St Modwen's Catholic Primary School

St Modwen's Catholic Primary School Tutbury Road, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 0AJ

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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 Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a good school

 The headteacher has brought about significant improvement since the last inspection by rightly focusing on improving pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.  The arrangements for managing teachers’ performance have led to some improvements in teaching. Senior staff and subject leaders rigorously check the quality of work in pupils’ books to ensure that they are making sufficient progress.  Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress and achieve well, particularly in Key Stage 2. Most pupils make at least expected progress in writing. Achievement is consistently good in mathematics.  The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is done well, and this is bringing about improvements in reading as pupils move through the school.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and their conduct in and around the school is sometimes exemplary. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe.  Teaching over time is good, as shown in the

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This is a good school

standard of work in pupils’ books. The quality of teaching is particularly effective in Key Stage 2.  Staff with additional responsibilities for the management of information about pupil progress, and those leading mathematics and English, have a strong grasp of their role and work very effectively together.  Provision in the early years is well-led and helps children develop an early interest in learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and pupils become caring and thoughtful young citizens. The school promotes values of liberty, tolerance and respect effectively through its well-planned and imaginative curriculum.  Governors support and challenge the school effectively and are ambitious for its continuing improvement. They have ensured that procedures for safeguarding pupils are outstanding.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is some variation in the quality of teaching. Work does not consistently challenge the most able pupils.  Teachers do not always check that pupils tackle the areas for improvement they identify when marking pupils’ work.  The school does not always communicate to the best effect with parents and carers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 19 lessons. Some of these observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors also looked in detail at the work in pupils’ books and heard several pupils read.  Planned and informal discussions were held with pupils throughout the inspection.  There were discussions with the headteacher, including in her temporary role as special educational needs coordinator. There were also discussions with the data manager, which also covered his role as mathematics leader, and with the Early Years leader.  Inspectors spoke to members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  There were 60 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors also spoke to several parents and carers, and received communications from a small number of other parents. Inspectors took account of 18 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s own information about pupils’

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Information about this inspection

learning and progress. They also took account of documents and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Sue Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  At 13%, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  At 54%, just over half the pupils are from a range of minority ethnic groups, which is well above the national average. Most of these pupils speak English as an additional language, which is also well above the national average. Many of these pupils are of Polish or Indian heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is 14% and broadly in line with the national average.  The school moved to new premises during the summer. There are currently two parallel classes in Reception and Years 1 and 2, with one class in each Key Stage 2 year. Reception children attend on a full- time basis. There is provision to increase numbers to two classes in all years and open an on-site Nursery.

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Information about this school

 The school currently has no deputy headteacher or substantive special educational needs coordinator in post. Three classes are taught by staff new to the school this term or in different roles.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which is the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching in all classes consistently matches the quality of the best in the school by:  checking that activities are sufficiently challenging for pupils of all abilities, especially the most able  making sure that the marking of pupils’ work identifies what they need to improve and ensure that teachers and pupils revisit these areas in subsequent work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend links with parents to ensure they have confidence that the school listens, and where appropriate responds, to their concerns.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong and very determined leadership, clearly focused on maintaining the good behaviour that is a long-established strength of the school, while improving the achievement of all pupils. This has been pivotal in moving the school forwards and increasing the rate of progress pupils make, especially in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff with additional responsibilities, such as the subject leaders for mathematics and English and the teacher responsible for managing pupils’ performance data are very effective in supporting the drive to improve pupils’ progress. These key staff not only model very effective teaching but also have a good grasp of their role in checking pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Following the previous inspection, which identified the need to improve aspects of teaching, work was undertaken to identify where pupils made good progress and why some made less than expected improvement. Significant action has been taken to address these short-comings and achievement is now good overall.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has developed a good programme for regularly and rigorously monitoring the work in pupils’ books. This helps identify when individuals or groups are in danger of underachieving. Leaders ensure that well-tailored support is immediately provided, including, where relevant, for disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those new to learning English. Support for more-able pupils is in place but is being reviewed by senior leaders to ensure it fully challenges the most-able.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems for monitoring both teachers’ and pupils’ performance are good. Where weaker teaching has been identified a structured programme of support is quickly put in place, which has often led to improvements. As a result, teaching is now good. Leaders accurately recognise more remains to be done so that teaching in all classes consistently matches the quality of the best in the school, including supporting staff new to the school in Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership of the early years is effective and ensures a range of activities is provided for children of different abilities including those at the early stages of learning English.

