St Mary's Catholic Primary School

School report St Mary's Catholic Primary School

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Anns Hill Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3NB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is not yet good. Teaching over time has not been good enough to ensure pupils achieve well.  Teaching requires improvement. Teachers, in most cases, do not provide work at the right level for pupils and their expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough.  Teachers do not always ensure lessons proceed at an appropriate pace, set clear targets for learning or ensure that pupils improve their work through responding to marking.  Pupils do not present their work well. It lacks care and accuracy. Additionally, staff do not always provide good role models through their own written work.  The early years provision requires improvement as it is not providing good quality learning for the children.  Progress in reading is hampered because reading sessions are not always planned well enough to ensure the development of key skills. There is not

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

enough attention to writing at length or across subjects and in mathematics there is not enough attention to practical problem solving or accuracy in the use of mathematical drawings or equipment.  Behaviour requires improvement. It is occasionally outstanding and sometimes good, but it is not consistently well managed. Consequently, there is low-level disruption in some lessons. This is typically where lessons do not engage pupils. Although pupils mainly feel safe, the behaviour of some pupils impacts negatively on ensuring safe provision.  Senior leaders and managers, including governors, although securing some improvement, have not been thorough enough in checking teaching or monitoring progress nor have they displayed a great enough sense of urgency to bring about the rapid improvement needed.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils achieve well at Key Stage 1, due to effective teaching.  Middle leaders are knowledgeable and support their colleagues well within the limited time they have to carry out their roles.  The leader responsible for computing has ensured pupils develop their skills well and have a very secure knowledge of how to stay safe when using the internet.  There are examples of strong teaching, learning and behaviour in the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 49 lessons or part lessons, of which two were jointly observed with senior staff.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors, the headteacher and other senior staff and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 46 responses to the online Parent View survey. They also spoke to several parents when they brought their children to school. The inspectors considered responses to the 14 staff questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress; planning and checks on the quality of teaching; assessment; the new curriculum; the school’s self-evaluation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; the sports premium action plan; and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Mary’s is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. This is additional government funding for pupils who are looked after or are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  There is one Reception class and one mixed Reception and Year 1 class. Children attend full-time.  There have been several changes to staffing since the previous inspection. The recruitment of teachers is an issue for the school.  The current headteacher is retiring in July. The deputy headteacher will be acting headteacher pending the appointment of a substantive headteacher. A temporary acting deputy headteacher from another

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that :  work is always set at the right level for pupils so they are fully challenged  teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve and lessons proceed at an appropriate pace so they take their learning on more effectively  targets and feedback to pupils help them to improve their work  presentation of work by pupils and written work by teachers is improved  behaviour is consistently well managed.  Improve pupils’ achievement at Key Stage 2 by:  increasing opportunities for writing at length both in literacy lessons and across subjects  ensuring reading sessions are more thoroughly planned so that the teaching of key skills are assured  increasing the opportunities for pupils to solve practical problems and improving the level of accuracy in measurement and use of equipment.  Improve the early years provision through :  more effective leadership and management

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 improved planning for all activities so that all staff are clear about expectations for children’s learning and challenge them fully.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that :  senior leaders develop a greater thoroughness in all their monitoring activities  data are used more effectively to accelerate pupils’ rates of progress  new governors get the necessary training so they can effectively challenge the school  middle leaders have more time to carry out their roles.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership has not yet ensured effective teaching and learning, consistently good behaviour or good achievement across the school. Senior leaders have worked hard to bring about improvement since the previous inspection. They have been hampered by staffing issues that have disrupted the pace of change. However, they have improved tracking of pupils’ progress, ensured pupils’ progress is beginning to accelerate and provided support, where needed, to help improve the consistency of teaching and learning. This shows there is capacity for further improvement.  Middle leaders have been supported well by the local authority in order to develop their roles. They have good subject knowledge and provide effective support to their colleagues. For example, they have improved the pupils’ progress in spelling, punctuation and grammar, monitored and supported staff and attended middle leaders training. However, the early years leader has only been able to give limited

