Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School Kendal Road, Boothstown, Worsley, Manchester, Lancashire, M28 1AG

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 An ethos of a caring environment within a Christian context is the hallmark of this school. Family by name, family by nature is the key. This view is borne out by parents who are delighted with the school’s work and how well their children are looked after by staff.  The very effective headteacher and deputy headteacher work well together for the benefit of all the pupils. They have developed a strong team and have worked successfully to improve the quality of teaching and accelerate pupils’ achievement in recent years.  Pupils’ positive attitudes and good behaviour make a strong contribution to their learning. There are strong supportive relationships, which help pupils feel safe and secure.  Teaching is good throughout the school. This leads pupils to make good progress and their attainment is rising. The curriculum is interesting and varied. The programme for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

particularly strong.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils make good and improving progress so that by the time they leave Year 6 they reach above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children have a good start in the early years classroom and thrive in a caring, supportive and stimulating environment.  The ability of leaders and governors to carry on making improvements is good. There are rigorous arrangements for checking how the school is doing and for identifying what it needs to do to improve further.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils reach the higher levels of attainment in writing, particularly in Key Stage 1.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their writing skills in a variety of situations. They do not always have enough time to respond to comments and advice in teachers’ marking.  Some of the targets and criteria for measuring success within the school improvement plan are not as sharp as they could be in accelerating pupils’ progress and in improving the quality of their learning.  Subject and middle leaders do not have sufficient opportunities to check on how well pupils are achieving in order to bring about improvements.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in 16 lessons, including one observation carried out jointly with the headteacher. The inspectors also observed assembly and listened to pupils reading. They looked at examples of pupils’ work and observed pupils at lunchtime and break times.  The inspectors held meetings with pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. They spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.  The inspectors took account of 21 questionnaires returned by staff. There were 26 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and these were considered.  The inspectors looked a range of documents, including data on pupils’ current attainment and progress across the school, the school’s view of its own effectiveness, and how the school checks on the quality of teaching and learning.  The inspectors checked the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and looked at records relating to

p.2

Inspection team

Emma Jackson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Holy Family is a slightly smaller than average sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of educational need is below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  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.  Since the previous inspection there have a number of changes to the teaching staff.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further accelerate progress in writing so that more pupils achieve the higher levels of attainment, particularly at the end of Key Stage 1, by:  ensuring that marking allows pupils sufficient opportunities for pupils to respond to comments and make improvements  giving pupils more opportunities to apply their writing skills in a range of situations and subjects.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management even further by:  ensuring that plans for further improvement are clear and measurable in how they will help pupils make even better progress and improve the quality of their learning  providing more opportunities for subject and middle leaders to check on how well pupils are learning so that they can take decisive action to bring about improvements.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very effective leadership for the school. There is a relentless focus by senior leaders to improve the quality of teaching and learning in order to raise the quality of pupils’ achievement further. They are well supported by the governing body and have developed a strong staff team. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high.  The school is held in high regard by the parents who are fulsome in their praise for the school. One parent commented, ‘This is a great school. All the teachers know all the children and I really like that.’  Senior leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and use this information well in planning areas for improvement. Nevertheless, some of the targets for improving the school are not as sharp as they could be in accelerating pupils’ progress and improving the quality of their learning.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 A well-planned programme of staff training is in place. The monitoring of the performance of teachers is robust. Teachers are held rigorously to account through regular meetings to check on the progress of all pupils. This clearly demonstrates the school’s commitment to equality and in tackling discrimination. In addition, the support for newly qualified teachers is effective. Staff pay awards and performance management are closely linked to pupils’ achievement.  Subject and middle leaders are knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility. However, they are not always given enough opportunities to check on how well pupils are learning so they can take decisive action to raise achievement and improve the quality of teaching.  The extra funding for primary sport and physical education has been used effectively to pay for sports coaching from experts. This support is proving to be effective and, as a result, pupils achieve well in a

