Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Halton Moor Avenue, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 0HA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher gives an extremely clear lead to school improvement. This has created a thriving, hard-working school where everyone aims high.  Good leadership of teaching has secured good or better teaching across the school. Pupils’ achievement continues to improve as a result.  Governors take a keen interest in the school and ask challenging questions. Along with leaders and managers, they make a strong contribution to improving teaching quality and to raising pupils’ achievement.  School leaders are extremely vigilant. They make sure that pupils are safe and secure. Pupils know how to keep themselves and others safe.  Early years provision is strong. Children do well in Reception and are ready to learn effectively in Year 1.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning mean they learn quickly and effectively.  Teaching is consistently good with outstanding practice, particularly in Years 2, 3 and 6.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The marking of pupils’ work is a major strength as is the teaching of phonics (how letters and sounds link together to form words).  Pupils make rapid progress from their starting points to reach significantly above expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Their achievement is especially strong in mathematics and they reach high standards in English grammar, spelling and punctuation.  Pupils read voraciously and write well, at length, in different subjects.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The assistant headteachers are in the process of strengthening their role to ensure that pupils’ rapid progress is sustained.  The provision in the early years for the most able children to gain skills in aspects of mathematics and the expressive arts is not as rich as it could be.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 15 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 13 teachers, three of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  There were no Reception children in school at the time of the inspection. Inspectors made their judgement about early years provision based on close scrutiny of the school’s analysis, validated by the local authority, of children’s attainment on entry and exit to Reception over the past two years. Inspectors also looked at a selection of children’s ‘learning adventure’ books and at these pupils’ work in Year 1 to check how well they were progressing.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, staff, including teaching assistants, the Vice Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors held meetings with three groups of pupils from Key Stage 2 to discuss their work and their views on school. They talked with pupils in lessons and outside in the playground. They looked at their

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Information about this inspection

work and heard pupils read. The inspectors also looked at pupils’ work from the previous academic year.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and so inspectors could not access them. However, inspectors took into account conversations with parents at the start and end of the school day, letters written by parents, the school’s survey of parental views and also parents’ written views after taking part in school activities.

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Inspection team

Lesley Clark, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Susan Davis Additional Inspector Barbara Martin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The large majority of pupils are White British. A small minority of pupils come from minority ethnic groups. A very small minority are learning to speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Half the pupils are disadvantaged and are supported through the pupil premium. This is a much higher proportion than nationally. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school employs an educational social worker to support pupils and families and runs a breakfast club.

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Information about this school

 The school had a short partnership with Meanwood Primary School, where the headteacher is a National Leader in Education, following the last inspection. It is not currently receiving support from, or giving support to, other schools.  The school restructured its leadership team after the last inspection. The school is led and managed by a headteacher, four assistant headteachers and the literacy and early years leaders, some of whom were appointed in January 2014. There is no middle layer of leadership.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school holds the Stephen Lawrence award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The assistant headteachers should continue to build and strengthen their roles to ensure that pupils’ rapid progress is sustained.  Extend further the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage for the most able children to gain more advanced skills in aspects of mathematics and the expressive arts.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher gives a clear, uncompromising lead. She is relentless in her drive to improve standards.  The following factors have enabled the school to move very quickly from requiring improvement to good: securing consistently good or better teaching so that learning is effective in every class; giving the more able pupils more demanding work so they make rapid progress; deploying teaching assistants more effectively so they contribute fully to pupils’ education; creating a large leadership team of able practitioners to check and support teaching effectiveness; and involving parents more closely in supporting their children’s education.  There is no middle layer of leadership. Members of the senior leadership team work very well together and with staff to ensure that the school continues to improve. Together, they share the leadership of teaching and this has secured a high degree of consistency in teaching quality. This is a key factor in pupils’ good

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The leadership and management are good

achievement.  The assistant headteachers are currently building and strengthening their roles to ensure that pupils continue to make rapid progress and that this is sustained over time. There are notable strengths in the leadership of mathematics and English, resulting in the large majority of pupils working at above expected levels.  Regular meetings to check how well pupils are doing are used to highlight specific pupils who need extra help or who need pushing on at a faster rate. Teaching assistants also attend these meetings and so they, as well as teachers, are fully accountable for the progress that the pupils in their classes make.  The systems to check teachers’ performance and effectiveness are stringent. They are used well to set targets and to identify continuing professional development needs for teachers and teaching assistants. Staff thrive and there is innovative practice in the school as a result. Promotion is not automatic and staff

