St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School

St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School Derwent Road, Haresfinch, St Helens, WA11 9AT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  From very low starting points, most children make excellent progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Excellent achievement continues across the school. By the time they leave Year 2 pupils reach standards which are broadly average and by the time they leave Year 6 standards are at least above and sometimes well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.  The quality of teaching reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the previous inspection and is now outstanding.  The level of communication between teachers and teaching assistants is first class and has a very positive effect on the achievement of pupils.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and provide high-quality advice to pupils on how they can improve their work. However, teachers do not always insist that pupils complete their corrections so that they can learn as much as possible from their

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

mistakes.  Pupils feel safe and are kept safe by a staff that cares for them.  Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are friendly and respectful. In class they work hard, listen to their teachers and help each other when they can.  The curriculum meets the needs of pupils very well and there is a highly effective programme to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  School leaders including governors have successfully put actions in place that have improved standards of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The headteacher is passionate about providing the best for pupils. He makes sure that all teachers precisely assess pupils’ abilities. As a result information about pupils’ achievement is reliable and accurately reflects the school’s performance.  All leaders have a range of opportunities to review the quality of learning and teaching in their areas of responsibility. Their skills in evaluating pupils’ achievement and the quality

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

of teaching are well developed.  The governing body is highly committed to the school and has the knowledge and the skills that they need to hold the school to account for its performance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons taught by teachers and they also observed sessions taken by teaching assistants. The headteacher joined an inspector during one of the observations.  Inspectors spoke to pupils during lessons and at lunchtime and playtime. They met formally with two groups of pupils and listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with staff, senior leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  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 safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors received a letter from a parent, took account of 47 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke informally to parents at the start of the school day. They

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Information about this inspection

also considered five staff questionnaires and pupil, staff and parental questionnaires recently distributed by the school.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sheila Iwaskow Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Peter and St Paul is smaller than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is slightly above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below the national average as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The overwhelming majority of pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement still further by making sure that teachers always check that pupils complete their corrections so that they can learn as much as possible from their mistakes.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start in the Reception class with skills that are well below those typically found. They make rapid progress in early learning because the very well resourced indoor and outdoor areas encourage children to want to explore and investigate. Moreover, staff have excellent relationships with parents, who are often given ideas to help their children to continue their learning at home. Pupils enter Year 1 very well prepared for learning.  By the end of Year 2, pupils regularly reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics and this has improved slightly this year, particularly at the higher Level 3. Since 2011, attainment at the end of Year 6 has been well-above national levels except for a slight dip in 2013 when pupils reached above national levels. However, this still represents outstanding progress from this group of pupils’ starting points and attainment is expected to rise again this

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

year.  Nearly all pupils make the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics and the proportion of pupils making better than expected progress is often higher than the national level. From very low starting points pupils make outstanding progress across the school and work seen in pupils’ books and the school’s own assessment information suggests that this will continue this year.  In the Year 1 national screening checks for phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), children do very well, and the proportion of pupils reaching the required standard has been much higher than national figures in since 2012. Pupils are encouraged to read regularly and school leaders have purchased lots of new books to make sure that all pupils have a variety of books to choose from.  The most able pupils are given tasks that really make them think hard about their work. As a result the number of pupils confidently expected to achieve at the highest Level 6 in reading,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

writing and mathematics is set to increase this year.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same excellent progress as others in school. This is because their additional learning needs are identified early and focussed one-to-one and small group sessions are delivered by highly skilled teaching assistants.  In Year 6 in 2013, in comparison to their classmates, those pupils eligible for free school meals and supported through pupil premium funding attained at the same level in reading, approximately one term behind in mathematics and three terms behind in writing. School leaders have worked effectively to narrow this gap. Additional teaching assistants have been employed and provide well-focussed support for eligible pupils. Current school data shows that any gaps between eligible pupils and others are being quickly reduced. This confirms the school’s commitment to making sure that all pupils are given the same opportunities to succeed.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Work in pupils’ books, school progress data and discussions with staff and pupils, confirm that over time the quality of teaching is outstanding in reading, writing and mathematics.  Staff make sure that pupils are given work at the right level to challenge them and help them to make the best progress that they can. For example, the most able Year 6 pupils regularly have separate small group sessions to work on more advanced mathematical problems.  Learning is excellent across a wide range of subjects. For example, the school makes sure that pupils have the opportunity to learn how to play a musical instrument. Involvement in sporting activities is encouraged, which boosts pupils’ confidence. What is more, pupils produce excellent work in design projects. For example, Year 6 pupils became engrossed in planning their designs to create speedy, but attractive robots to take part in the school’s annual robot race.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teamwork between teaching assistants and teachers is exemplary and guarantees an excellent level of support for pupils, including the most and least able. Staff know that every pupil is unique and take care to make sure that individual learning and pastoral needs are very well met.  Literacy and numeracy skills are well developed because the teaching of the basic reading, writing and mathematical skills is outstanding and there are many planned opportunities to practise these skills in other subjects.  Highly skilled questioning techniques help teachers to assess pupils’ learning throughout the lesson and excellent use is made of data about pupils’ progress to make sure work always builds on what pupils already know and can do.  Teachers mark work regularly, they praise pupils for work which is well done and provide good advice on how it could be improved still further. They often set additional tasks to challenge

