St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

School report St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School The Broadway, Barking, London, IG11 7AR

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. . It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because they do not make good progress as they move through the school.  Standards in mathematics are lower in Years 3 to 6 when compared to standards in reading and writing.  The quality of teaching requires improvement because too often teachers’ expectations are not high enough for the most able pupils.  Marking and feedback in mathematics do not make it clear to pupils how to improve their work.  Support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is not effective because their needs are not always identified correctly.  Sometimes pupils do not show sufficiently positive attitudes to learning.  The school has not dealt fully with some of the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. For example, governors have not held leaders to account enough for pupils’ achievement.  Subject leaders new to their roles are not checking the quality of teaching and learning

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This is a school that requires improvement. . It is not good because

rigorously enough.  Over time, the leadership and management of the school have not been thorough in assessing the school’s effectiveness.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress.  Pupils feel safe and attendance is above average. Pupils and staff get on very well together.  The new executive headteacher and senior leadership team have recently put in place effective systems to check the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 16 lessons, of which six were jointly observed with the executive headteacher and head of school. Inspectors undertook a series of short visits to other lessons across the school and listened to a sample of pupils in Years 2 and 6 read.  Meetings were held with staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with the Chair of the new Governing Body and with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 18 responses to the online survey, Parent View, as well as the views of the parents they met. Inspectors also considered the 30 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including national test results and the school’s own information about pupils’ achievement. They looked at the school’s own checks on how well it is doing, the school’s raising attainment plan, safeguarding policies, and records and documents relating to the work of the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team scrutinised samples of pupils’ work in English and mathematics and records relating to behaviour, attendance and punctuality.

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Inspection team

Kewal Goel, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lauri Lewin Additional Inspector Sharona Semlali Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is larger than the average-sized primary school.  From 10 July 2014, the school took the step towards a hard federation with another Catholic School within the borough. It is now led by an executive headteacher and a head of school. One governing body is overseeing the federation.  Currently the school has an acting deputy headteacher. Two assistant headteachers have been appointed from September 2014.  The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Nursery, which offers 52 part-time places, and two Reception classes. It is currently expanding to a two-form entry school.  The school population comprises pupils from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest groups are African, and other White ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much higher than average. Some pupils join the school speaking little or no English.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. This is additional

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Information about this school

government funding provided to give support to those pupils eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for the 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 so that it is consistently good or better by:  providing more challenging tasks for the most able pupils so that they make rapid progress  identifying pupils’ needs accurately, especially those of disabled pupils and pupils who have special educational needs, so that appropriate support can be given.  Accelerate pupils’ progress in mathematics by:  providing specific training to enhance some teachers’ subject knowledge  ensuring teachers’ marking and feedback give pupils enough information about how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  developing the skills and roles of new subject leaders so that they rigorously check the quality of teaching and learning  making sure that all teachers consistently expect good attitudes to learning from all pupils  ensuring that the governing body holds senior leaders fully to account for pupils’ achievement. 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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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because they make inconsistent progress as they move from year to year. Most able pupils do not always reach the levels they are capable of achieving. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 is average. It is not as high in mathematics as it is in reading and writing.  In 2013, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who attained expected and more than expected levels of progress in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly in line with the national average.  Pupils’ work and the school’s checks on pupils’ progress show that progress varies across different year groups. It is worse in mathematics because some teachers do not explain the learning clearly in their marking and feedback. This slows pupils’ progress.  Most children in the Early Years Foundation Stage join the Nursery with skills and knowledge below those typical in all areas of learning. Children make good progress because teachers and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

other staff plan effectively for their learning needs and interests. The staff use the newly developed outdoor space well. By the end of Reception, the majority of children secure a good level of development.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is well organised. The school regularly checks pupils’ progress and provides targeted support. The national checks for six-year-olds in 2013 and 2014 showed that an average proportion of pupils achieved the required standard.  The attainment of the most able pupils requires improvement because of a lack of challenge. As a result, they make less progress than they should by the end of Year 6, particularly in mathematics.  Progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs requires improvement because their needs are not clearly identified and the quality of support is inconsistent.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups do not

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

make good progress because the focus on pupils’ language development is not as precise as it should be.  In 2013, the attainment of pupils supported by additional funding was approximately three terms behind that of their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. In the most recent assessments, the gap is closing because teachers are monitoring their progress more closely and targeting the support accordingly. Pupils’ progress across the school has varied over time.  The school encourages pupils to read a good range of books, and pupils enjoy reading. They read with expression and talk about their books enthusiastically. Younger pupils use their knowledge of phonics well to aid their reading.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because some teachers do not always check pupils’ understanding regularly in order to provide more challenging activities to accelerate pupils’ progress.  Sometimes pupils are given work which does not engage them sufficiently, especially the most able. This is reflected in the work in their books.  Not all teachers have secure subject knowledge, especially in mathematics. Sometimes their explanations are not very clear and pupils find it difficult to understand them.  Marking of pupils’ books and feedback in suggesting next steps in learning are inconsistent. There are books where sections of work have not been marked, especially in mathematics. Pupils do not always understand how they can improve their work. Pupils are not given opportunities to read and act upon teachers’ comments to ensure they do not repeat their mistakes.  Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. When pupils are given opportunities to work