p.4

The leadership and management are good

range of sports, both in school and beyond. This helps pupils stay healthy and promotes their physical development and well-being.  The curriculum is wide and varied and caters well for the individual needs of pupils, particularly in relation to the development of the arts. There are good opportunities for pupils to be involved in a range of clubs and activities, such as an ‘Enterprise Day’. Pupils appreciate the range of trips and residential visits the school offers.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school and contributes effectively to the positive atmosphere in school and pupils’ good behaviour.  Pupils are given opportunities to learn about tolerance and respect for other cultures and religions as well as having opportunity to consider British values such as tolerance and liberty. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school has very good partnerships with other local schools and this is used well to ensure that there are good opportunities for teachers to develop their skills and reflect on their own practice.  The local authority provides light-touch support, because the school’s ability to manage and direct its own improvements is strong. The school works with a group of schools that support each other to improve the quality of teaching and raise achievement.  Senior leaders and governors are well placed to sustain improvements.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is effective. Governors are passionate about their school and determined to help it improve further. They make sure that school leaders are both supported and challenged. They know about the quality of teaching and the achievement of the pupils because they analyse data, visit school regularly and receive reports from the headteacher. Governors check that the pupil premium funding is

p.4

The leadership and management are good

spent wisely and has a positive impact on the performance of those eligible pupils. They make sure teachers’ pay is linked to their effectiveness and hold leaders to account for this. The governing body ensures staff and pupils are kept safe and that statutory duties, including sound financial management, are met.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They show respect for each other and staff; they are courteous, polite and well mannered. Pupils say they enjoy school. As one boy commented ‘we get excited sometimes, but that’s when we are learning new things’.  In lessons, pupils generally behave well. Very occasionally, if learning is not exciting, then one or two can become a little distracted, but this is rare.  Pupils play well on the playground together. Older pupils support and help younger children very well. For example, Year 6 pupils support children new to the Reception class in getting their lunch. A wide range of activities and equipment that pupils can access enhance playtimes.  The school environment is well looked after and attractive; impressive displays of pupils’ work are evident throughout the school and, as a result, pupils have a pride in their school and themselves.  The schools work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe and parents agree

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

that their children feel safe in school. Pupils are particularly well supervised by staff at all times.  Pupils say that there is no bullying in school. They have a good understanding of most forms of bullying and are certain that if it did occur it would be dealt with swiftly. However, pupils’ understanding of cyber- bullying and internet safety is not as well developed, particularly among younger pupils.  Attendance is above average. There are effective systems for checking pupils’ attendance and encouraging them to come to school regularly and on time.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good and improving. This has had a positive effect on pupils’ learning and achievement and, as a result, pupils make good progress throughout the school.  There are very good relationships between staff and pupils. This contributes effectively to a positive working atmosphere and pupils cooperate well with each other in pairs and in small groups.  Usually, the tasks set for pupils are based on a good understanding of their different abilities and skills. Throughout the school, activities are well planned and good use is made of a range of resources, including information and communication technology. This ensures that the majority of lessons are lively and interesting.  Teaching assistants are deployed effectively and good teamwork with teachers ensures all pupils, including those who are disabled and those with special educational needs, are well supported.  A strong feature of pupils’ work is very good presentation; this is a significant improvement since the last

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

inspection.  Reading is taught well. Pupils make at least good progress and some make outstanding progress. Pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to read and the school works well with parents to encourage this.  The teaching of writing is improving and teachers are now more creative in how they approach writing. For example, writing workshops on a residential visit allowed pupils opportunities to write for different audiences and using different stimuli. However, sometimes the emphasis on teaching the technical parts of writing, such as punctuation, means that some of the most able pupils, particularly in Key Stage 1, do write always write with as much flair and imagination as they could. They do always have sufficient opportunities to use and apply their writing skills in a range of different situations.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and specialist teachers, for example in music and physical

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

education, ensure that pupils make good progress in a range of subjects.  Teachers question pupils effectively to check their level of understanding. Opportunities to probe pupils understanding more deeply, particularly the most able pupils, are gathering pace.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and indicates where pupils have achieved success. However, marking does not consistently point out how work can be improved and pupils are not given opportunities to make improvements before moving on in their work. This sometimes hinders more rapid progress.  Parents believe that their children are taught well. Inspectors agree.

