St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Pudsey - A Voluntary Academy Mount Pleasant Road, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, LS28 7AZ

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 This successful school lives and breathes its motto of helping pupils to love, serve and achieve their full potential.  The steely determination and heartfelt passion of the headteacher to make the school the best it can be are shared by the whole school community. As a result, this is a very happy and caring school where pupils flourish and staff morale is high.  Pupils in all classes make good and sometimes better progress and achieve well from their different starting points.  Children in the early years settle quickly, make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1.  The quality of teaching is typically good and sometimes outstanding.  Pupils work hard and show a ‘can do’ mentality due to their highly positive relationships with staff.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good and sometimes outstanding. They are rightly proud of their school and enjoy learning. Their eagerness to learn is reflected in their above average and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improving attendance.  Highly positive relationships exist with parents who play a very active part in the life of the school. The school offers lots of good-quality guidance on how parents can support their children’s learning.  Excellent partnerships exist with a range of other schools to help to share good practice and improve the quality of teaching and learning.  Governors know the school extremely well and leave no stone unturned in helping the school to continue to improve. They share the passion and drive of the headteacher and provide skilled support and challenge to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils, particularly the most able, are not always provided with more demanding work quickly enough. This results in them not always achieving as well as they should, especially in mathematics.  Although improving, marking does not always help pupils to improve their work.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their mathematical skills in solving problems.  Plans to improve the quality of teaching and learning and the achievement of pupils are not always crystal clear in how their success will be measured. Middle leaders new to their role do not yet have all the skills they need to check how well their actions are working.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the learning of pupils in all classes in school and spoke to pupils both formally and informally about their views of school.  They also observed pupils’ work in lessons, in books and on display around school. They listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors checked on a range of school documentation including the school’s own view of its performance, plans for improvement, records of the quality of teaching and learning, the progress of pupils and also their behaviour.  The inspectors also checked on the work of governors and documents relating to safeguarding.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and groups of other school leaders. Inspectors also met governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through checking the results from the school’s own surveys of

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Information about this inspection

parental opinion. They considered the 67 responses to the on-line survey (Parent View.)  The inspectors also took account of the views of staff expressed in the 27 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Chris Maloney, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. A below average proportion of pupils are from other ethnic backgrounds and cultural traditions, including a few who are learning to speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding is well below average. This is additional government funding provided to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school has a number of awards, including the Leeds Advanced Healthy School award, the Stephen

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Information about this school

Lawrence Education Standard, the Primary Science Quality Mark (Bronze) and the Eco School Silver award. The school is also working towards Investor in Pupils status.  The school is part of the Bishop Wheeler Academy Trust and is a member of the Pudsey Family of schools.  St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Pudsey-A Voluntary Academy converted to become an academy school on March 1 2013. When its predecessor school, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Pudsey was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  There have been significant changes in staff since the predecessor school was last inspected, including the appointment of a new headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the quality of teaching to accelerate the achievement of pupils further, particularly in mathematics at the higher levels, by ensuring: - pupils, particularly the most able, are given harder work as soon as they are ready - marking consistently provides clear guidance on how pupils should improve their work and there are checks to see that pupils have responded to this advice - pupils have more opportunities to use and extend their mathematical skills in solving problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring:  actions planned by senior and middle leaders are always clear and precise in how their success in improving the achievement of pupils will be measured  middle leaders new to their role have the full range of skills they need to check on the effectiveness of their actions.

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The leadership and management are good

 The highly-skilled headteacher and the very able deputy headteacher have formed a strong partnership to drive the school forward. They lead by example and their passion for improving the school and high expectations are clear for all to see. The headteacher has galvanised the whole school community in sharing her determination to improve all aspects of the school and to ensure that the needs of the whole child are at the very heart of all the school does.  Staff morale is high because all feel valued and appreciated. A typical staff comment is, ‘Always a lovely atmosphere for children to learn. Staff are treated with respect.’ Staff are well supported and the headteacher in particular never shirks away from challenging staff to improve. Excellent opportunities exist for staff to share practice in school and with colleagues in other schools within the Bishop Wheeler Academy Trust and the Pudsey Family of Schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders have successfully tackled the dip in achievement in Year 6 in 2014, particularly in mathematics, by ensuring this was a whole-school priority and by special focus mathematics weeks. They regularly check on how well pupils are learning to ensure that any pupils who are in danger of underachieving are supported to catch up. This reflects their commitment to giving every pupil an equal opportunity to learn successfully. However, although plans for continuous improvement are well focused it is not always clear precisely how their success in improving the achievement of pupils is to be measured.  Middle leaders enthusiastically share the passion and drive of senior leaders in helping pupils achieve their full potential. However, although they undertake some checks on the success of their actions, those who are new to their role are still developing the skills they need to gauge their effectiveness fully.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils enjoy a wealth of interesting and stimulation opportunities to learn, often in themed topics that creatively combine subjects together. This is especially helpful in providing many exciting opportunities for writing. There is a very effective whole-school focus on improving achievement in mathematics and this is paying dividends in promoting key skills across the school. Senior leaders provide many exciting opportunities for pupils to learn musical instruments, such as the flute and guitar, and to learn French. Pupils are excited by the wide range of opportunities to take part in educational visits, to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, for example.  The school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. ‘World Faith’ weeks help pupils to celebrate and appreciate different traditions, cultures and beliefs in modern Britain. The school tackles any form of discrimination well and promotes very positive relationships with

