St Hubert's Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood

Our Lady and St Hubert's Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood

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Hallfield Road, Off Harwood Lane, Great Harwood, BB6 7SN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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

 Leaders have been very successful in ensuring that rapid improvements have been made in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement across the school.  Governors work very closely with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, regularly checking on teaching and pupils’ achievement. They are fully involved in ensuring that the school continues to improve.  The curriculum is enriched with many activities enabling pupils to explore a wealth of opportunities. Pupils are keen to learn. They give each other good support and happily share ideas. They have positive attitudes and want to do well.  Pupils are considerate and well behaved. They feel safe and well cared for in school.  Pupils take a pride in their work and enjoy coming to school. This is shown in their above average attendance.  Teachers use information and communication technology (ICT) successfully to enliven learning and enthuse pupils throughout different subjects.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teachers’ marking provide pupils with good feedback on how well they are doing and clear comments on how they can improve their work.  As a result of good teaching, pupils of all abilities including those who are disabled or have special educational needs make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in the early years achieve well and make good progress from their individual starting points. Children thoroughly enjoy the many and varied activities both in the classroom and outdoors.  Children have many opportunities to develop their early writing skills and from this early start their writing is neat and tidy.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teacher expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons or of how well pupils maintain their concentration when listening are not always high enough.  Teachers do not regularly ask pupils questions that challenge their thinking.  Pupils have few occasions to practise and develop their mathematical skills through practical problem- solving activities in other subjects.  Teachers do not have opportunities to observe strong classroom practice in other schools in order to help them develop and improve their teaching skills. April 2015 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a range of lessons, one of which was a joint observation with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, pupils, parents and governors.  Inspectors observed break time and talked regularly with pupils as they moved around school.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  A wide range of the school’s documentation was considered, including systems for tracking pupils’ progress, safeguarding arrangements, the school development plan and pupils’ work in their books.  Inspectors took account of responses to the school’s most recent questionnaire for parents alongside the 55 responses from the online questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspectors analysed the 24 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Sue Sharkey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Dave Blackburne Additional Inspector April 2015 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 Our Lady and St Hubert’s Roman Catholic Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for those pupils who are 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 standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school is federated with one other primary school in the town. Both schools share the same headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Children in the early years reception class attend full time.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2013.  There are before and after-school clubs on the school site which are managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching further and raise pupils’ achievement by making sure that: - teachers always have high expectations of pupils’ learning behaviour and of what pupils can complete in lessons - pupils have opportunities to carry out mathematical problem solving activities in different areas across the curriculum - teachers consistently use questions in lessons which challenge all pupils to think more deeply and give extended answers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers have opportunities to improve their own skills by observing strong classroom practice in other schools. April 2015 4 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher work very closely together. They have high expectations and have brought about rapid improvements in teaching quality, resulting in raised standards. Effective judgements of performance and of the school’s areas for continuous development ensure that the school is well placed to improve further.  There are rigorous systems in place to check the progress pupils are making. Leaders ensure that teaching is constantly improving. There are strong and effective systems for checking the quality of teaching through observing learning in lessons, checking pupils’ books and regularly reviewing pupils’ progress.  English and mathematics subject leaders have a good knowledge of the performance of their subjects and play a key and active role in monitoring provision. This contributes well to the good leadership and management of teaching.  Effective procedures are in place to manage the performance of staff. Objectives to improve performance

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The leadership and management are good

are closely linked to decisions about salary and to on-going training. Teachers, however, have few opportunities to see strong classroom practice in other schools.  All responses to the staff questionnaire are very positive about every aspect of the school’s work.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively, often with disadvantaged pupils working one-to-one or in small groups to ensure that they make good progress and achieve well.  The home liaison officer works very closely with parents and families. She provides a very effective service of support for pupils helping them to overcome barriers to learning ensuring that they attend school regularly.  The local authority has a good relationship with the school and continues to provide effective support to improve teaching and learning.  Strong relationships are maintained with the community. The school actively encourages the promotion of British values and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils learn about the way