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

pupils and correct their errors. However, teachers do not always check that pupils always do their corrections so that they can always learn from their mistakes.  There is a range of resources available that pupils are encouraged to use when they want to. For example, there are learning prompts displayed on the walls in Key Stage 2 classrooms that pupils regularly refer to. Pupils are also expected to discuss their ideas so that they can learn from each other. In every classroom there is a bank of computers available, which are used by pupils for research purposes and to practise or build upon the skills they are developing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. This is because of the high-quality relationships between all adults and pupils. Pupils have a highly positive attitude toward learning; they say that they really enjoy school and that their teachers are ‘brilliant’.  Staff are always extremely proud of pupils’ behaviour both in school and when they go out on school trips. For their part pupils take a great pride in their school and actively discuss how eager they are to keep the school building and grounds free from litter and a nice place to be.  The ‘Shush Card System’ was introduced to remind pupils to move around the school very calmly and quietly, so that behaviour around the school could be as exemplary as in the classrooms. Initially, some parents and pupils did not like this system. However, pupils now realise that the strategy of showing a shush card or saying ‘shush’ has helped improve behaviour around the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

school and most pupils hardly ever need reminding.  Older pupils really appreciate the opportunities that they get to help younger friends. Year 6 help Year 1 pupils in the computer suite, they listen to Reception class children reading and help them to play well together.  School councillors really value their role as pupil representatives and have delivered presentations to the whole school on the importance of e-safety and healthy eating. Their next challenge is to develop recycling and raise funds to buy two greenhouses in which pupils can grow vegetables.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding, safeguarding procedures are rigorously followed.  Pupils say they feel safe and have a good understanding of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. The school councillors are adamant that if there were any bullying they would ‘Work as a team to stamp it out.’ Meticulous records kept by the school confirm that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

incidents are rare and always well managed.  During the inspection, Year 2 pupils excitedly returned from their first school swimming lesson, they recognise how important it is to learn to swim at an early age so that they can stay safe.  Most pupils attend school regularly; attendance was above national levels last year and has improved this year, which reflects how much pupils enjoy coming to school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is absolutely resolute in his determination to lead a school in which pupils can flourish. With the support of the deputy headteacher and other school leaders, he has been highly successful in his relentless drive for improvement. Consequently, the school has moved from good to outstanding since the previous inspection.  The headteacher has developed a cohesive staff team that makes a significant contribution toward improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. This is because they share his vision for pupils’ success and support each other to develop skills and subject knowledge so that the best practice available at the school is shared and adopted.  School leaders including middle leaders regularly check the quality of learning and teaching in their areas of responsibility. This has led to the development of a comprehensive staff training programme that is well matched to address school priorities and the developmental needs of

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The leadership and management are outstanding

individual members of staff.  Teachers accurately assess pupils’ knowledge and skills and the school’s information on pupils’ progress is reliable. As a result leaders are able to establish an accurate view of how well the school is doing.  The primary school sports funding is used to pay for training so that staff are able to teach sporting activities to a higher standard. It is also used to provide a wider range of sporting opportunities to pupils. Pupils are encouraged to take part in sports to help them stay healthy and promote well-being. Staff and pupils are proud of the success that the school teams have achieved in inter-school sporting competitions.  The current school curriculum successfully meets the needs of all pupils. However, school leaders have been busy carefully planning the introduction of the new curriculum, so that its implementation in September is seamless across the school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

cultural development is given excellent attention; this is evident in the way pupils learn and play so well together.  The local authority provides light touch support for this outstanding school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly committed to continually improving the school. They attend training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills needed to hold school leaders to account for standards at the school. Governors have an accurate view of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching because they receive comprehensive reports from school leaders which they effectively question and challenge. Governors check that systems to manage staff performance are implemented and that teachers’ pay reflects how effective they are. They also ensure that the pupil premium funding is allocated to support those pupils for whom it is intended and that spending has a positive impact on narrowing the attainment gap between

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The leadership and management are outstanding

eligible pupils and others. Governors make sure that statutory requirements are met, pupils and staff are kept safe and the budget is wisely spent.

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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 104810 Local authority St Helens Inspection number 444300

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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 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kevan O'Brien Headteacher Kevin Reid Date of previous school inspection 6 October 2010 Telephone number 01744 678640 Fax number 01744 678642 Email address kevin.reid@sthelens.org.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory 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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