St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Otley

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Otley Manor Square, Otley, Leeds, LS21 3AP

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy 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

 The good achievement and secure well-being of pupils are at the heart of this industrious and caring school.  The senior leaders, managers and governors are highly ambitious for the school and are determined to build on recent improvements in order to raise further the achievement of all pupils.  The diligent monitoring of teaching ensures its good quality. At times, it is outstanding. Teachers are particularly effective in devising activities that engage and capture pupils’ interests.  Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average particularly in reading and writing. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and disadvantaged pupils make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils behave well. They show kindness towards each other and are friendly and confident with visitors.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe in a range of situations.  The school provides extremely well for pupils’

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The early years gives children a good start to their education. They achieve well and play an active part in the life of the school.  Attendance is above average.  Parents are pleased with the work of the school, especially the way that their children are cared for.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In some classes, there is insufficient challenge for the most able pupils. As a result, their progress is not as rapid as that of other pupils.  Occasionally, boys in early years do not achieve as well as girls.  Achievement in mathematics has not kept pace with that in reading and writing.  Marking in mathematics does not make clear the next steps in pupils’ learning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons or parts of lessons, three of which were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. They looked at a range of pupils’ work and heard a number of pupils from Years 2 and 6 read.  Meetings took place with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors also met with the Chair of the Governing Body, and other members, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress and records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors observed playtimes and lunch breaks. Displays around school and also in classrooms were scrutinised.  Inspectors took into account 49 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as the results of a parent questionnaire carried out by the school. Informal conversations were held with a number of

p.2

Information about this inspection

parents during the inspection.  The views of staff and pupils were also considered.

p.2

Inspection team

Christine Millett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 St Joseph’s converted to become an academy on 1 March 2013 becoming part of the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, also known as St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  This is an average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is well below that found nationally. The pupil premium is additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  Early years consists of one full-time Reception class.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for

p.3

Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  Since the predecessor school was inspected in 2009, there have been a number of changes in staffing, including the appointment of a new headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The school works closely with other schools in the trust as well as with the Otley family of schools.  The school holds a daily breakfast club.  A section 48 inspection of religious education took place in July 2014.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding in order to raise standards and accelerate progress further, particularly in mathematics by:  raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons by ensuring there is a good level of challenge, particularly for the most able pupils  providing pupils with practical experiences related to everyday life in which they can develop and apply their mathematical skills  improving the quality of marking in mathematics so it is more informative and matches that in writing  being alert to the interests and needs of boys in early years in order to engage them fully in their learning and accelerate progress.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led by the headteacher who works closely with her staff and with the Chair of the Governing Body. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are ambitious and committed to the school’s on-going development. Senior leaders create a strong culture of care, support and respect across the school.  Pupils’ progress and achievement are monitored closely by the headteacher and governors. Each pupil is known well as an individual and so this means that pupil performance is tracked closely and support is targeted effectively. This is beginning to have an impact and recent improvements shows the school continues to have good capacity to improve.  Middle leaders, including those in charge of subject areas, undertake checks on performance across the school. Regular lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work take place. They have used information gathered in this way to determine the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. For example, leaders

p.4

The leadership and management are good

have already identified that achievement in mathematics is not as strong as that in reading and writing and are taking steps to bring about improvement.  Staff have appropriately challenging targets for improving their performance, which focus on pupils’ achievement and their own areas of responsibility. Teachers know what constitutes good practice and how their pay increases only when targets are met. All staff, including support staff, have every opportunity to develop their skills through relevant training.  School leaders ensure there is equality of opportunity for all pupils. Funding through the pupil premium is used carefully to help to provide support for disadvantaged pupils so that they make at least similar rates of progress to their classmates.  The range of subjects taught is wide and varied. Subjects are taught in themed topics which engage the interests of pupils. The half-termly, whole-school theme weeks such as the recent ‘Mystery Week’ are