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The leadership and management are good

democracy works through the election of the school council and of the Eco-group representatives. The school is proud that pupils have recently designed a badge for the local civic society.  The curriculum is good and supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. This is promoted effectively through activities in and out of the classroom. Pupils experience a wide range of activities which enhances their learning successfully; such as residential experiences, singing in the school choir, music clubs and many sporting activities, giving them memorable experiences. The school makes sure that all pupils have the same opportunities to take part in all aspects of school life. Equal opportunities are well promoted, discrimination is not tolerated and the school fosters good relations with all.  The school is pleased that the additional primary school physical education and sport funding has given

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The leadership and management are good

pupils more opportunities to enjoy a wider range of sporting activities in the before and after-school clubs as well as at lunch time. The participation of pupils in these activities has risen and pupils thoroughly enjoy taking part.  The school benefits from close co-operation with the other school in the federation. They share the same headteacher and deputy headteacher and the teachers from the two schools have good links, even though they do not observe each other’s classroom practice.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet statutory requirements. Governors and staff work well together to ensure that pupils have a safe environment in which to learn.  The governance of the school: - The governing body provides a high level of challenge, especially in relation to teaching and pupils’ achievement. Members have a very good range of skills and experience and take part in relevant training to help them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

- Governors check pupils’ progress, keeping a careful eye on the progress data of different groups of pupils. They check on the quality of teaching termly through talking to staff and looking at pupils’ work in books and on display. - Governors have a clear understanding of the overall quality of teaching, and know that pay progression is linked to staff performance. They ensure that any underperformance in teaching is tackled. - The governing body manages the budget well, checking the use and impact of the pupil premium and the primary school sport funding. It ensures that these resources are used effectively to make a difference to the achievement and well-being of all pupils for whom they are intended. April 2015 5 of 10

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils show respect for each other and for adults. They are polite and courteous and play well together supporting each other where they can. Pupils behave well in lessons, around school and in the playground.  The vast majority of parents who responded to the school’s most recent questionnaire agree that behaviour is good and pupils are of the same opinion.  Pupils take a pride in their work, which is well presented and in which their handwriting is exceptionally neat.  Most pupils show good behaviour for learning. They listen carefully to adults and collaborate well with others in lessons, enjoying working together in pairs or groups. However, some pupils find it difficult to maintain their concentration or focus on listening when the teacher is talking.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe because there are cameras outside the school building, gates are locked and they are taught how to keep themselves safe. Pupils say bullying is rare but that adults quickly sort out any problems that pupils might have. They learn about different kinds of bullying such as physical, verbal and cyber bullying and also bullying based on prejudice.  Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities, often representing their class on the school or the Eco councils. They are keen to help the school improve and are pleased to have developed the garden, adding new benches for use at lunch and break times.  Pupils enjoy school and attendance is above average. They say everyone is friendly; they value the care and attention they receive from all the adults in school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils learn well because teaching is effective. Staff have a good understanding of the abilities and needs of all pupils. Good teaching encourages and motivates pupils of all abilities to want to learn and do their best.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and consistently. Pupils know and understand the marking system. Teachers give useful feedback and pupils are given time to check their work after it has been marked and to respond to teachers’ comments.  Resources, including ICT are used extremely well. In a Year 3 and 4 lesson, for example, pupils were exploring different ways of presenting their work on the computer. Pupils worked confidently in pairs as the teacher reinforced skills they had already learnt before moving them on to new skills. Pupils worked well and listened carefully as they prepared to write their text.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils but this is not always consistent throughout the lesson of what

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils can achieve in the time or in ensuring that pupils maintain their concentration.  Teaching assistants are a strong part of the teaching team. They use their expertise and knowledge of the pupils’ needs to provide the right level of support. This support helps to ensure that pupils, particularly those who have special educational needs, make good progress.  Teachers use questioning well to check that pupils have understood what they are learning. Nevertheless there are missed opportunities when questions do not extend pupils thinking fully or allow pupils to give extended responses.  Pupils’ reading and writing skills are established effectively in different areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ books, including science and topic work, show writing of different styles such as when gathering information or writing a story. Pupils do not, however, have many opportunities to develop the skills they

