Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566933 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: ggleaden@cfbt.com

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Mr Terry Carroll Headteacher St Joseph and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School Doncaster Lane Woodlands Doncaster South Yorkshire DN6 7QN

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Catholic Primary School, Doncaster

Following my visit to your school on 24 November 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on the findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Catholic Primary School, Doncaster

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in September 2014. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. At its previous section 5 inspection the school was also judged to require improvement.

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Catholic Primary School, Doncaster

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The school should take further action to:

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Catholic Primary School, Doncaster

continue to monitor and evaluate whether the regular time during the week for pupils to write at length is making a difference for pupils of all abilities and in all classes  make sure that actions identified in your planning documents have an end date so that the impact of different initiatives can be checked regularly  ensure that leaders of English and mathematics check frequently to make sure that reading, writing and numeracy are developed in all subjects so that improvement is evident and standards in all these subjects rise especially for the more able pupils  build on the systems already in place so that all governors develop their individual knowledge swiftly and that their challenge to all leaders is based on a secure understanding of the needs of all pupils and the quality of teaching within the school.

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Evidence

During the visit I met with you, the headteacher from your partner school, a representative of the local authority and two members of the governing body. We discussed the 2014 national test results, your school development plan and the report following the review of governance. You took me on a tour of the classrooms to see pupils at work and we also looked at a selection of pupils’ books.

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Context

A teacher has left on 31 October 2014 and their class is being taught by a temporary teacher prior to an appointment being made.

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Main findings

The inspection in September 2014 confirmed issues that you were aware of and had already started to change. For example, providing specific time in the week when all pupils have the opportunity to write at length using skills and knowledge learnt previously. It is too early to know whether this will be successful but early indications are positive. The writing books that we looked at show that there are examples of longer pieces of writing in many pupils’ books. Your monitoring of lessons suggests that there is more challenge for more able pupils, but as yet, not enough throughout the school.

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Main findings

When we looked at books, there is still too much variability in the quality of marking. This was also seen during the previous inspection. Marking must be of the highest quality in all books and pupils must be able to learn from the comments and respond. At times, pupils do respond but their work is not checked by teachers.

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Main findings

Your action plans are comprehensive. However, some actions are open-ended and in order to provide challenge within the school these need to be checked at regular intervals to make sure actions are making a difference, pupils are doing better and standards are rising. The governors to whom I spoke understand the need to improve provision within the school and are taking effective steps to improve their individual skills and knowledge. This means that they are better able to challenge you and other leaders and are less reliant on what they are told. Governors recognise the need to ensure that British values are being taught appropriately and consistently within all classes so that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Main findings

I may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

Working with other primary schools in the area is helping you move more confidently to using different ways of assessing pupils’ work and ensuring that the judgements made by teachers is correct and supported by evidence. You have made links with a local secondary school to provide mathematical challenge for more able pupils; it is, however, too early to judge the impact of this work. The local authority provides regular support and challenge to both you and the governors. This work is welcomed and they have a strong link with the local Diocese as all parties strive to ensure that pupils’ outcomes are improved.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for Doncaster.

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