviour in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve rapidly the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels by ensuring that:  leaders hold staff robustly to account to raise expectations for pupils' progress  regular checks on the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement lead to quick action to improve teaching and achievement  information about pupils’ progress is used effectively by leaders to identify gaps in learning for individuals and groups of pupils, and to put the right support in place so that all pupils make good progress  the success of actions to improve pupils' learning is evaluated, including for those with a statement of special educational needs  targets for staff performance are sufficiently challenging and are regularly reviewed so that staff know how to improve  an analysis of incidents of poor behaviour is undertaken to identify trends and patterns so that appropriate actions can be put in place to improve behaviour.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement is not consistently good for all groups of pupils. Most pupils make steady progress in Key Stage 2, but too few make good progress, particularly in their writing. Pupils make slower progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1.  Children enter the school with skills which are below, and often well below, those typically found for their age. Recent improvements mean that they now get off to a better start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are close to reaching the levels expected by the time they enter Year 1.  Improvements have not been made across Key Stage 1 because leaders have not set high enough expectations for pupils to make good progress. Results in national tests, for Year 2 pupils, are below expectations nationally. Recently leaders have begun to take steps to tackle pupils’ slow progress but the delay in their actions has hindered pupils’ progress

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ attainment is broadly average at the end of Key Stage 2 but pupils are not always confident in their reading or writing. Pupils’ progress was uneven in Key Stage 2 last year and this year a small minority of pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 have not made good progress.  The assessment of pupils’ written work is not always accurate and judgements about their level of attainment are sometimes too low. Progress is not consistently good because work does not always build effectively on accurate assessments of what pupils already know and can do.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational is not good enough. Some of these pupils in Year 6 in 2012 and 2013 made better progress than previously. The progress of the few Year 6 pupils with a statement of special educational needs requires improvement.. Leaders are not ensuring that all support for these pupils is helping them do really well.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Less able pupils do not always make good progress because teachers sometimes set work which is too hard for them. The progress made by the most able pupils requires improvement because teachers underestimate their abilities. Teachers do not set work that really makes these pupils think and improve.  Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding make similar progress to their peers. There are gaps of up to a term between their attainment and that of other pupils in English and mathematics across different year groups within the school. However, by the end of Year 6 in 2012 and 2013, their attainment was above that of their peers by up to two terms in English and mathematics.  There is little difference between the progress of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and their peers. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to that of their peers.  Pupils who receive additional support, from what the school call the ‘Ark’ develop their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

confidence for learning. This helps them behave well in lessons.  Phonics (links letters to the sounds they make) is taught well. Pupils achieved well in the screening check for pupils in Year 1 in 2012 and 2013.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement. Teachers do not always use information about pupils’ progress well enough to set work at the right level for all groups of pupils, especially in writing. Sometimes, the work set is too easy for some or too hard for others and does not build on what they know already.  Writing skills are not taught well because teachers’ expectations are not high enough. For example, the most-able pupils are given simple tasks which are far too easy for them. In Key Stage 1, pupils are given very little opportunity to write at length. The assessment of pupils’ written work is not always accurate and judgements about their level of attainment are sometimes too low. This limits the progress pupils make.  The teaching of mathematics is variable in quality. Although pupils enjoy their mathematical activities, such as learning how to read a clock face, there is little evidence of pupils applying

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

numeracy skills for problem solving in different subjects.  When teachers’ explanations are unclear, pupils do not understand what they are learning and struggle to make good progress. Questioning is not always used well by adults to gauge how well pupils understand an idea or topic, such as percentages or similes. Teachers are then unable to set work at the correct level.  Pupils’ learning is not consistently well supported by additional adults. Not all classroom assistants have the skills to help pupils move on in their learning, for example, in carrying out mental calculations in mathematics or in sounding out words. Additional adults are not always able to support pupils in managing their behaviour effectively.  Some teachers mark books with comments that provide pupils with guidance about how to improve. However, pupils have too few opportunities to respond to these comments. Not all are clear about how to move forward in their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Children within the Early Years Foundation Stage develop a good range of skills both indoors and outdoors. For example, they learn to make and write words, and to develop their musical and physical skills effectively. Opportunities to develop number skills are less secure.  Pupils make good progress when teachers have an accurate understanding of pupils’ levels of ability and set work at the right level. For example, pupils in Year 5 applied good research, computer and scientific skills to create PowerPoint presentations about gases. The large majority of pupils enjoy their learning in and outside the classroom and develop good social skills.  An effective programme for the teaching of phonics in school and at home enables most pupils to learn how to sound out words. Pupils can decode words, recount events and talk about characters in their books. Several older pupils say they enjoy reading and they name their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