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The quality of teaching is good

learn in mathematics in other subjects through real-life problem solving activities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children get off to a good start in the early years and the good teaching throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 for all groups of pupils is reflected in their good achievement. Since the previous inspection, progress has April 2015 6 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

accelerated rapidly and as result pupils in all groups make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  In the 2014 Year 2 assessments, a much higher proportion of pupils attained level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics than in 2013. As a result, standards at the end of Year 2 in 2014 were significantly above the national average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson the teacher reinforced the importance of starting with the larger number when subtracting. Pupils chose their own numbers from a selection on their table and worked methodically as they wrote the number sentence from those they had chosen, subtracted the smaller from the larger number and recorded the answer.  Pupils enjoy their learning and get involved enthusiastically in the work they are doing. They talk eagerly about what they are learning, settle quickly at the beginning of lessons and have good learning habits.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Pupils know their targets and the levels at which they are aiming. They are keen to tell the teachers when they are confident that they have reached a target.  Standards at the end of Year 6 are rising. The school’s results in the 2014 Year 6 national tests were average in reading and mathematics but dipped in writing so were not as high as the national average. The work in pupils’ books and that seen during lessons, as well as the school’s own data based on termly assessment, shows that a higher proportion of pupils are making better-than-expected progress than in 2014 and standards are set to be higher than those attained last year in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school has successfully focused on improving pupils’ handwriting as well as providing pupils with plenty of opportunities for writing longer pieces and in different styles. This has been very positive and work in pupils’ books and displays of pupils’ writing in classrooms and around the school confirm this.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils are making good progress from their starting points. In Year 6, pupils are skilled in assessing the quality and standard of their own work. They use their knowledge and their improvement targets well in reaching higher levels. In the 2014 Year 6 national tests, an average proportion of pupils attained level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics and in Year 2 the proportion of pupils reaching level 3 in reading was significantly above average.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. One reason is that teaching assistants support these pupils well.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils are provided with additional support. As a result, these pupils achieve well and make good progress. For example in the Year 6 national tests all disadvantaged pupils made expected progress. There are however too few pupils to

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The achievement of pupils is good

make comparisons with other pupils in school and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.  Pupils enjoy reading at home and at school and make good progress in this area. They acquire essential reading skills as they move through school and apply these skills well to find and to gather information from challenging texts. In the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 in 2014, an above-average proportion of pupils met the expected standards.

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The early years provision is good

 Children settle quickly into the early years because of the good quality of care and support they receive. Children start school with skills that are often in line with what is typical for their age. However, their skills in speech and language, reading, writing and number are sometimes below age-related expectation.  All groups of children make good progress and achieve well because of high expectations, very positive relationships and good teaching matched to the needs and interests of individual children. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1.  Adults ensure that all children have a wide variety of opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills through listening to adults and each other in small groups and being encouraged to express their thoughts. During a pirate activity, for example, the teacher joined the group to explore what they were doing. This encouraged the children to talk, learn new words and extend their sentences.

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The early years provision is good

 There is a good balance of teacher-led activities and those chosen by children. A group of children chatted eagerly to each other as they used connecting blocks to make a fire engine and shared the task as they hammered in rods to attach different parts. They persevered well, working together as a team. Children are active learners, get on well together and develop good attitudes to learning.  Children’s’ behaviour is good. They are kind and courteous to each other and listen and concentrate well, following instructions carefully.  The early years is well led and managed, ensuring that links with parents are good, that children are safe April 2015 7 of 10

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The early years provision is good

and that the classroom provides a lively, purposeful environment where children can learn successfully.  Children have access to exciting and varied learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors. Many opportunities are provided for children to practise outdoors what they learn indoors, such as counting and ordering numbers. For example, children in waterproof clothing enjoyed the outdoors, happily exploring sand. Two children found out what happens when you add water while another child made sand stepping stones counting them carefully to 20. April 2015 8 of 10

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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. April 2015 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 119645 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 462326

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 182 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Eileen Hayes Headteacher Vincent Murray Date of previous school inspection 2 May 2013 Telephone number 01254 885778 Fax number 01254 888728 Email address head@ourlady-st-huberts.lancs.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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