Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

School report Holy Rood Catholic Junior School Upham Road, Swindon, SN3 1DH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress and the standards they reach are above average.  Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and are helped to catch up through the extra help they receive.  The support that teaching assistants give to pupils helps them to build their confidence and skills.  Teachers check on whether pupils understand new learning so that no time is lost when they get on with their work.  The school is a harmonious community. All pupils and adults get on very well together.  Pupils show high levels of respect for each other and they are proud of their school.  All pupils feel exceptionally safe and parents and staff all agree that the school is a very safe place in which to learn.  The school places high priority on pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, particularly their understanding of faith.  Staff and governors are clear about their aim to create a caring school community where

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This is a good school

pupils are happy. This helps to drive all the decisions that are made.  Leaders and managers, including governors, know what is going well. They have a good understanding of how to help the school to improve further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure that pupils consistently make rapid and sustained progress.  The work that teachers set does not always provide high enough levels of challenge, particularly for the most able.  Teachers do not always tell pupils what they have done well and what they need to do next in order to improve when they mark their work.  Standards in writing are lagging slightly behind those in reading and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 15 lessons and parts of lessons.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, other leaders in school, members of the governing body and with parents and pupils.  The inspectors took account of 83 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as the views of parents from informal discussions in school.  Inspectors considered information about school leaders’ views on how good the school is and their plans for school improvement, as well as information about pupils’ progress. They also looked at teachers’ planning, pupils’ work, documentation about safeguarding procedures and examples of the targets teachers are given as part of the management of their performance.  The inspection team analysed the 30 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Jeanne Simpson, Lead inspector Additional inspector Lesley Voaden Additional inspector John Cavill Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Holy Rood Catholic Junior School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Holy Rood Catholic Junior School became an academy in August 2011. When its predecessor school, also known as Holy Rood Catholic Junior School, was last inspected, it was judged as good.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding (those eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care) is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is higher than average. The largest group is Indian.  The proportion of pupils who have a first language other than English is higher than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is lower than average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than average.  The school has been awarded Sing Up (Silver), Food for Life (Bronze), the International School

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Information about this school

Award, Dyslexia Friendly Award, Anti-Bullying Quality Mark (Bronze) and the Basic Skills Mark.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards set for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of outstanding teaching by:  making sure that pupils know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve further through the comments that teachers write when they mark their books  using the information about pupils’ achievement to set work which provides high levels of challenge, particularly for the most able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing by giving pupils more chances to practise their skills through longer pieces of writing across all the subjects they learn.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress during their time in school and the standards they reach are above average.  Pupils achieve particularly well in mathematics. At the end of Year 6, they are about two terms ahead of pupils nationally and the proportion reaching the higher levels in the national tests is high.  The achievement of the most able pupils is inconsistent. While some of them make good progress, occasionally the work they are given does not provide the levels of challenge that they need in order to make rapid and sustained progress.  Pupils read well. They regularly go to the school library to choose from the extensive range of books available and they say that they are expected to read regularly at home. They get many chances to read aloud in class and in other school events such as assemblies. As a result, they read with confidence and expression.  Standards in writing are lagging slightly behind those in reading and mathematics. This is

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The achievement of pupils is good

because, although pupils understand the skills they need to use when they are writing, they do not always have enough chances to practise these skills through longer pieces of writing across all the subjects they learn.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups, including Indian pupils, achieve well. Those for whom English is an additional language quickly acquire the language skills they need in order to participate fully in learning in lessons. As a result, they achieve as well as their peers.  The progress of pupils who are eligible for additional funding is often better than that of their peers so they are able to catch up rapidly. By the time they leave, they are about one term behind others in school, though they are about two terms ahead of similar pupils nationally. However, the proportion in each year group is relatively small so outcomes can vary widely from year to year.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting

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The achievement of pupils is good

points. The variety of different kinds of support pupils receive is well matched to their needs and parents say that they are fully involved in working in partnership with the school to help their children. Pupils with specific difficulties are exceptionally well supported.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school and, as a result, pupils enjoy learning. They are very keen to answer questions in class and to do well in their work, which contributes to the good progress they make.  Teachers explain clearly what the pupils are expected to learn and they use information and communication technology appropriately to support learning. They use questioning effectively, both to check that pupils understand the new ideas and to make sure that pupils are confident about the work that they have to do. As a result, no time is lost.  Teaching assistants provide good support because they work closely with the teachers to make sure that they understand the support that the pupils need. The questions they ask help the pupils to clarify their thinking and understanding. They make sure that they allow the pupils to practise and apply their new learning for themselves, which helps pupils to gain confidence in

