St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy Barnsley Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S5 0QF

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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 Outstanding 1 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

 The headteacher has inspired the drive for improvement with governors and staff at every level . As a result, there have been significant improvements in the achievement of pupils who have left Year 6 in the past two years and of pupils who are still in the academy.  Since the previous inspection, standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen and are above average.  Teaching is nearly always good, with some examples of outstanding practice. Activities are planned well with a good variety of methods used to capture pupils’ interests and make learning exciting.  The good teaching and broad range of activities in the early years ensure that children make good progress by the time they enter Year 1.  Pupils’ outstanding behaviour in lessons and their highly positive attitudes to learning underpin their good achievement. They feel entirely safe in the academy.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy the academy. This is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reflected in their improved above average attendance.  The culture of tolerance and respect throughout the academy leads to some outstanding elements in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In some year groups the quality of pupils’ work and the rates of progress in mathematics are not as consistent as they are in writing.  The most able pupils are not always given hard enough work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in many lessons and also made additional visits to observe parts of lessons.  Inspectors looked at the academy’s development plans, monitoring files and arrangements for the management of staff performance. They also looked at safeguarding documentation and minutes of the governing body meetings. They looked at the academy’s records of pupils’ progress and evaluated pupils’ work in writing and mathematics.  Meetings were held with pupils, senior and middle leaders, members of the governing body and teaching and support staff.  Meetings were also held with a representative of the local authority, a member of the Diocesan Umbrella Trust and an external consultant to the academy.  Inspectors listened to pupils in Year 1 and Year 5 read and checked reading progress records.  Pupils were observed during lunchtimes, break times and in activities which took place before and after

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Information about this inspection

the academy day.  Inspectors considered 44 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and also the academy’s responses from their most recent parent view survey. They also spoke informally to a number of individual parents at the start of the academy day.  Twenty-five staff completed questionnaires and the responses were analysed.

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Inspection team

Gillian Hunter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Patrick’s is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in teaching staff and school leaders, with exception of the headteacher.  The Nursery class offers up to 25 part-time places for three-year-old children in the mornings and 25 places for afternoons. At the time of the inspection there are 22 children attending in the mornings and 22 attending in the afternoons. Children in the reception classes attend full time.  Almost 70% of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, which is well above the national average.  About 40% of the pupils speak English as an additional language and some start at the academy at an early stage of learning to speak English.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by the pupil premium is just below average. The pupil premium funding provides support for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and

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Information about this school

those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is higher than the national average.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  The academy manages an early morning breakfast club.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  making sure that the most able pupils are challenged consistently  expecting consistently high standards of work in all aspects of mathematics in all year groups  providing further high quality training to extend the skills and confidence of some staff in teaching mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 There have been significant improvements in all aspects of the academy’s work since the last inspection. The headteacher has a clear vision and has been inspirational in her drive to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards. She has very high aspirations for her staff and pupils. As a result, there is a welcoming, safe and caring environment, which enables pupils and staff to flourish and do their best. Staff morale is very high. The academy is well placed to move forward and improve still further.  Leadership of teaching is strong. Teachers are set challenging targets regarding the achievement of the pupils in their class. The headteacher and deputy headteacher regularly check on the quality of teaching; they clearly understand what constitutes good teaching and judge it accurately. They are precise in their feedback to teachers and offer clear advice on how to improve. Consequently, the overall quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching continues to improve.  The academy has introduced new senior leadership responsibilities, which are clearly focused on further improving teaching and standards. Senior leaders thrive upon the responsibility and accountability offered to them. Less experienced middle leaders are also effective as they work closely with senior leaders to check on the quality of teaching and the impact this has on improving standards.  Self-evaluation is comprehensive and accurate. The academy’s improvement plan reflects a good understanding of where the academy needs to improve. Leaders have addressed all the issues from the previous inspection successfully and have actions in place to speed up pupils’ progress, especially in mathematics and the performance of the most able pupils.  The performance management and training given to teachers, together with the guidance and support provided by senior and subject leaders, is improving the quality of teaching across the academy. Salary