p.4

The leadership and management are good

extremely popular with pupils. The curriculum is enriched further through visits, residential trips and a wide range of well-attended after-school clubs.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at the heart of much of the work of the school. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the care they receive and their relationship with adults and each other, indicating a good level of social and moral development. They have many opportunities to show off their musical and performance talents to parents, staff and governors. They attend the local church regularly and also have the opportunity to learn about other faiths and cultures. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern day Britain.  The primary school physical education and sport funding has been used to develop a good range of sporting opportunities as well as activities which promote an active lifestyle. These are available to pupils

p.4

The leadership and management are good

of all ages. Individual teachers receive training to increase their skills. The school takes advantage of the increasing number of sports events arranged through their close ties with other schools in the area.  The early years provision is well led and this enables almost all children to settle quickly, enjoy learning and make good progress in the Reception class.  The school works closely with parents, who are supportive of the school. Parents who spoke to inspectors were pleased with the school and all it offers their children.  The school enjoys a good relationship with the local authority that continues to provide extensive and good support for senior leaders in their quest to raise achievement further.  The school is part of a strong alliance of other schools in the local area as well as those within the academy trust. These partnerships are used very effectively to share expertise and ensure assessments of

p.4

The leadership and management are good

pupils’ work are accurate. They also enable governors to compare their school with other similar schools.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is both strong and effective in the undertaking of its role to support and challenge the school. Governors understand the performance management of the headteacher and how the performance of other staff links to salary progression. They receive valuable information from school leaders about the progress of pupils and make regular visits to the school to gain accurate and comprehensive first-hand views. They are provided with relevant information which enables them to have an objective view of the quality of teaching and provide effective support to senior leaders managing teachers’ pay awards. Training needs have been identified through self-evaluation and suitable training attended.  Governors are effective in managing the finances of the school. They have a good understanding of

p.4

The leadership and management are good

how the pupil premium and sport funding are used and the benefits they provide for pupils in the school. Governors make sure that they meet their statutory responsibilities. For example, safeguarding requirements are in place, effective and reviewed regularly.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say that they like school and use such words as ‘fun’, ‘caring’, ‘loving’ and ‘interesting’ to describe it. They particularly enjoy the topic weeks and spoke enthusiastically about these.  In lessons, pupils behave well and generally show positive attitudes to learning. However, occasionally the attention of some wanders when the work is not challenging enough.  Pupils behave well around school. They are smart and wear their school uniform with pride. Older pupils respond well to the opportunities to take responsibility for younger pupils as ‘young leaders’. Younger pupils say they feel happy in the playground.  Children in the Reception class are introduced to school rules and expectations so that they are able to join in with whole school activities. A small number find it difficult to adapt to new routines at this early point in their school life.  Attendance is above average and staff work hard to ensure it remains so.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils of all ages say they feel safe in school and the overwhelming majority of parents confirm this view. Effective supervision at playtimes ensures pupils are safe and first aid is available should it be needed.  Staff in early years carry out daily risk assessments of the outdoor area and equipment to ensure children come to no harm.  The school provides a good range of age-appropriate activities to help pupils learn to stay safe, including the safe use of information and communication technology.  Pupils say bullying is rare but that they can turn to any adult in school for immediate help if needed. Memorable events such as anti-bullying week raise pupils’ awareness of the different forms of bullying.  Systems and procedures to safeguard pupils meet requirements. They are well managed and regularly checked by governors.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Good quality teaching has helped bring about improvements in pupils’ achievement over time, particularly in reading and writing. As a result of additional training for staff and new resources, improvements are now being seen in mathematics. However, pupils do not engage sufficiently in practical activities in order to develop and use basic skills in everyday situations.  One of the features of the outstanding teaching is the particularly strong subject knowledge that teachers have. Consequently, pupils are inspired by this knowledge and are keen to learn and become fascinated by the tasks in hand. Teachers are willing to share their expertise with colleagues and all are starting to benefit from the best practice that already exists in school.  Staff encourage pupils to develop confidence in speaking and listening by giving them opportunities to discuss their work and express their views.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good support through targeted

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

tuition and specialist resources and activities. Such good quality additional help is often provided by well- trained support staff who contribute much to pupils’ achievement. Support assistants record what has been achieved by pupils in group sessions, keeping the teacher well informed.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and pupils are expected to respond to their teachers’ comments. This helps them to understand for themselves what they need to do in order to improve further their learning. However, the marking of pupils’ work in mathematics is not as good as in literacy in that it does not inform pupils of what they need to do next to improve.  Teaching in early years is good. Children develop their skills and abilities well through an interesting range of activities and experiences. However, the more specific needs of boys are occasionally overlooked.  Attractive, high-quality displays of pupils’ work are visible in classrooms and throughout the school. These

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

reflect the range of subjects taught and celebrate pupils’ achievement. For example, a writer of the week is chosen from each class and their work is displayed in the foyer and serves to encourage all pupils to do their best.