favourite authors.  Pupils’ writing and art work is celebrated in corridors and displays, and pupils are provided with useful guidance to improve their learning through ‘working walls’. Most pupils present their work neatly, taking care over their handwriting.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 A small number of pupils lose concentration in lessons when tasks are not set at the right level for them or work does not fully engage them. This is not well managed by additional adults and teachers.  Pupils say that a few of their peers are occasionally 'a little rough' in the playground. Pupils report that this behaviour is not always handled effectively by staff. Staff and parents are generally positive about the pupils’ behaviour.  A few parents who spoke to inspectors raised concerns about the way that the school deals with bullying. However, inspectors found that the school deals with incidents well and uphold the school policy.  The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement. Pupils’ behaviour is discussed in meetings but leaders do not undertake a formal analysis of all incidents to identify trends and patterns, or evaluate the impact of actions taken.  Pupils feel safe and have a good understanding of how to keep safe, for example, when

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

travelling to school and when using the internet. Most parents and staff agree that pupils feel safe and are well looked after. Pupils are friendly, well turned out and polite.  The ‘Ark’ additional resource provision works effectively to help some pupils overcome emotional difficulties which cause barriers to their learning. This work helps a number of pupils attend school more regularly.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying such as physical, verbal, cyber and racist bullying.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate.. Leaders have been far too slow to improve pupils’ achievement in Key Stage 1, which was identified as an issue at the previous inspection. Expectations for rates of progress across Years 1 and 2 are still not high enough to raise attainment by the end of Year 2.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement are not rigorous. The quality of teaching has deteriorated and now requires improvement because leaders are not effective in making necessary improvements. Leaders’ are generous and not consistently accurate in their judgements of the school's work and overall performance. The school has correctly identified some areas for improvement but planned actions to bring about these changes are not specific enough. Too much attention is given by leaders to ensuring plans are completed rather than measuring the impact the school’s work is having on pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Leaders do not check pupils’ attainment and progress information closely enough. They do not identify gaps in learning for individuals and groups of pupils across different year groups sufficiently quickly. As a result, the underachievement and slow progress of some pupils has not been robustly tackled.  Senior leaders do not hold staff to account for pupils’ achievement. Targets set for staff to meet are not challenging enough and are not regularly reviewed. All teachers were said to have met their targets last year, despite some pupils not doing as well as they should have done. Many teachers are on the upper pay scale and this does not represent good value for money.  The local authority has not provided good enough guidance or support to help the school to improve.  Middle leaders do not undertake thorough checks on their areas of responsibility and their understanding of pupil progress information is poor. Training is not having sufficient impact on

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The leadership and management are inadequate

their ability to fulfil their roles effectively.  The leadership of special educational needs is weak. Pupils with a statement of special educational needs have made too little progress, particularly in Key Stage 2. The additional support for learning and behaviour that the school provides is not evaluated. The leadership of literacy has weaknesses particularly regarding the accuracy of assessments of pupils’ written work.  There is not good equality of opportunity because of the difference in achievement between groups of pupils across the school. . However, the school’s mission to ‘value all’ does ensure that any discrimination is not tolerated.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through moments for reflection, enrichment activities, assemblies and educational visits.  Pupils have good opportunities to take part in sport. Additional sports funding is being used to

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The leadership and management are inadequate

provide more coaches and training for teachers in gymnastics and to widen the range of sports on offer. This is improving pupils’ physical skills and encouraging more participation in sport.  Statutory safeguarding procedures meet requirements.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The governance of the school: The governing body has not been effective in holding school leaders to account since the last inspection. They have not prevented the decline in pupil achievement and teaching. As a result governors judgement about the school’s overall effectiveness is generous. Governors do not have a clear understanding about how pupil premium funding is spent but rightly judge that it is having a positive impact on eligible pupils' progress. Governors’ knowledge about how the new sports funding is being used and its impact is less clear. The governing body oversees the performance management of staff. Governors are not diligent enough in ensuring that targets are sufficiently challenging or that there is always a clear link between pay progression and teachers’ performance.

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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 131418 Local authority Brent Inspection number 431273

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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 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Daniel Wade Headteacher Alphonsus Reilly Date of previous school inspection 30 June – 1 July 2009 Telephone number 020 7624 1830 Fax number 020 7372 4932 Email address admin@marycps.brent.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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