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The leadership and management are good

 Assessment is thorough and provides leaders and teaching staff with a clear picture of how well pupils are doing. The school has reviewed its approach to assessment, in the light of the recent changes to the National Curriculum.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has worked successfully to review its curriculum to ensure it is broad and balanced and meets pupils’ needs as well as statutory requirements. This helps teachers prepare pupils for the next stage of their education and for life in modern Britain. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is outstanding. School assemblies regularly address important topics such as ‘The Wednesday Word’ in order explore key themes such as ‘things that are sacred’. The school has established numerous links with organisations whose speakers and work programmes help expand pupils’ horizons and enliven their learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school takes great care to ensure the safeguarding of all its pupils and procedures meet current requirements. The school is diligent in ensuring that the necessary checks are made of staff suitability to work in school and in following procedures for the employment of staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good use is made of pupil premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well, making very good progress in writing, for example, in 2014. This illustrates the school’s commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity for all and countering discrimination of any kind.

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The leadership and management are good

 Primary school physical education and sports funding is used effectively. The school works closely with various organisations and the local secondary school. Very successful work with a football coach is helping to improve staff and pupils’ skills.  The local authority has provided effective support for the school in its drive to improve. Senior staff have also worked closely with Her Majesty’s Inspectors following the last inspection, particularly in developing more effective procedures to check the work in pupils’ books. This illustrates the school’s good capacity to continue to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The majority of parents and carers are satisfied with the quality of education and care provided for their children. Some speak with warmth about how those new to speaking English are welcomed. They recognise the huge amount of work in planning and building the new school, and moving to the site.

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The leadership and management are good

 A significant minority of parents, however, do not believe the school is well-led and managed or that staff listen to or take account of their concerns. Inspectors found evidence that suggests that the majority of parents are correct in their view that the school is led effectively, but agree that there is scope to extend the way in which staff consult and communicate with parents.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good and the governors support the school well. They have developed their role in challenging what is provided for the pupils since the last inspection and have been instrumental in supporting the building programme and expansion of the school. Records show they engage in more in- depth discussion about the progress pupils make and that governors are increasingly well-informed about the quality of teaching. There are links with key subject leaders, including for English and mathematics, which ensure governors focus on school improvement and not just on pastoral matters.  Governors are increasingly successful in holding leaders to account for the school’s performance. They are generally well-informed about the trends shown in pupil performance data and are now able to stand back and act as a critical friend of the school by asking and pursuing pertinent lines of enquiry.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors recognise the need to take evidence of teachers’ impact on achievement into account when making decisions about teachers’ pay progression. They have been fully involved in difficult decisions about the management of teacher’s performance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good overall and their conduct in and around the school is sometimes exemplary. This was illustrated in assemblies where even the youngest children behaved extremely well with very ‘light-touch’ supervision. Pupils’ attendance is above the national average.

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Behaviour

 As pupils move through the school they consistently maintain good behaviour in a wide range of activities. For example, because of their excellent behaviour and enthusiasm, Year 6 pupils were nominated and chosen to attend the Football Association headquarters as local ambassadors during the inspection.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are generally good. Most show an interest and enthusiasm for learning, especially in Key Stage 2. This was illustrated when virtually the whole of the Year 5 class were extremely keen to answer questions and offer their ideas of how to improve their writing about the Second World War. Pupils of all ages say they love their new school and many particularly like mathematical activities.

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Behaviour

 Very occasionally younger pupils do not try their hardest. There are examples of work in pupils’ books, in Year 2, where from time to time not enough care has been taken with presentation, spelling or grammar.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have a very clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe and most recognise that their behaviour can have an impact on others. Older pupils clearly explain that bullying is a deliberate and repeated action. They understand what racism could be and are confident that all groups of pupils get on well together in school.

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Safety

 Pupils understand the dangers of social media. They know that the derogatory use of words such as ‘gay’ is unacceptable, Pupils are fully confident that there are people to talk to should they have any concerns. While most pupils recognise their words and actions can be hurtful, a small number of pupils are not as aware of the feelings of others.

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Safety

 Pupils’ understanding of risk and dangers is developed well through Key Stage assemblies and class discussions. The checks made in school to keep everyone safe are rigorous and the new school site is secure.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching over time is good and promotes pupils’ learning well. This was clear from the pupils’ work that inspectors reviewed, the information on pupils’ progress and the learning inspectors observed in classrooms. Teaching is particularly strong in Key Stage 2. Leaders are working to replicate the quality of the best teaching in all classes in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All staff have strong working relationships with pupils, a strength which is valued by parents. Staff praise the efforts of all pupils, including those who initially have limited English, as well as disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. This helps them settle happily, grow in confidence and flourish.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff in Key Stage 2 often use questions and follow up challenges particularly effectively to check pupils’ understanding and to encourage higher-level answers. This was notable in teaching in Year 5, where questions of ‘and what else’ or ‘how could we improve it’ were used effectively in well-paced discussions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics is good. Staff have good subject knowledge in this area and have benefited from professional development activities which raised expectations of what the pupils could achieve. The teaching of writing and mathematics is also good and monitored well by subject leaders who work enthusiastically and effectively with new staff in a coaching role.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff plan activities well with linked tasks often containing three levels of challenge for groups of different abilities. Occasionally, though, planning is not specific enough and the level of work is insufficiently challenging, particularly for the most able pupils in Key Stage 1. On a few occasions, the reliance on a published scheme of work limits the pupils’ interest in mathematical activities.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers explain activities and key learning points carefully to pupils and use demonstrations well, including in physical education activities, to focus on how skills can be improved. Occasionally in Key Stage 1 and the early years, tasks are not set out as clearly and children are unsure of what they have to do or how to improve.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work is carried out conscientiously but is of varying quality. Sometimes this does not clearly identify what needs to be improved. Weaknesses are not always re-visited by pupils or staff to ensure they are addressed.

