Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School (NC) Trittiford Road, Yardley Wood, Birmingham, B13 0EU

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 This school expects the very highest standards of behaviour and achievement. Pupils, who are exceptionally well-prepared in every way for their future lives, consistently meet these expectations.  The headteacher and senior leaders have equally high expectations of their staff. They have created a school in which the outstanding quality of teaching over time leads to outstanding results for pupils.  Teachers know what each pupil is capable of achieving in every subject and pupils say their teachers are always there to help them.  All groups of pupils make outstanding progress across a wide range of subjects. They start school at levels that are below average for their age. They go on to leave the school with standards that are consistently much higher than the national average.  The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They learn to take significant responsibility for themselves and for others. In lessons, they work exceptionally

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

well, whether they are on their own, in pairs or in groups.  Children make rapid progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and quickly develop their speaking, writing and counting skills. They achieve standards at the end of Reception that are above those found nationally. These children are provided with an outstanding start to their education and their personal and social development.  The school’s leaders readily share their expertise and experience with other schools. They seek to learn from the best educational practice nationally and internationally.  Pupils feel extremely safe, happy and confident in this very caring school. They learn how to manage their own safety exceptionally well, both in their daily lives and when using the internet.  A strong spiritual ethos and a clear set of values inform every aspect of the school’s work. Pupils show great respect for all faiths and a good understanding of other cultures.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 A highly individualised programme of physical education and fitness for every pupil in the school makes a strong contribution to their well being.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons, four of which were jointly observed with the headteacher. In addition, the inspection team looked at pupils’ work in their books and listened to younger pupils read.  There were meetings with groups of pupils, senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 23 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and considered the 15 responses to a staff questionnaire. Inspectors also considered responses by parents to a recent questionnaire from the school.  The inspection team examined: the school’s own information on pupils’ recent and current progress; the school’s evaluation of how well it is doing and its records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching; records relating to behaviour and attendance; and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Richard Boswell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above the national average and more than a half of pupils are White British. A very small minority have English as an additional language.  The percentage of disadvantaged pupils who are supported through the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs on the school roll is about one twentieth. This is lower than found in most schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school runs both before and after school clubs.  The headteacher works closely with a local school, Bishop Challoner Catholic College.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen further the leadership and management of the school by closer examination of the achievement of groups of younger pupils so as to be ready to identify any emerging patterns and tackle them swiftly.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides strong leadership with a relentless determination to raise standards. She has focused the school over the last few years on making significant and sustained progress in improving the quality of teaching, achievement and attendance. This track record, along with the school’s highly positive and equally committed staff, demonstrate the capacity to improve the school still further.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders have given a high priority to implementing consistent and systematic approaches to the teaching of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) and to English and mathematics. As a result there has been a steady improvement in the quality of teaching that has led to outstanding achievement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Subject leaders are expert in their fields and share their skills confidently with others. This is part of a highly developed programme of training for staff that looks well beyond the school gates. In fact the headteacher aims to send every teacher abroad to seek out the best practice in their areas. This has already included visits to Chicago, Sweden and China.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school has a very accurate view of its own performance and there is a detailed system to keep an eye on how well pupils are doing. While this helps to identify individual pupils who are not doing well enough and who need extra support, this system does not always identify any patterns of performance among groups, particularly in the younger years, to provide even earlier intervention.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 There is strong accountability of staff for the performance of their classes. The progress pupils make is a key consideration in the monitoring of pay and the school is quick to tackle any underperformance.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 School leaders make excellent use of the primary school physical education and sports premium to bring specialist expertise into the school. Every pupil from Nursery to Year 6 has an individualised fitness programme which is regularly monitored. This has resulted in identified groups of pupils being able to participate in additional sessions and show significant improvements in their physical well-being.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher and her staff have made very positive use of changes in the national curriculum to introduce a system that gives staff their own subject specialisms and that prepares pupils very well for specialist teaching in secondary school. This also allows for greater depth of study, particularly for the most able, and is linked to the school’s implementation of new ways of assessing pupils’ achievement. The school is putting greater emphasis on how secure a pupil’s knowledge is of a topic or subject rather than the level they may have attained.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Parents say that communication from the school is excellent. A detailed system of reporting includes written reports being handed over and discussed face to face and an ongoing dialogue between parents and the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The range of subjects and activities in which pupils engage prepare them exceptionally well not only for their continuing education but also for their future lives. They are made fully aware of the diversity of faiths and cultures in modern Britain and every pupil keeps a ‘multi-faith book’ through their time in the school. This is in addition to visiting a variety of places of worship and meeting visitors to the school from a range of cultures and faiths. In this way pupils learn the value of tolerance and respect as well as participating in school elections that help them understand the democratic process.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority’s confidence in the leadership of the school has been evident in its ‘light touch’ since the last inspection. In the previous school year, the local authority has provided the school with close and much appreciated support during a difficult time. The school’s leadership demonstrated high levels of resilience during this time, minimising any impact on the progress and well being of pupils.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet all statutory requirements and the local authority and other outside agencies have commented on how well the school follows appropriate procedures.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body have an excellent understanding of the school’s performance, including the quality of teaching, and how pupils’ test results compare to those of similar schools nationally. They make regular visits to the school and, as well as being very supportive of the leadership team, they hold senior leaders fully to account for progress in raising pupils’ achievement. Governors know how the management of staff performance is helping to improve the quality of teaching, and understand the link between staff salaries and the meeting of targets for pupils’ progress and achievement. They are closely involved in how pupil premium funding is being used and the successful impact it is having on pupils’