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The leadership and management are good

awards are linked to the achievement of targets.  Funding available through the pupil premium is used effectively to help eligible pupils to take a full part in academy life and benefit, where appropriate, from specific resources and additional help from adults. This has been successful in raising their achievement and they now make at least good progress.  Academy leaders set high standards for fostering good relations throughout the academy. All pupils are valued and differences are celebrated and there is no tolerance of discrimination of any kind. The academy is a place where there is harmony and cooperation between all pupils and adults. The good achievement of different groups of pupils demonstrates how committed the leaders and teachers in the academy are in ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to make good progress.  The curriculum meets the needs of pupils well. It is focused on developing pupils’ basic skills in reading,

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The leadership and management are good

writing and mathematics. Pupils make a variety of visits to learn about different places and times. Visitors to the academy extend pupils’ experiences through sport and music. Pupils’ work and activities are carefully planned with their interests and needs in mind, which has led to their love of learning and enjoyment of the academy. The excellent promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development reflects the values, aims and Catholic ethos of the academy. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Good partnerships with a number of local schools, both within the local authority and within the Diocese and the All Saints Umbrella Trust, have many benefits. This ensures a smooth transition for pupils moving to secondary school and supports the academy’s improvements by the sharing of expertise and good practice.  Safeguarding policies and procedures meet requirements fully. Record-keeping and staff training are fully

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The leadership and management are good

up to date.  The local authority works effectively with the academy. An external consultant has worked extensively with the academy since the last inspection and has provided tailored support and training, which has led to improvements in the effectiveness of the governing body and in the quality of teaching.  The use of the primary sport funding is enhancing pupils’ chances for active outdoor learning and physical activity effectively. Staff are currently improving their skills through training and there are further plans to extend the range of activities for pupils in order to further improve their health and physical well–being.  The governance of the school:  The effectiveness of the governing body has improved since the last inspection. Governors offer effective support and increasingly rigorous challenge to the academy. The governing body has reviewed and improved its effectiveness through well-targeted training and through skilfully applying the

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The leadership and management are good

professional skills of governors to specific roles within the academy. Governors review data and information about pupils’ achievement and teaching. As a result, they are well informed about the progress pupils make and the quality of teaching across the academy. They know well the academy’s strengths and areas for development and they share the headteacher’s high ambitions for the academy and for raising the achievements of its pupils. Governors regularly check on the use of the pupil premium funding and how it makes a difference to the achievement of pupils. They are fully aware of the link between teachers’ salary and pupils’ performance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The respect pupils show towards each other and to all adults makes a strong contribution towards the happy, warm and welcoming environment which exists. Pupils play extremely together and are kept very safe and happy at playtimes.  In lessons, pupils demonstrate exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. From an early age, pupils learn about the need for tolerance of different beliefs and cultures. This ensures that they develop positive relationships with their classmates and others in the academy.  Teachers and teaching assistants ensure that clear routines are in place, which lead to smooth movement between activities and teaching groups. Pupils are able to maintain concentration exceptionally well and become well-organised, independent learners by the time they leave the academy.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.

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Behaviour

 Pupils enjoy taking on responsible roles, for example, as members of the academy’s council and the Eco Fairtrade Group.  Behaviour is excellent in the morning breakfast club and in after-school clubs. Pupils enjoy the activities provided. The pupil premium funding has been used to support disadvantaged pupils and to improve attendance.  Attendance is now higher than average and is continuing to improve still further.

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Safety

 The academy’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel very safe and extremely well cared for by staff. Clear systems are in place to ensure pupils’ safety, including those whose circumstances might make them vulnerable.  Excellent pastoral care means pupils are well known to staff who check to spot any changes in behaviour and learning. The academy constantly adjusts its provision to respond rapidly to the needs of the individual.  Pupils agree that they have been taught well to keep themselves safe and have absolute trust in adults to look after them. They understand the potential dangers of the Internet and social media and how to respond to situations in order to stay safe.  Pupils understand about different types of bullying, including prejudice-based bullying. They are adamant that bullying rarely occurs, but when it does, they feel that they can share any concerns with staff and are