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The leadership and management are good

effectiveness is closely checked.  The primary school sport funding is used well to strengthen teachers’ competence and skills through professional training in how to teach physical education and sports effectively. This has raised the profile of sport in school and increased participation rates in after-school clubs and in competitive sports. Pupils are fitter as a result.  The curriculum makes good provision for pupils’ learning and broader education. It is weighted towards reading, writing and mathematics because of pupils’ starting points in these subjects.  A strength is the way in which provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development permeates the curriculum as well as many opportunities for pupils to use and apply their reading, writing and mathematical skills in other subjects.  The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain and they acquire a good knowledge of

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The leadership and management are good

modern Britain in consequence. It teaches them the values of tolerance and respect.  Safeguarding fully meets statutory requirements.  The local authority recognises the strengths of the school and gives appropriate support as and when it is needed.  The governance of the school:  Governors give good support to the school. Their contribution has strengthened since the last inspection as a result of attending governor training courses and through the work of the joint-review group which was set up after the last inspection. Governors ask relevant and often challenging questions that hold the school to account for the performance of both staff and pupils in terms of teaching quality and achievement. They have a good understanding of data and use these to check that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and are supported through the pupil premium, are making at least good progress. They have detailed first-hand information about how well the school is doing because they

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The leadership and management are good

visit regularly, canvass pupils’ views, receive regular updates from staff and senior leaders, are clear about the outcomes of performance management, and have strong links with parents.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is exemplary. Pupils arrive promptly, settle instantly to their registration tasks, listen intently in lessons, ask questions when they do not understand and strive to fulfil staff’s high expectations. Their excellent attitudes to learning enable them to make rapid progress and reach standards that are higher than those expected.  Pupils are excited by learning. For example, the most able pupils’ words tumbled over themselves as they explained how they had worked out quick ways of using and applying negative numbers: ‘We worked it out ourselves!’  This keenness to learn is exemplified in pupils’ neat and tidy presentation. They dress smartly and take a pride in their work, which is also clearly and neatly presented.  In discussions, pupils show considerable maturity, taking turns to speak and listening without interrupting each other. They are articulate, confident and very polite and clearly respect each other’s views.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Around the school and at break times and lunchtimes, pupils show similarly high standards of behaviour. They walk quietly and sensibly up and down stairs and along corridors. They eat sociably together in the hall. There is no litter, graffiti or bad language because pupils take a pride in their school.  An exceptional feature is the way pupils organise playground games, share equipment and play together. There is no fuss when more pupils want to join in: they are included instantly and so everyone feels valued and has fun. At the end of play, pupils help each other to put the equipment away, without being reminded, then walk slowly, calmly and quietly into lines to walk back to lessons.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding .  Pupils agree, ‘Bullying is not an issue. We have anti-bullying ambassadors who are trained. We feel very safe.’ The school’s records and parental views confirm pupils’ positive views.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have a clear understanding of different types of bullying and are knowledgeable about e-safety. They know how to keep themselves and others safe.  The school’s records and discussions with pupils confirm that racism and homophobic name-calling do not occur. Pupils respect each other’s different faiths, cultures and family arrangements. They say, ‘People who are new are welcomed in, they become our best friends. Everyone is different.’ Since the last inspection, attendance has risen, persistent absence has reduced and there are no exclusions. Attendance is above average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good. It is often outstanding in Years 2, 3 and 6 where, typically, pupils work beyond expected levels, especially the most able pupils.  Pupils confidently say when they are ready to move on to further challenges. As a result their learning comes on apace, especially in mathematics where the good subject knowledge of staff means they anticipate pupils’ learning needs and move them swiftly on as soon as they are ready to try more demanding and intellectually stimulating tasks.  Pupils learn swiftly because they build on what they know and understand and then apply new skills. They are helped with this through staff’s swift identification of where pupils have gaps in their learning. These are often starting points for the next lesson.  A strength is the extent to which teaching assistants are involved in this process, often taking groups of the most able pupils or selecting those who struggle to give them some intensive support. They are well-