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The leadership and management require improvement

support to staff due to a lack of time to do so.  The school has a clear view of its effectiveness. School improvement planning, which was a key issue at the previous inspection, has improved. It now more clearly addresses the key areas for improvement with expected timescales and projected outcomes. However, it is not always precise enough to enable leaders to clearly measure their success.  Senior staff regularly check the quality of teaching and give support to help those not doing well enough. However, areas for improvement are not always specific enough or followed up thoroughly enough to help teaching that is not good to improve rapidly.  The process for setting staff targets is in place, with appropriate reviews. Staff know the expectations for what they have to achieve in terms of their teaching, pupils’ progress and their wider responsibilities, in order to secure a financial reward.  The tracking of pupils’ progress has improved. The school now tracks pupils’ progress more thoroughly.

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The leadership and management require improvement

Regular pupil progress checks are helping the school to identify those not doing well enough and give them the help they need so they catch up. This is helping to improve equality of opportunity, foster good relationships and tackle discrimination.  The school supports its disadvantaged pupils well through additional teaching support and, where necessary, specific programmes for number and reading. This enables them to achieve as well as other pupils in the school.  The school uses the primary physical education and sport premium well. The school belongs to the local cluster of schools, who share sports resources. Specialist coaching helps pupils to develop a range of skills and provides good professional development for staff. Pupils learn new sports such as volleyball and Kwik Cricket and take part in sporting competitions. There is also a ‘fitness first’ club to encourage a healthy lifestyle and pupils have been trained as play leaders. Together, these provide a sound basis for

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The leadership and management require improvement

sporting development and longer-term sustainability.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development soundly. Pupils learn about their rights, respect and responsibilities to themselves and each other. They know right from wrong and mainly get on well together. The school makes good use of assemblies to help pupils learn about different faiths as well as through religious education lessons.  The curriculum is planned to provide an appropriate focus on the development of reading, writing and mathematics. Sound use of topics engages pupils in their learning. The computing coordinator ensures the good development of pupils’ computing skills that are used across subjects, including the publication of a school newspaper. A range of after-school clubs, visits and visitors enhance the curriculum well.  The school promotes British values through its focus on tolerance and respect for each other and people

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The leadership and management require improvement

of different faiths. There is an elected school council and pupils ran their own election campaign. This teaches them about democracy and the rule of law, which prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  Parent are mainly positive about the school and what it provides. The school makes sure parents are well informed, particularly through the school’s website.  The school has robust and effective policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety of pupils. These are implemented well.  The local authority provides effective support and guidance to the school and will increase its support for the school until a new headteacher is appointed.  The governance of the school:  The school now has an almost full complement of governors, which was not in place at the time of the previous inspection. There is a nucleus of established governors who provide sound support and challenge to the school. However, a good number are new and not yet fully effective. Governors have

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The leadership and management require improvement

an appropriate knowledge of the school. They know how effective teaching is, because of regular up- dates from the local authority and the headteacher’s reports. They have a sound knowledge of the data, which they recognise have improved. Consequently, they know that pupils’ achievement requires improvement. They manage the headteacher’s performance and know that there is a similar process in place for all staff. They are aware of the sanctions that apply for underperformance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils’ behaviour and its management are not consistently good across the school. In some lessons, low-level disruption and a lack of engagement in their learning slows their progress.  The school has a behaviour policy, but it is not consistently implemented by all staff. Senior staff monitor behaviour across the school. They keeps meticulous records of significant incidents of misbehaviour, but limited records of low-level behavioural issues. They do not analyse behaviour issues in order to identify patterns or flash-points, so this limits their strategies for improvement.  Pupils say that behaviour is not always good in lessons, but are confident of staff’s ability to deal with it. They know the sanctions that apply if they misbehave and mainly think that they are fair.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are extremely variable. When lessons do not engage their interest or the pace

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Behaviour

of the lesson is slow, they quickly lose interest and become fidgety and sometimes disruptive. However, in lessons which fully engage them, their behaviour is good and often outstanding and they display a real thirst for learning.  Pupils are mainly polite and friendly towards each other and all adults. They behave well at break-times.  The school environment is litter-free and pupils show respect for it. They wear their school uniform with pride.  There are very few recorded incidents of bullying. Pupils say that there is bullying in the school but staff deal with it effectively. The school ensures pupils are fully aware of cyber-bullying and how to deal with it and other forms of bullying. Any issues are dealt with firmly and thoroughly by staff.  Attendance is broadly average. The school has effective procedures in place to monitor attendance. Consequently there are few incidents of persistent absenteeism.