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The leadership and management are good

the wider community.  Senior leaders and governors have used additional funding for physical education and sport well. Specialist sports coaching from St Marys Catholic High School, Menston, is helping teachers to improve their skills in teaching dance and gymnastics in particular. The school’s success in developing skipping saw them win a competition for schools across Leeds. Careful checks by staff show that pupils’ well being has improved, as a result also of participation in lunchtime activities such as ’Wake up-Shake up’ and in sports clubs in and out of school such as the martial arts club.  Very strong links exist with parents. They are very actively engaged in school life such as in the recent Mission Day to help review what the school is doing well and what could be improved. The vast majority of parents are highly supportive of the school and believe their children are safe and secure and learn

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The leadership and management are good

well.  The local authority has provided good support in relation to staff and governor training and in helping to check the accuracy of the school’s judgements on how well it is doing.  The governance of the school:  Governors are never complacent in their drive for continuous school improvement and in undertaking the training necessary to ensure that safeguarding meets requirements. They have managed the significant changes in staffing very well. They know a lot about the school, visit regularly and are allocated to classes and subjects so that they get an accurate insight into the work of staff and the progress of pupils.  They ensure they have the data they need to check on the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils compared to other schools locally and nationally. They provide just the right level of support and challenge to senior leaders. They ensure they reward good or better teaching and that teachers’ pay

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The leadership and management are good

rewards are closely linked to pupils making the progress they should.  Governors keep a keen eye on school finances and have made particularly effective use of additional funding, the pupil premium for example, to ensure that pupils eligible for support through it are progressing as well as others in school. They have made very good use of extra funding for physical education and sport, ensuring improvements to teaching, participation in activities and pupils’ well being.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Their pride in the school, positive attitudes and enjoyment in learning are reflected in their above average and improving attendance and their good achievement.  Pupils are extremely polite, well mannered and welcoming to visitors. They get on with each other very well and have particularly warm and positive relationships with staff. A typical pupil comment is, ‘Teachers always try their best for us so we can learn more. They always make learning fun.’  Pupils generally behave well and sometimes very well. However, when learning does not fully meet their needs some pupils lose concentration and drift off task, thus slowing the progress they make.  Pupils take their responsibilities to help others very seriously, such as fund raising for CAFOD, taking part in the Christmas shoe box appeal for children in the Philippines or during non-uniform days when they raise funds to support children with Down’s syndrome. They also relish the opportunities they have to take

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Behaviour

responsibility in school, such as being a school councillor or monitor.  Pupils develop their self-confidence and leadership skills well. As Year 6 pupils say, ‘Staying overnight in Howarth helps us prepare to spend time away from our families when we are older.’ Pupils enjoy a wealth of visits, visitors, sporting activities such as netball and tag rugby, instrumental tuition and opportunities to play chess.  Pupils’ respect for other cultures and beliefs is reflected in this pupil comment, ‘Being different can make you special. Everyone can believe in different things as long as you don’t harm anyone.’

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves and others safe. They have a good awareness of ‘stranger danger’ and how to keep safe on the internet. As pupils say, ‘Never give your identity away to someone you don’t know.’  Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. They say they have learned a lot about cyber bullying from special assemblies in school. They are confident that on the rare times bullying of any kind happens it is sorted out fairly by staff.  Parents show that they are confident their children feel safe and are kept safe and secure by their very positive and supportive responses to Parent View and also to the school’s own surveys.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and sometimes outstanding. Staff take every opportunity to forge meaningful relationships with pupils, thus building mutual respect which supports confident learning.  Teachers and support staff make learning fun and enjoyable. They use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting work, check closely on how well pupils are learning and to stretch their thinking. For example, in Year 4, the most able pupils were challenged to improve their written descriptions of characters using metaphors and similes. Skilled guidance by the teacher resulted in high-quality writing about Thor, such as ‘Every time his energy sapping hammer gets flying around, there is a tornado of gushing wind.’  However, the information on how well pupils are learning is not always used to provide them with more demanding work as soon as they are able. This hinders the progress pupils make, particularly the most