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Safety

confident that these would be dealt with quickly and sensitively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good quality and consistency of teaching has enabled pupils to make rapid progress and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Strong teamwork throughout the academy means that expertise is shared and there is a positive ethos in the academy. Staff support each other well and are keen to continually improve their own practice further. They have high aspirations for their pupils.  The teaching of phonics (sounds that letters make) is particularly strong in Key Stage 1 and gives children an excellent start to both reading and writing.  Pupils make good and sometimes better progress when the tasks require them to think more deeply about their learning. Similarly, progress accelerates when pupils have opportunities to talk and share ideas with each other, particularly before they begin their writing work. When this happens, pupils learn from each other and approach their work with confidence. Pupils who sometimes find things difficult in the classroom

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The quality of teaching is good

are supported and challenged at just the right level and, as a result, learn as well as their peers do.  Teaching assistants share teachers’ high expectations for the progress of the pupils in their care. Effective teamwork and planning are apparent in classrooms and result in pupils’ increased enjoyment of learning, which in turn is reflected in their excellent attitudes and behaviour.  Leaders have an accurate understanding of where teaching could improve and how this can raise achievement. They are aware that the speed of learning in the classroom is sometimes not fast enough and that the most able in particular are not always challenged as well as they should be.  All pupils take great pride in the way they present their work in writing. Their handwriting is exceptional throughout the academy. However, presentation in other subjects, especially in mathematics, is not as good.  Marking is good in writing throughout the academy. Pupils receive accurate advice on how they can

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The quality of teaching is good

improve their work and there are many examples of pupils responding positively to what their teachers have written.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in all key stages. Children start the academy with skills below those typical for their age. Since the last inspection, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has improved significantly, with an increasing proportion in all years reaching at least the expected standard for their age. Progress by the end of Year 6 has been outstanding in writing and better than expected in reading and mathematics since the last inspection.  The academy’s leaders have made sure that reading and writing have been main priorities throughout the academy. More recently, mathematics has been a focus for improvement and this has resulted in rapid progress and higher standards, particularly in Year 5 and Year 6. Leaders are clear that there is still some way to go before standards in mathematics in all year groups throughout the academy match the high quality that is evident in writing and reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Whilst the most able pupils make good progress and achieve well by the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, this is not as evident in other year groups because these pupils do not have sufficiently challenging work.  Disadvantaged pupils have made more than expected progress since the last inspection. The gap in attainment between these pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally and in the academy has narrowed significantly, and in some aspects closed completely. Disadvantaged pupils now make at least similar progress to non-disadvantaged pupils in the academy by the end of Year 6. In 2014 in writing, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment was one term ahead of non-disadvantaged pupils in the academy and nationally. In reading, their attainment was in line with non-disadvantaged pupils in the academy and nationally. In mathematics, while their attainment was in line with non-disadvantaged pupils nationally,

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The achievement of pupils is good

they were behind non-disadvantaged pupils in the academy by one term.  Most pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with English as an additional language make consistently good progress over time. Attainment in Year 6 is already close to the levels reached in 2014, which were above the national average overall.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well. They make similar rates of progress to those of other pupils in the academy. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is good in reading, writing and mathematics. 

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The early years provision is good

 Children throughout their time in the early years achieve well. Many children enter nursery with skills and knowledge which are underdeveloped for their age, particularly in language and communication skills.  The pace of learning has improved since the last inspection and the outdoor learning area has been transformed and is now an exciting and stimulating place to learn.  Staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and provide a range of good opportunities to foster development of children’s basic skills and personal attributes. Teaching is good, because adults make good use of the academy’s resources and facilities. As a result, children make consistently good progress, and are well prepared to start Year 1 when they complete their Reception year.  The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of the Reception year is continually improving and in 2014 was above the national average.

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The early years provision is good

 The leadership and management of the early years’ provision are good, and benefit from the influence of the thoughtful and perceptive early years’ leader. Staff plan learning activities effectively. This ensures that children have many opportunities to develop independence, as well as their basic literacy and numeracy skills.  Staff have developed good relationships with parents through regular day-to-day communication.  Relationships between children and staff are good. The children learn very quickly to trust the adults who take good care of them. As a result, the children rapidly gain confidence to work and play together safely and in harmony. Children take on board the respectful and caring behaviour modelled by the adults. This lays strong foundations for the excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of later years in the academy.

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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 139347 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 462203

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 307 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gill Brown Headteacher Finnuala Nelis Date of previous school inspection 16 July 2013 Telephone number 0114 2456183 Fax number 0114 2571463 Email address headteacher@st-patricks.sheffield.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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