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The quality of teaching is good

equipped to do so because teaching staff brief them thoroughly before and after lessons. This ensures that everyone has help, as and when they need it, which contributes to pupils’ confident learning.  Staff are well organised and set an excellent example for pupils who, as a result, learn to work neatly and methodically. This has a notable impact on their performance in mathematics and in their use of English grammar, spelling and punctuation.  Marking is high quality. It makes clear to pupils what they need to do to improve their work and invites them to look at their work with a critical eye too. For instance, some pupils reflected, ‘I could sum up my previous points.’ or ‘I should have included seed dispersal.’  In addition, pupils check their work against individual targets and ‘success criteria’ and so they know how well they are doing and what they need to do next. This helps them to learn effectively.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make better than expected progress. Results in the 2013 national tests at the end of Year 6 placed the school in the top 5% in the country for adding value to pupils’ education.  Disadvantaged pupils do at least as well as other pupils in school in both their attainment and progress and significantly better than similar groups nationally. This means that disadvantaged pupils are a year ahead of similar groups nationally by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. The school clearly promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination effectively. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action, school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs make better than expected progress. This is because they are taught alongside other pupils, with extra help as and when they need it.  New learners of English as an additional language do well for similar reasons. They quickly catch up and

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The achievement of pupils is good

perform as well as others in their year group.  Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1. They have a really good knowledge of how letters and sounds link together to form words (phonics). Their attainment in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2013 was above the level expected and, in 2014, 91% of Year 1 pupils met the required standard.  Pupils read and write well in Key Stage 1. Pupils make good gains in learning mathematics from their different starting points and the most able pupils begin to forge ahead.  The trend in the school’s results in national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 is upwards. Almost all pupils reached expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics in both 2013 and 2014, with an increasing proportion working within the higher levels each year.  There is a similar picture in Key Stage 2. Standards were significantly above average in the 2013 national tests at the end of Year 6 and improved again in 2014.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in mathematics and in English grammar, spelling and punctuation is notably high with over half the pupils working within the higher Levels 5 or 6 in mathematics and three-quarters of pupils at Level 5 in English grammar, spelling and punctuation.  Pupils read voraciously. They have favourite authors and readily describe themselves as ‘bookworms’. They explained, ‘We are taught to read and find language for writing or use it as a resource for science or our topic. You see how other people write and use it in your writing.’ Older pupils’ writing is distinguished by an extensive vocabulary, complex sentences and accurate paragraphing.  The most able pupils in Key Stage 1 read with good understanding. They begin to write at length and use punctuation accurately. They calculate accurately using the column method and understand the concept of substituting numbers. By the end of Key Stage 2, the most able pupils read classic texts such as Oliver

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The achievement of pupils is good

Twist. They skim read and scan for information competently. Their writing is very well expressed. They use devices such as alliteration and personification effectively and vary the type of sentences they use. Their lively writing is characterised by well-chosen verbs and adverbial phrases and engages the reader. The most able pupils make rapid gains in mathematics. They worked out, for example, when and why a negative number becomes positive and then applied their theories to different calculations.

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The early years provision is good

 From the work and data reviewed, it is clear that most children start in Reception at levels that are below those typical for their age. They make good progress. By the end of the Reception Year, the large majority reach a good level of development and a small minority exceed the level expected in most areas of learning. Children are well prepared to learn in Year 1.  Teachers clearly help children to learn well, as seen in the variety of assessments of different types of learning. The activities meet children’s varying needs judging by their attainment at the end of the Reception Year. Inspectors’ reviews of children’s work showed that a lot of work had been covered over the course of three terms and children had made measurable gains in learning new skills. Children’s ‘learning adventure’ books contained staff observations of children’s good learning and progress over the past year.  Children clearly have similar attitudes to learning to other pupils in school. There are no recorded

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The early years provision is good

incidents in behaviour logs, for example. Equipment and resources are in good condition, suggesting that children use these carefully.  Close scrutiny of children’s ‘learning adventure’ books show that staff observations for aspects of mathematics such as ‘space, shape and measure’ and the expressive arts are sparse compared to observations made across other areas of learning. Also, very few children exceed expected levels in these areas.  The headteacher and the new early years leader have identified that these are areas which need strengthening further in order to accelerate the learning of the most able children in these aspects. Leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage are good and mirror leadership in the rest of the school.

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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 108024 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 442257

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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 337 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gary Kerrigan Headteacher Wendy Walsh Date of previous school inspection 9 January 2013 Telephone number 0113 248 3095 Fax number 0113 240 3035 Email address w.walsh@corpusprimaryleeds.org 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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