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

with their peers or work in groups, they work very well together.  The contribution of additional adults, in lessons and in sessions outside of lessons, varies. In some lessons, they support pupils well and challenge them appropriately.  There is good teaching to be seen in the school but it is not consistent. Evidence in pupils’ books shows that in some year groups, pupils are making good progress.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and additional adults capture children’s imagination and skills. They plan activities for children, which build on their prior knowledge. As a result, children make good progress.  Pupils learn well when teachers plan an exciting range of engaging activities, check pupils’ understanding and maintain a brisk pace throughout the lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement because some pupils do not display positive attitudes to learning consistently. Sometimes pupils are over-reliant on adults for guidance.  Behaviour tends to fall short of good when teaching requires improvement. At these times, pupils lack resilience and concentration, especially when work is not set at the right level for their needs.  Pupils are aware of different forms of bullying. Most staff and pupils say that there has been considerable improvement in behaviour this year. They say that there is some bullying and name- calling. When pupils report incidents of bullying to teachers or other staff, they say they are dealt with effectively.  The new leadership has done much to check and improve behaviour across the school. This is reflected in the low number of incidents recorded during this term.  Pupils are prepared for each lesson, bring the right equipment and most pupils respond quickly to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

staff’s instructions. They behave well in classes and around the school.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. There are caring and positive attitudes in the school, which are building confidence among pupils and staff.  Pupils say they feel safe, and parents and carers who responded to Parent View or spoke to inspectors indicate that their children are safe in the school. The school has many procedures to keep pupils safe, including rigorous risk assessments for all visits. Relationships are good, enabling those from different backgrounds to get on well together.  Pupils are given a range of responsibilities, which they enjoy, such as play buddies when older pupils support younger pupils.  Attendance is above average and pupils enjoy coming to school. There are no permanent exclusions and few fixed term exclusions. Pupils are well supported when they find it difficult to manage their behaviour.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and managers over time have not successfully addressed some of the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. The quality of teaching across the school is inconsistent and requires improvement. Until recently, systems for checking teaching and the management of teachers’ performance have lacked rigour.  Subject leaders new to their roles have not played an active role in checking teaching and learning. They have not had the opportunity prior to the school’s recent federation with another school to check pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility.  The new leadership team has taken significant steps to raise expectations and drive the school forward. Through their checks on the quality of teaching across the school, senior leaders have correctly identified key priorities for improvement. The school’s raising attainment plan is focused on improving the quality of teaching and raising achievement. However, it is too soon to

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The leadership and management requires improvement

see the full impact of leaders’ actions.  The team now monitors the quality of teaching regularly and its impact on pupils’ progress and set targets for improvement. The appraisal process is linked to pupils’ progress. Individual staff members are held to account when pupils underachieve, and more recent decisive action is being taken against weak teaching.  The range of subjects and topics is enriched through a variety of clubs, including dance, and a good number of visits and visitors.  The school has very strong spiritual values and celebrates a range of cultures. Parents tell pupils stories in different languages. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Additional funding is used to employ staff to provide extra support in literacy, numeracy and after-school booster classes. Leaders have also used this funding to employ a parent support adviser, counselling and play-therapy sessions. The more recent impact of this spending is that

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the gaps in attainment between eligible pupils and others in the school are closing. Pupils who face difficulties are now better equipped for learning by the support they receive.  School leaders have used the additional funding for sports to employ sports coaches to run lunchtime and after-school sports clubs. Now more pupils, including girls, are accessing high quality sports and their fitness levels are improving.  The school communicates with parents in a number of ways, including newsletters, text messages, parents’ evenings and through the school website. There is an active parent-teacher association in the school. Parents are positive about the school’s work and say their children are happy. The school promotes equal opportunities, tackles discrimination and values the differences in backgrounds and beliefs of pupils.  The local authority works closely with the school and is providing intensive support. It has been

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The leadership and management requires improvement

pivotal in constituting the new governing body and negotiating the leadership structure of the school.  The governance of the school:  The new governing body had only been in existence for a few days prior to the inspection. While being aware of how the school was performing compared with other schools, the previous governing body did not hold school leaders sufficiently to account for pupils’ achievement.  The governing body is aware of the procedures to manage the performance of the new executive headteacher and head of school. Governors attend training specific to their roles and responsibilities to help them gain a greater understanding of the school’s work. There is an appropriate focus on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Governors know about the use of additional funding and its impact on pupils’ progress and their well-being. They ensure that safeguarding arrangements and other statutory duties are

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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 101235 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 442120

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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

School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 360 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Father Stephen Myers Headteacher B Horton (executive headteacher) Lynne Warrilow (head of school) Date of previous school inspection 20 – 21 November 2012 Telephone number 020 8270 6474 Fax number 020 8270 6478 Email address office@st-jobarking.barkdaglea.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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