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

 Over the past two years, pupils throughout the school have achieved well and current work shows that progress continues to be good and improving.  Children achieve well in the early years. Overall, they start school with skills and knowledge that are broadly typical for their age. However, early assessments show that a small proportion of boys have skills and knowledge that are below typical for their age in reading and writing and physical development at the start of their Reception Year. They are starting to catch up with most pupils nationally as they enter Year 1.  In 2013 and 2014, an above-average proportion of Year 1 pupils scored well in the national check on phonics skills (the knowledge of letters and the sounds they make), reflecting good teaching of early reading.  Standards in the national assessments at the end of Year 2 were similar to those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics in 2013 and 2014. However, in 2014 the proportion of pupils achieving

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

higher levels than most pupils nationally was much improved. An above average proportion reached the highest levels in reading and writing. Mathematics remained similar to that found nationally. Current pupils in Year 2 made good progress in Year 1 and a significant proportion are already at a standard above that expected for their age in reading and mathematics.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 in 2013 was slightly above average in reading but below in mathematics. Results in writing were better. The proportion reaching higher levels than most pupils nationally were also above average in reading and writing, and below in mathematics. In 2014, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics improved with a greater proportion of pupils reaching the highest levels.  The most able pupils attain high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the proportion making more than the progress expected of them from their starting points, was average indicating that a

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

proportion of the most able are not being challenged to reach their full potential.  The most recent data and work in pupils’ books shows that pupils in Year 6 are already working at levels which are well above those typical for their age. Achievement in other classes is also showing significant proportions of pupils making good levels of progress and achieving well in reading and writing with that in mathematics being more variable.  Pupils regularly make good progress in reading and build on the secure start they make in early years and Key Stage 1. Pupils read with confidence and discuss eagerly and knowledgeably the attributes of their favourite authors.  As the proportions of pupils in some groups are so small, the school tracks rigorously their achievement as individuals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is small. However, pupils receive extra help tailored to their needs which ensures they make good progress.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 It is not possible to measure in a meaningful way any gaps between the performance of disadvantaged pupils and others nationally as the numbers of disadvantaged pupils are so small. Within school, disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as, and sometimes better than, their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ good levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy skills ensure that they are able to access all areas of the curriculum and those leaving school at the end of Year 6 are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Good leadership of early years ensures good teaching and accurate assessments. The resources and quality of the learning environment are good. Activities interest and engage children so that they enjoy their learning. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children’s achievements by recording ‘star moments’ in their children’s ‘learning journeys’.  Overall, children start school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. However, the skills and knowledge of some boys are below those of girls. During their time in early years, children make good progress from their starting points. By the end of the year, a larger-than-average proportion of children have reached a good level of development and they are ready for learning in Year 1.  The quality of teaching over time is good. Teachers and support staff use a wide range of activities to make sure all children enjoy their work and activities make use of both the indoor and outdoor areas.

p.6

The early years provision is good

Children were observed having great fun hiding from polar bears in the igloo, developing their knowledge of the world.  Children start in Reception with very different pre-school experiences. All are made to feel welcome by the caring and committed staff. Routines enable children to play and learn together happily and safely. They are able to talk about class rules such as ‘be kind to each other,’ ‘always try our best,’ and ‘tidy up’. Their behaviour is generally good.

p.7

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.8

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.8

School details

Unique reference number 139355 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 448652

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diane Gaskin Headteacher Cecilia Knight Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01943 463840 Fax number 01943 464191 Email address c.knight@stjosephsotley.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 .

p.9

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

School details

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

p.10