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The quality of teaching is good

able.  Reading is taught well and the quality of learning is improving as a result of confident use of accurate assessment. Staff encourage a genuine love of reading reflected in this pupil comment: ‘You know what I can do to a giant reading book? Hug it!’ Staff are increasingly confident in teaching writing skills because of the good quality training they receive. As a result, standards in writing are improving and pupils are enjoying the many opportunities they have to write.  The whole-school focus on improving the quality of learning in mathematics is having a positive impact on the engagement and progress of pupils, especially in calculation. Pupils enjoyed parents coming in to school during ‘Maths Week’ to show just how useful their mathematical skills were in their jobs.  The marking of pupils’ work is improving. Some excellent examples were seen of pupils being given precise guidance on how to improve their work and time to respond to the advice given. However, this is

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards across school are rising. In 2013, standards by the end of Year 2 were above average overall, rising in 2014 to significantly above average overall and significantly above average in reading. In Year 6 in 2013, attainment was significantly above average overall and significantly above average in reading, writing, mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Although standards dipped in Year 6 in 2014, particularly in relation to the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels in mathematics, records of the progress of pupils over time clearly show that the vast majority of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, the most able and those with special educational needs made good progress.  The work of current pupils across school and records of their progress show that they, too, are progressing well. Standards in Year 6 are rising in reading, writing and particularly in mathematics, where

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The achievement of pupils is good

many more pupils are on track to achieve the higher levels. Current pupils in school use information and communication technology (ICT) resources well to support their learning.  The work of disadvantaged pupils in school and records of their progress show they are achieving as well as others in school and sometimes better. In Year 6 in 2014, there were too few pupils supported by the additional funding to draw meaningful conclusions about their performance in relation to others.  Pupils from minority ethnic heritages, including the few who speak English as an additional language make good and sometimes outstanding progress from their starting points due to the skilled and caring support they receive. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also receive impressive support and make good and sometimes better progress in their studies.  In 2014 in Year 6, the proportions of pupils making better-than-expected progress was above average in

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The achievement of pupils is good

writing but below in reading and mathematics. The proportions of pupils reaching the higher level 5 was broadly average overall and in reading, above average in writing but below average in mathematics. Above average numbers of pupils attained the high level 6 in writing.  The most able pupils are now making better progress because teachers are using skilled questioning and harder work that stretch their abilities and deepen their understanding. However, this is not yet consistent in all classes.  Pupils make good progress in reading due to skilled teaching and well targeted additional support. In the 2014 Year 1 national screening check on reading, above average proportions of pupils showed their good understanding of the sounds that letters make (Phonics). Pupils’ become increasingly able readers and demonstrate a real love of reading. As Year 6 pupils say, ‘We love getting in to the characters’ points of

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The achievement of pupils is good

view’.  Standards in writing are rising throughout school, due to skilled teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar and many different and exciting opportunities for pupils to write. The writing of some of the most able reflects excellent use of vocabulary and maturity of ideas. Pupils particularly enjoy working with partners to identify how to improve their writing.  In mathematics, pupils are achieving well because of the whole school focus on the consolidation of calculation skills. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to use these skills in solving increasingly complex mathematical problems and this hinders the progress of the most able in particular.

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The early years provision is good

 The well established links with parents, the on-site private Nursery and other pre-school settings ensure that children waste no time in settling in and getting off to a flying start.  Children generally enter Reception with the skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. A proportion, however, are below these levels. All children, including the most able and those with special educational needs, make good progress. The proportion of children who reach a good level of development is well above the national average.  Teaching in the early years is typically good. Staff take every opportunity to nurture children’s interests and create trusting and warm relationships that help them feel safe and secure. The staff use their good understanding of the ways young children learn and develop to capture children’s interests and encourage inquisitive learning. Staff skilfully record children’s progress in the good-quality learning journals. There is

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The early years provision is good

a good range of activities led by adults and those which children choose for themselves.  Children develop their early reading, writing and mathematical skills well. They demonstrate increasing confidence in recognising the sounds that letters make or in writing tricky letters. Children quickly recognised numbers when number hunting in the outside area, for example.  The behaviour of children is good. They are eager to learn, play and learn safely, share sensibly and wait patiently to take turns. Rigorous risk assessments keep children safe.  The leadership of the early years is good. The leader shares the headteacher’s vision for continuous improvement and has a clear understanding of strengths and areas for further development. Highly positive links exist with parents who play an active role in their children’s learning and are actively engaged in supporting this at home.

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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 139350 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 448705

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 219 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nick Reed Headteacher Alison Ashworth Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 0113 256 5407 Fax number 0113 255 7449 Email address a.ashworth@stjosephspudsey.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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