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is good

 Children enter the school from a variety of backgrounds and with a range of experiences, with a growing number in the early stages of learning to speak English. This means that initially skills are below what is typical for their age and several lack confidence in their ability to communicate with others. Children settle well and make progress in all areas of their learning and sometimes progress is rapid. When they enter Key Stage 1 many achieve what is expected for their age.

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is good

 In the Year 1 national checks in 2014, pupils’ phonics skills were better than the national average. Data from these checks show there has been considerable improvement in this area in the last two years following whole-school work to develop the teaching of phonic skills.

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is good

 The progress that pupils make as they move through the school is now good and boys and girls achieve equally well. This improved picture is not yet reflected in national test results. There has been a pattern of uneven progress in recent years. As a result, national tests at the end of Year 6 dipped to below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, last year. However, the school’s information on pupils’ current progress, supported by inspectors’ scrutiny of pupils’ work show that pupils are now making faster progress and standards are rising.

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is good

 Most pupils across the school read well and with enjoyment. Younger pupils particularly like a new range of books with a focus on phonic knowledge helping them work out unfamiliar words.

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is good

 Most pupils also write well. Data indicate that in 2014 progress in writing was not as strong as other areas but the sample of recent work and school monitoring show this is better for current cohorts. This was illustrated when those in Year 5 made excellent progress in learning to develop personification in their writing by using the sounds and pictures from the Second World War to create their own word images.

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is good

 Pupils make good progress in mathematics. Older pupils particularly enjoy the ‘real’ context of problem- solving activities, as shown when making excellent progress in Year 3 work on addition and subtraction.

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is good

 In 2014 disadvantaged pupils entitled to support from the pupil premium were just over a term behind their classmates in mathematics, about a term behind in reading but about a term ahead of their classmates in writing. Recent data indicate a positive picture with any gaps narrowing.

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is good

 More-able pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 in all areas of their work. In Key Stage 1, some more-able pupils do not consistently work at the higher levels, including in writing and mathematics.

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is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similarly good progress to all other groups. These pupils benefit from carefully planned support which meets their individual needs well.

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is good

 Pupils speaking English as an additional language often make rapid progress in their acquisition of key language skills and grow in confidence. Several parents who spoke to inspectors were warm in their praise of what the school does to help their children settle and the school’s clear expectations that all such pupils will do well.

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is good

 Pupils develop healthy lifestyles through a range of physical education activities, including those supported through funding for primary school physical education and sport. The school is active in developing links with sports coaches and schools. The impact of this has been a greater proportion of pupils attending activities out of school and more participation in competitions in a range of sports.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter one of the two parallel Reception classes with mixed early skills that overall are below what is typical for their age. Their skills are a little weaker in their personal and social development, and in communicating with others, than other areas. Children of all abilities and from all backgrounds make good progress. Those who speak a range of languages at home settle well and often make rapid progress in speaking English. Disabled children and those who have special educational needs and the more-able achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Leadership and management of the early years provision is good. The leader models good teaching skills, as shown when helping children to learn about letters and the sounds they make. In one well-planned activity children wrote simple sentences about Bonfire night. Following the teacher’s good modelling of how to write such a sentence and lots of discussion about the words they could use, the more-able children set about the task with enthusiasm.

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The early years provision is good

 Teaching in the early years is good. Work in children’s learning journals shows a good range of activities and a level of challenge that usually matches the children’s different abilities. Good use is made of the secure outdoor areas to promote language, social and physical development. In instances where teaching is less effective, staff are not as aware of the children’s ability level. Therefore, for example, tasks were not well matched to their limited understanding of the story of Guy Fawkes.

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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 124326 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 442552

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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 285 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Prof Paul Bowen Headteacher Amanda Newbold Date of previous school inspection 20 November 2012 Telephone number 01283 239050 Email address office@st-modwens.staffs.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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