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The leadership and management are outstanding

achievement. For example, the one-to-one coaching. Governors have undertaken training to improve their own skills. They make sure that policies, including those relating to safeguarding pupils, are regularly reviewed and updated, and are implemented effectively. They are also instrumental in the school’s promotion of tolerance and respect for all faiths and cultures as well as the spiritual character of the school. Governors closely supervise the school’s finances, so that the headteacher is able to make the best use of available resources, including the additional physical education and sports funding and the pupil premium.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Their highly positive attitudes to their own education are clearly apparent in lessons, in which any low level disruption is extremely rare, around school, and in animated discussions about their favourite subjects. Parents, pupils and school records confirm that this excellent behaviour is typical over time and contribute to pupils’ outstanding progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 From an early age, pupils readily work collaboratively, sharing ideas and information to meet common aims. This teamwork extends beyond the classroom to sports, choir and playground. Pupils show respect for each other, for their teachers and for their school, wearing their uniform with pride and teachers are unanimous in their view that behaviour and safety are well managed in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding and parental responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, show unanimous agreement. Every adult working in the school sees the safeguarding of children as a primary responsibility and has a thorough working knowledge of the school’s policies and procedures. Pupils are knowledgeable about staying safe online.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 While any bullying is rare, pupils and parents are confident the school will swiftly deal with it should it occur. Detailed notes of any incidents help to ensure that minor incidents do not escalate and the school’s learning mentor uses mediation techniques to support this. Pupils also understand what constitutes unacceptable language and are very clear in their opposition to the use of any derogatory or racist language.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Great emphasis is placed on pupils taking responsibility for their own actions. Older pupils are encouraged to take a lead in school through prefect duties, school council and acting as playground ‘pals’. The school ‘bank’ operates with the support of a local bank and pupils learn to apply for positions and how to manage money.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is above the national average and has been so for a number of years, improving again in 2014. Any persistent absence has decreased year on year and is below the national average. The attendance or absence of individuals and groups are carefully tracked and a recent ‘zero tolerance’ policy on late arrival has resulted in significant improvements in punctuality. Pupils leaving the school are also carefully tracked and only taken off roll when they have a registered destination. No pupil has been permanently or temporarily excluded from school since early in 2012.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils makes an outstanding contribution to their behaviour. Through carefully planned activities and lessons, older pupils learn to accept and engage with fundamental British values such as democracy, individual freedom and the mutual respect.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching over time is outstanding. Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils. They skilfully give pupils the confidence to learn and to recognise things that they thought might be difficult are achievable. This leads to pupils showing great enthusiasm for their learning and a strong desire to improve.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Work is challenging for pupils of all abilities. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson while other pupils secured their understanding of one-step equations, a group of more able pupils explored multi-step equations. Teachers ensure there is no ‘ceiling’ on the level at which pupils can work.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers target their questions very well so that pupils are given time to think deeply and to extend and develop their answers. Teachers ensure that all pupils are fully engaged in the lesson and their careful planning includes a continuous drive to close any gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Skilled support staff guide and question pupils effectively, particularly disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. They help these pupils to make outstanding progress alongside developing their self-confidence and self-reliance. Consequently, no pupils fall behind in their work and all are successfully given excellent opportunities to achieve their best.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils’ work, including their homework, is marked very thoroughly. They are given detailed pointers about how to improve and their books show them putting this advice into practice so that they progress rapidly.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils’ moral and social development is excellent. In lessons, they readily share ideas and information and are quick to praise one another. They are proud of their work, presenting it neatly in their books, and academic excellence is celebrated in class and in assemblies.