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The quality of teaching is good

their own abilities.  Information about pupils’ achievement is collected regularly and is used to identify those who are at risk of falling behind. This information is also used well to track the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. The support they receive helps them to catch up rapidly.  Teachers make sure that pupils are able to apply the skills they learn in mathematics through regular chances to solve problems or carry out investigations to find patterns and rules in number. They are also encouraged to read widely across all the subjects they learn.  Pupils’ writing ability is less well developed because teachers do not always make sure that pupils have enough chances to practise and apply their skills regularly through longer pieces of writing across all the subjects they learn.  Teachers mark work regularly but they do not consistently tell pupils what they have done well

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The quality of teaching is good

and what they need to improve. Neither do they make comments which provide higher levels of challenge for those who have done particularly well. This limits the amount of progress that pupils make, particularly the most able.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They understand and willingly fulfil the high expectations the school has of them. They move around the school calmly and they are thoughtful and polite.  The pupils understand what happens if they misbehave as well as how they will be rewarded when they make good choices. They think that the systems are fair.  Their behaviour in lessons is usually good but sometimes pupils do not always concentrate and try as hard as they could. On these occasions, a gentle reminder is usually all that is needed to get them back on task.  Pupils get on very well together and there are very few incidents of antisocial behaviour of any kind. They school has very rigorous systems of recording any incidents which do occur and parents are involved at an early stage. There have been no exclusions for more than three years, which shows that the way the school manages behaviour is effective.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others through their contributions to decisions on a number of aspects of school life. The school council is very active and pupils act as prefects, ‘eco-warriors’, peer mediators and travel ambassadors. Some pupils play an important role in adding to the faith aspect of the school by choosing the music that is sung and played in acts of collective worship and Masses.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say that they feel very safe and parents and staff all agree that everything possible is done to make sure that pupils are looked after well. There are posters around the school reminding pupils about how to keep themselves safe when they are using the internet and the school’s website makes sure that parents are also aware of their responsibility in this area.  Pupils know about the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. The award that the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school has recently received for its anti-bullying work has ensured that all pupils know both the effects of bullying on the victim and what they need to do if they see it happening.  Attendance is higher than average because pupils enjoy coming to school. The school is vigilant in following up pupils’ absence so families know the importance of pupils coming to school regularly.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers, including governors, are ambitious for the school. They make regular checks on what is going well and what needs to improve. The actions they take are helping to maintain high standards of attainment and the good quality of teaching.  The school’s vision as a caring community where pupils work hard and are happy is reflected strongly in all that the school does. Members of staff are very supportive of the school and almost all parents who responded on Parent View would recommend Holy Rood Junior School to others.  The headteacher is committed to raising standards and he is well supported by other leaders and managers. Teachers who lead subjects and other areas of the school’s work are developing their skills well through the training they are having. They use information about achievement to track pupils’ progress at an individual level and, increasingly, to inform decisions about future

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The leadership and management are good

whole-school developments.  Teaching and learning are managed well. The school makes good use of partnerships in the local cluster of schools and teachers value the opportunities this gives them to share their good practice and to learn from the good practice of others. They say that this helps them to reach the targets that they are set to improve their skills.  The subjects pupils learn are interesting and are brought alive by lots of visits to places of interest and by visitors to school. Religious education is regarded as an essential part of pupils’ studies. Pupils are helped to develop an awareness of their faith through thinking about the answers to questions that encourage them to think deeply.  Pupils enjoy many chances to develop a love of music, including through learning orchestral instruments, and they sing to a very high standard. Parents are very pleased with the wide range of after-school clubs that their children can enjoy. These activities contribute well to their

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The leadership and management are good

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is a strength of the school.  The school has made good use of the additional funding for primary sport. More pupils than previously are involved in sports and are reaching higher standards through partnerships with external clubs and organisations. All pupils take part in swimming and the school is promoting an initiative called ‘The Golden Mile’ which encourages fitness though personal achievement and healthy competition.  The school’s systems for safeguarding of pupils meet statutory requirements.  The school does not receive direct support from the local authority but effective use is made of the training opportunities provided for teachers and governors.  The governance of the school:  Governors carry out their roles with an appropriate balance of challenge and support to leaders. They have a good range of skills and they make sure that they are able to use

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The leadership and management are good

their skills effectively through attending courses. They know well pupils are achieving compared with other pupils nationally because they receive detailed reports from the headteacher and other leaders. They also regularly visit the school to see for themselves how things are going. Their visits help them to check on the quality of teaching, to ensure that all teaching is good enough and that effective teaching is rewarded by progression through the pay scales. They know that additional funding is used to support pupils with both their work and their social and emotional development and that the school’s efforts are helping them to catch up.

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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 136981 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 444111

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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 Academy Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 271 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Boyles Headteacher Anthony McAteer Date of previous school inspection 22–23 October 2009 Telephone number 01793 527679 Email address admin@holyrood.swindon.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 and 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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