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

 From starting points that are typically as expected for their age when children start school, pupils’ achievement is good in all key stages and is improving strongly. By the end of Year 6, the standards of attainment reached are at least above, and often significantly above, average in reading, writing and mathematics.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics (letters and the sounds they make) screening check at the end of Year 1 has been above average for two years and is a result of effective teaching and targeted support for individual pupils.  In 2013, at the end of Key Stage 1, the proportion of pupils reaching Level 2 (the national expected level of attainment) in reading, writing and mathematics was above average. A below average proportion of pupils, however, reached the higher Level 3. Following improvements to provision and the school’s drive to raise standards, higher standards in Key Stage 1 are now evident. Results from teachers’ assessment of

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

pupils in Year 2 in 2014, for example, show that attainment in reading and mathematics is now particularly high, with more reaching the higher Level 3. Although attainment in writing has also improved, fewer pupils reach the higher Level 3. Senior leaders are now strongly focused on ensuring greater challenge for pupils in Key Stage 1 in writing.  In 2012 and 2013, pupils in Year 6 reached levels of attainment that were significantly above average and higher than those seen at the time of the previous inspection. Unvalidated results and school data about the attainment of Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2014, show that attainment has improved even further, including an increase in the proportions of pupils reaching the higher levels in writing.  Pupils read widely and often. Reading for enjoyment is promoted well. Currently, Year 2 pupils are making good progress in developing their reading skills and, by the end of Year 6, a high proportion of pupils

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

achieve the higher standards. This is because the school has done a great deal to raise the profile of reading and support work is planned effectively.  In Year 6 in 2013, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment was approximately half a term behind those of their classmates in mathematics and writing and approximately half a term ahead in reading. When compared to the attainment of non-disadvantaged pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils at Holy Family School were over one term ahead in reading and mathematics, but nearly two terms behind in writing. Current school data indicates that any in-school attainment gaps between different groups in the school are closing rapidly. This reflects the school’s commitment and effectiveness in promoting equality of opportunity and in tackling discrimination.  The most able pupils make good progress across Key Stage 2 from their Year 3 starting points, however, the lack of challenge for some of these pupils in Key Stage 1, means that on occasions some of these

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

pupils achieve less well in writing.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is closely checked and reviewed regularly. Carefully planned support that is well matched to the needs of these pupils, makes sure they make good, and in some cases outstanding, progress.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Children start school with skills and knowledge broadly in line and sometimes below that typical for their age, but this varies year-on-year. Nevertheless, all children get off to a good start, settle quickly and make great strides in their learning. As a result, by the time pupils enter Year 1 most children are working at the expected level for their age and a significant proportion leave with skills, which exceed this. This shows that children in the early years make good progress from their starting points; they achieve well and are very well equipped to start Year 1.  Children are extremely well cared for and nurtured. They are expected to quickly develop qualities such as independence and resilience and so within a short period of time they settle into a well-structured environment where activities match their stage of development.  Teaching is good and is characterised by high expectations for all children. All staff plan activities which

p.6

The early years provision is good

interest the children. Assessments of what each child already knows and can do are undertaken methodically and used to very good effect to ensure there is sufficient challenge and to support children in their next steps in learning. Staff work very well in partnership with parents, who are encouraged to contribute to assessments about how well their children are doing, both at school and at home.  Children behave very well. They listen attentively to adults and each other. Children are motivated and were keen to show inspectors around their classroom, pointing out places to play and learn.  Children are kept extremely safe. They are encouraged to explore their environment and take risks safely. For example, one girl said ‘at school you are allowed to use scissors by yourself’.  Leadership is strong. Leaders have ensured that children are taught well and learn in a warm, welcoming and well-resourced environment. They know that their next steps are to develop the outdoor area in order

p.6

The early years provision is good

to provide an even wider range of opportunities to learn.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 106504 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 448329

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

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 201 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr M McDonald Headteacher Mrs A Farrell Date of previous school inspection 9 February 2010 Telephone number 0161 790 2123 Fax number 0161 703 8378 Email address enquiries@admin.boothstownholyfamily.wigan.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9