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is outstanding

 Until recently pupils have usually started in Nursery or Reception with skills and understanding below those typical for their age. Pupils have gone on to achieve standards at the end of Key Stage 2 that are above those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.

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is outstanding

 Pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 6 are exceptionally well prepared to continue their studies in secondary school. Since the previous inspection, the proportion of pupils making expected progress in English and in mathematics has consistently been well above the national average. The vast majority of pupils currently in Key Stages 1 and 2 are meeting the school’s ambitious targets and rates of progress are outstanding. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds make as good or better progress than other pupils and attain similarly high standards.

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is outstanding

 The school is having considerable success in raising standards for disadvantaged pupils. The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school has narrowed in writing and mathematics and has remained static in reading. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally narrowed in mathematics and closed in reading and writing. The school has identified gaps between the progress of younger disadvantaged pupils and others from their start in Nursery to the end of Key Stage 1. These are now rapidly narrowing.

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is outstanding

 In 2013, the difference in attainment in mathematics between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school was less than half a term and was smaller still when compared with the national figures. A similar gap of less than half a term was seen in reading and in writing, pupils supported by additional funding attained better than others in the school and others nationally.

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is outstanding

 Reading and writing are strongly promoted through a systematic and rigorous programme. This is reflected in pupils’ consistently above average performance in the Year 1 and Year 2 checks on their understanding of letters and the sounds they make (phonics). In recent national tests, older pupils have not performed as well in their spelling as in other areas. The school has swiftly identified this as an area for immediate improvement and appropriate strategies have already been put in place.

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is outstanding

 More able pupils regularly make outstanding progress and achieve high standards. In both 2012 and 2013 a higher proportion of pupils than that found nationally made accelerated progress in Key Stage 2 and achieved the highest standards reading, writing and mathematics. In 2014, when the school and Year 6 in particular, experienced a set of difficult circumstances beyond their control, this proportion was similar to that found nationally. Since 2012 the proportion of pupils attaining the highest levels at Key Stage 1 has increased in reading, writing and mathematics.

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is outstanding

 Disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs make consistently good progress and some attain high standards. The school ensures that these pupils are able to access everything that is offered to other pupils throughout their school life. The school’s commitment to equal opportunities is evident in its refusal to allow barriers of any sort to develop that might prevent any individual pupil or groups making exceptional progress.

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is outstanding

 Starting in Nursery with skills and understanding that are below those typical for their age, children leave Reception having made outstanding progress not only in their reading, writing and counting but also in their personal, social and physical development. This means they enter Year 1 particularly well prepared for their future learning.

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is outstanding

 The high quality of teaching meets the needs of the range of children and the school is quick to identify any children who may who have special educational needs and to support them in every aspect of their life in school.

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is outstanding

 All children feel very safe and are confident in learning about right and wrong and the importance of respect for each other and the adults around them. Children’s language skills are skilfully and constantly developed by carefully questioning and prompting. Progress is regularly recorded and assessed in words and pictures.

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is outstanding

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is expertly led and managed by a committed and experienced practitioner who communicates her high expectations to her well-qualified team. This leads to outstanding behaviour from the children in a calm, well-ordered setting where they can concentrate for increasingly long periods of time and learn to work very well with each other.

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is outstanding

 Children make excellent use of the outdoor area with a wide variety of activities using wet and sand areas to promote experimentation, weighing and counting.

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is outstanding

 Parents are encouraged to play as active a part as possible in their children’s education. They meet with staff every six weeks to discuss progress and they are overwhelmingly positive in their support for and appreciation of the early years provision. What inspection judgements mean

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 103430 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 448250

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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 224 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Canon Sean Grady Headteacher Bernadette O'Shea Date of previous school inspection 15 September 2009 Telephone number 0121 444 2684 Fax number 0121 441 3211 Email address enquiries@ourlady.bham.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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