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Behaviour

 Parents are mainly happy that behaviour is managed well. However, staff are not consistently positive and this also reflects the inspection team’s view.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement.  The school provides a safe environment for its pupils. All policies and procedures are in place. The school is mainly vigilant in its management of this. However, some poor behaviour impacts on the overall safety of pupils because these pupils act without regard to the safety of others.  The school makes sure that pupils learn about keeping safe through, for example, Bikeability for pupils in Key Stage 2 and ‘balance bikes’ training for younger pupils. They also expect safe conduct as pupils move around the school.  Disadvantaged pupils and their families are well supported, including the use of outside agencies where needed. This helps to improve their well-being and involvement in school life.  The school’s attention to e-safety is excellent. All pupils have had training and know how to be safe using the internet. Pupils are aware of the dangers of social media sites and know how to navigate them

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Safety

successfully.  Parents are happy that the school keeps their children safe.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching over time requires improvement. It is still too variable to ensure pupils make good progress.  Where teaching is less effective, lessons lack an appropriate pace to fully interest the pupils, pupils are not challenged through work that meets their needs well and teachers’ expectations for what pupils will learn and achieve are not high enough.  There is not yet a consistent approach to the management of behaviour so that it sometimes disrupts pupils’ learning. This is also linked to weaknesses in teaching that does not engage pupils’ interest.  Presentation of work is an issue across the school both by pupils and staff. Teachers do not have high enough expectations, either for themselves or pupils, so do not clearly set a benchmark to ensure work is presented well.  Marking and feedback has improved. Teachers now make sure that pupils know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. However, there are not always clear next steps or targets set to

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

ensure learning moves on quickly.  Teaching assistants, who have received training for their role, mainly provide helpful support and guidance to pupils, particularly disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Staff make good use of well-targeted interventions to help pupils with specific needs and this enables them to learn well in these sessions. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides clear guidance for the teaching of specific programmes.  There is good teaching at Key Stage 1 and in upper Key Stage 2 that is helping pupils in these classes to make good progress, enjoy their work and demonstrate high levels of competence and maturity in their attitudes to learning.  Teaching of mathematics ensures computation skills are mainly well developed. However, teachers typically do not give enough attention to the technical aspects involved in ensuring accuracy in drawing mathematical shapes and in the use of rulers or other mathematical equipment. There is good attention to

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

reasoning in upper Key Stage 2 but not yet enough attention to practical problem solving across the school.  The school now places greater emphasis on spelling, punctuation and grammar so pupils’ skills are improving. However, there is still much catch-up taking place to address weaknesses over time. Staff do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to write across subjects or at length and this slows the development of story writing.  Although teachers provide regular reading sessions for pupils, they do not always ensure they are planned well enough to enable the effective development of key skills. This slows pupils’ progress. Where reading is well taught, for example, in Year 6, work is well matched to pupils’ needs and pupils enjoy their work on tasks such as character descriptions and author studies.  Teachers in Key Stage 1 ensure phonics is taught thoroughly and in an engaging manner. Consequently,

