Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School

School report Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School

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Little Ealing Lane, Ealing, London, W5 4EA

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, the school’s leaders, including the governors, have managed to maintain good teaching. This is despite substantial changes in staffing at all levels.  Leaders have created a positive ethos where pupils thrive and parents feel welcome. They have achieved stability and the school is now well placed to improve further.  Pupils’ good attainment has been maintained and has been well above average in reading, writing and mathematics for the past three years.  Children in the early years provision reach above average standards thanks to a vibrant and stimulating environment and effective teaching.  Pupils make good progress from their different starting points. They have very positive attitudes and enjoy learning.  Pupils feel safe and are confident that staff have their best interests at heart. They behave well and show consideration for each other around the school. Bullying is rare and parents agree that the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school is a warm and friendly community.  The school is ably led by the headteacher who promotes a strong set of shared values which contribute well to the pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils do not reach the higher levels at the end of Years 2 and 6, particularly in writing.  Teachers do not sufficiently challenge or engage the most-able pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 14 lessons or part-lessons. Five observations were made with the headteacher or the assistant headteacher. Inspectors also made a number of additional short visits to classrooms.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at work from each year group, much of this with the headteacher and the assistant headteacher.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plan, records of pupils’ behaviour and safety, and attendance records. They also looked at information on the progress of individual pupils, records of checks on the quality of teaching and the governing body minutes.  Inspectors met with pupils, interviewed a sample of staff and spoke to parents. They also spoke to members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The views of parents were obtained through the school’s own surveys and the 88 responses to the online

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Information about this inspection

survey, Parent View. Two written submissions from parents were also considered, as were written comments from 33 members of staff.

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Inspection team

Brian Netto, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Mount Carmel is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Children in the early years are taught in a part-time Nursery and two full-time Reception classes.  Nearly half of the pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being Any Other White. About half of the pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds speak English as an additional language.  The pupil premium provides support for about one in 20 pupils, which is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils who are in the care of the local authority or known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is about one in 20, below the national average.  The breakfast club and after-school clubs are not managed by the governing body and are inspected separately.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed. There have also been significant changes in teaching staff, including those with extra responsibilities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the attainment of the most-able pupils in writing and mathematics, so that they attain the higher levels at the end of Years 2 and 6, by ensuring that teachers:  make regular checks on what the pupils are doing during lessons so that writing activities are not too easy  consistently use the ‘school’s marking system, giving pupils precise guidance on what they need to do to improve their writing  provide activities which challenge pupils to apply their mathematical skills in investigating problems  help pupils to become confident in their use of mathematical language.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders, including the governors, have sustained the quality of teaching and maintained pupils’ high levels of attainment since the last inspection. This is despite significant changes in staff at all levels. The school’s good leadership and management and the stability now achieved mean that the school is well placed to improve further.  The headteacher has introduced checks on the performance of staff; these are closely linked to how well pupils are doing. Staff are very clear about what is expected of them. Where necessary, action is taken to improve weak teaching. This ensures that pay awards reflect the best practice in the school. Staff appreciate the support and training which help them to achieve their goals. As a consequence, morale is high.  Teachers with extra responsibilities, play a strong role in checking on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching in their subjects and year groups. Evidence about how well pupils are doing is widely shared

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The leadership and management are good

amongst the staff, helping school leaders to maintain an accurate picture of pupils’ performance.  A vibrant and stimulating curriculum is built around a broad range of engaging topics. Pupils learn about the cultures and lifestyles of different people and about the shared values of the wider United Kingdom. As one pupil put it, ‘I enjoy looking at the similarities in religions.’ The curriculum is suitably broad and makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school makes effective use of the pupil premium to support the academic and personal development of disadvantaged pupils. Additional support is provided in classes so pupils’ needs are well met.  The primary sport funding has been used effectively to promote pupils’ healthy lifestyles. Specialist sports coaches provide expert teaching and also guidance for class teachers who are becoming more confident in

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The leadership and management are good

the teaching of physical education.  The vast majority of parents are very happy with the school and consider it to be warm and friendly. One parent’s comment reflects that of many: ‘There is a lovely community feel at this school.’  The local authority helps leaders gain an accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and main priorities for improvement. It has also helped to make accurate assessments of how well pupils achieve across the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are expertly led by the experienced Chair of the Governing Body. Governors have been sensitive to the needs of the school during recent staff and leadership team changes. Nevertheless, they make sure that leaders are held to account by offering challenge where necessary.  Governors are kept well informed by the headteacher and teachers with extra responsibilities regularly update them at governors’ meetings. In addition, governors make regular visits to classrooms alongside

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The leadership and management are good

the headteacher which gives them first-hand experience of lessons. Governors are also familiar with published information on pupils’ achievement, such as that available on the Ofsted dashboard, so they know how the school compares with other schools.  Governors keep a close check on pay awards to ensure that teachers’ performance targets are robust and challenging.  Governors make sure that the school’s website provides all the required information for parents and that all their statutory duties, including those related to safeguarding, are carried out. They know how funds are being used to support disadvantaged pupils and to promote sport and healthy lifestyles.  Governors have helped the school to make improvements to the curriculum since the last inspection and they ensure that the values promoted by the school reflect British values such as tolerance and mutual respect. This helps the school to foster equality of opportunity and to tackle successfully any prejudice