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

pupils make good progress and are able to use these skills well in their reading and writing tasks. For example, pupils in Year 2 used these skills effectively and automatically when reading to inspectors.  Teaching of the most able lacks consistency. Some teachers ensure good levels of extension work but in other lessons there are no clear expectations set to ensure work meets pupils’ needs and this slows their progress.  Effective teaching of computing skills enables pupils across the school to be competent in the use of computers. A very good example of its collaborative use is the annual newspaper published and sold to parents.  Teachers make sound use of homework in subjects such as spelling, reading and mathematics to support pupils’ learning in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 has been broadly average over several years. Progress has been as expected, except in mathematics, where it has been lower.  The is a high number of pupils with learning disabilities and special educational needs currently in Year 6 and so overall achievement is affected by this. However, the attainment of pupils indicates a similar picture to that seen in previous years, except for spelling, punctuation and grammar, which have improved. Booster classes have been put in place to support achievement for the most able at the higher Level 5 and Level 6 in mathematics.  Across the rest of Key Stage 2, pupils’ progress mainly requires improvement, with occasional good progress seen, particularly in Years 5 and 6.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported and this helps them to achieve well against the targets set for them. The special educational needs coordinator checks their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress carefully to ensure they keep up. Their progress in lessons depends on the quality of teaching in the class. Although their attainment is lower than that of other pupils in the school, their progress is accelerating.  There is a clear improvement at Key Stage 1. Pupils are making good progress overall and their attainment is better than the national picture. Effective teaching, particularly in English and mathematics but also across subjects, is helping them to achieve well.  Pupils’ achievement in reading is hampered by weaknesses in the planning and structure of reading sessions that do not ensure key skills are thoroughly and progressively taught.  Pupils’ achievement in writing has improved, due to a greater focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar and effective teaching in classes. However, there is still some slower progress, particularly in Year 1 and Year 4, that the school is working hard to address, with additional support being given to the staff

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

involved.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics has been weaker over time than in English. The school has put much in place, including booster classes, specific interventions and more focused teaching of key skills. This is helping to accelerate progress.  The achievement of the most able pupils is improving, with a higher number of Level 5s expected this year. Additionally, pupils are getting support from staff at the secondary school for Level 6 work in mathematics (the expected level of a 15 year old) and the school organises special challenge days for them.  The attainment of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014 was two terms behind that of other pupils nationally in both English and mathematics. Their progress was slightly better than that of other pupils in the school. The achievement of disadvantaged pupils currently in the school is slightly better than that of other pupils.  Pupils in Year 1 did better than the national picture in the phonics screening check in 2014 and are on

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Children’s progress across the areas of learning requires improvement. Writing, which was weaker than reading and mathematics, has, however, improved, due to a greater emphasis on developing children’s skills. For example, children write about experiences such as the visit of the firefighters. The majority of children are expected to meet the early learning goals at the end of Reception so are appropriately prepared for their start in Year 1.  Regular phonics teaching helps children to develop sound skills that they can use when reading and writing. However, it is not always varied enough to maintain children’s full interest and this slows their progress.  Teaching requires improvement. All staff are encouraging and supportive. They have set up an interesting environment both inside and out that engages pupils well in a range of activities. However, there is not always enough staff involvement or effective questioning to ensure children learn well from their

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The early years provision requires improvement

experiences.  Children are active and inquisitive and enjoy the range of activities on offer, for example acting as nurses in the baby clinic. However, they can become boisterous and this is not always managed effectively by staff.  Behaviour requires improvement. Although children are mainly attentive in whole-class sessions and listen well to the teacher, they are not always careful enough when playing or thoughtful enough of each other.  Children mainly know how to stay safe and staff provide a safe place for them to learn. However, they do not always encourage the children to tidy up when they have finished their work or with their playthings, and this is a potential hazard to others.  Regular and detailed assessments of the children’s learning take place and enable staff to have a clear view of children’s stages of development in order to plan further learning  Planning does not always ensure a clear enough focus on what children are expected to learn or adults’

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The early years provision requires improvement

involvement in this. Consequently, adults do not always interact or question children in a way that will help them to learn well.  The leadership of the early years requires improvement. The leader has helped the early years teachers through improving the outdoor provision. However, she does not work in early years, nor does she get a great deal of non-teaching time in order to fulfil her role effectively.

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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 116394 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 462431

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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 258 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joe O'Gorman Headteacher Carol McIvor Date of previous school inspection 16–17 July 2013 Telephone number 023 92583979 Fax number 023 92584514 Email address e.mcivor@st-marysrc-pri.hants.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

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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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