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. There have been no exclusions for three years. Incidents of bullying are rare, and any minor disagreements are dealt with appropriately by the school. Pupils trained to mediate are always around to lend a helping hand. Pupils show a good understanding of different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying.  Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning. This is reflected in the care they take in the presentation of their work. They enjoy taking part in discussions and show their readiness to learn when answering questions.  Pupils get on well together, as the school places a strong emphasis on tolerance and mutual respect. They enjoy positive relationships with each other and are keen to welcome newcomers to the school, including pupils who speak little English on arrival.  Occasionally, some pupils lose concentration, especially when the work is too easy or too hard. Their

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe and that they are taught about how to keep themselves safe, for example when crossing the road or when using computers. Parents agree that the school provides a warm and welcoming environment, and many get involved in school activities on a regular basis.  Pupils’ safety has been enhanced by the installation of a photo-identity entry system for visitors. Pupils know that all visitors carry these badges to tell them who they are, so they feel safe. Parents agree that the school does all it can for the health and well-being of their children. ‘This school puts children before staff,’ was one pupil’s accurate reflection of the school’s community values.  Pupils say they enjoy coming to school. Attendance has been well above the national average for three years.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers develop productive relationships with the pupils, so little time is wasted in lessons, and they have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Teaching engages the pupils’ interests and this is particularly the case in the early years.  Pupils take a great delight in reading for enjoyment. Phonics (letters and the sounds they make) are taught well to the younger children which is helping to sustain high standards in reading across the school.  Pupils are given opportunities to write using different styles and for different purposes, and appropriate attention is paid to developing correct punctuation and grammar. In upper Key Stage 2, pupils are able to choose tasks which match their skills. However, sometimes, the most-able pupils take on writing activities which are too easy for them, and teachers do not check to see that they are being sufficiently challenged.  Teachers inspire pupils to develop their writing skills across many different subjects. For example, pupils in

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The quality of teaching is good

Year 2 learnt about newspaper articles and how headlines grabbed attention as they studied the story of the sinking of the Titanic. Excellent questioning helped them recall relevant details and characters from the event so that they could create their own headlines.  Teachers provide activities which help pupils use different methods to calculate. Effective resources, such as number squares and dice, support pupils’ grasp of basic mathematics. Pupils in Year 2 learnt how to simplify the addition of three-digit numbers. The teacher effectively demonstrated the method, and well- chosen questions helped pupils to consolidate their skill.  Opportunities for pupils to apply mathematical skills and language to the investigation of problems with more than one outcome are too infrequent. As a result, some pupils, especially the most able, find the work too easy and make less progress than they should.  Teachers are helped by a team of well-trained teaching assistants. They provide effective support for

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The quality of teaching is good

small groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and the most-able pupils.  Teachers mark pupils’ work very carefully. Pupils appreciate the school’s marking system which tells them what they did well and what they need to do to improve. Pupils respond positively when teachers suggest that they now try something more difficult. However, the most-able pupils are not always given precise enough guidance on how to improve their writing.  Specialist teaching, for example in music, Spanish and sports, helps bring greater variety and enjoyment to pupils’ learning. Pupils have a wide range of different sports to choose from and they benefit from expert teaching.

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is good

 Children make good progress in the early years so that by the time they enter Year 1 their level of development is higher than the national average. Having made an early start on some of the skills and knowledge usually taught in Year 1, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, has been well above average for the past three years.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. At the end of Year 6 in 2014, the gap in attainment between this group and others in the school was under four months in reading and around six months in writing and mathematics. This group performed as well as similar pupils nationally in reading and mathematics and slightly less well in writing. Information provided by the school suggests that disadvantaged pupils are now doing as well as others in the school.  Additional adults provide good support in small groups, helping disabled pupils and those who have

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is good

special educational needs to achieve well. These pupils make good progress across the school, many of them in line with their peers.  The most-able pupils generally achieve well, although in 2014 some did not reach the higher levels in writing and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6 because not enough was expected of them. The school rightly identifies this as a priority for further action.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve well. Those who join the school speaking little or no English are provided with effective teaching support, and are helped by other pupils. As one pupil said, ‘In our school we look after each other.’ They quickly settle in and pick up the language. This is evidence of the school’s commitment to making sure all pupils reach their potential.

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is good

 Children arrive in the Nursery with levels of skill and knowledge that are just above those typical for their age. Good communication with parents helps them to settle quickly because their needs are identified at an early stage. Teachers and parents contribute to the children’s ‘wow moments’, and this record helps to build an accurate picture of each child’s needs and interests.  Teachers and other adults help to make learning fun and exciting. Children in Reception, for example, took great pleasure in developing their ideas of number when producing tally charts to help them decide their favourite fruit. They were able to compare numbers and speculate about why some fruits were preferred by the class. Equally, children in the Nursery enjoyed exploring the properties of water as they tested how it flowed through a chute into different sized containers.  Children make the most of the newly rebuilt outdoor classroom which offers varied opportunities to learn

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is good

and engage in imaginative play. Effective leadership of the early years provision ensures that children can choose from a range of stimulating activities and that resources such as cameras and computers are available to help sustain their interest for long periods.  Children are happy and safe in this warm and stimulating environment. Activities are organised so that children at an early stage of learning English are able to mix with others and engage in practical and visual tasks.  Record-keeping is regular and accurate, helping all adults keep up to date with how the children are developing their skills. Adults are well prepared to offer further stimulation when they notice any child falling behind.

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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 101919 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 448241

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 457 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maggie Pound Headteacher Clare Walsh Date of previous school inspection 19 November 2009 Telephone number 020 8567 4646 Fax number 020 8579 5362 Email address info@mountcarmel.ealing.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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