Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School Moorfield, Tower Hill, Kirkby, Liverpool, L33 1DZ

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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 Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Through a period of staff turbulence and the substantial building programme, school leaders, including governors, have maintained standards of teaching and learning across the school.  The headteacher is well supported by staff and the governing body. Senior leaders are highly ambitious for every pupil and have the determination and expertise to continue improving standards at the school.  The subjects provided effectively meet pupils’ needs. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is well developed so that they learn to respect themselves and others.  Behaviour is good in and around school. Pupils enjoy their work and like their teachers. Pupils feel safe because of the effective care provided by staff.  The pastoral team works very well with pupils and their families when the need arises.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is good.  High-quality teamwork between teachers and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teaching assistants guarantees effective support for pupils with additional needs.  From their individual starting points, pupils make good progress across Key Stages 1 and 2 and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children get off to an excellent start in the early years. As a result of excellent leadership and outstanding teaching, children make rapid progress from their individual starting points, which are significantly below those typical for their age.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some subject leaders are not fully involved in checking upon the impact of agreed actions in their areas of responsibility.  There are times when the most able pupils do not move on to challenging tasks soon enough in lessons.  The presentation of pupils' work in their books is not always of a sufficiently high standard and teachers do not always check that pupils complete their corrections.  There are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical skills by solving problems in real life situations.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes taught by teachers and in activities taken by teaching assistants. A walk around the school also took place to look at displays and the learning taking place around the school.  Inspectors met with two groups of pupils and observed and spoke to pupils during lessons, play times and at lunchtime. They also listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with parents, staff, senior leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  A range of documents was considered by inspectors, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, checks on the quality of teaching, minutes of governing body meetings, and records relating to attendance and safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors took account of 28 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and of a summary of

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Information about this inspection

the responses to parental and pupils’ questionnaires recently distributed by the school. A letter was received from a parent and two telephone conversations also took place between an inspector and a parent.  Inspectors also considered responses from 24 staff to the inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium, is well-above average. (Pupil premium is additional funding to support those who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the authority.)  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well-below average and there are currently no pupils at the very early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language.  The school provides full-time places for children in the Reception classes and part-time places for children in the Nursery.  Since September 2014, three new teachers have taken up posts in the school, including the deputy headteacher.  This year a substantial building programme is taking place to increase the size of classrooms and provide

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Information about this school

a second hall.  The new on-site provision for childcare, ‘Little Saints’, will receive its own inspection report, which will be available on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.  A breakfast and after-school club is provided for pupils.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning so that more pupils make outstanding progress by making sure that:  the most able pupils start working on challenging activities as quickly as possible  pupils’ work is well presented and the good advice that teachers provide through marking is followed up by pupils  more opportunities are provided for pupils to use their mathematical knowledge in investigations and real-life situations.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and management by making sure that all subject leaders are fully involved and more accountable for checking that agreed actions are consistently put into place and are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a clear view of how successful the school can be. She is well supported by other senior leaders, including school governors. Together they have maintained the quality of teaching and pupils’ good achievement through a period of changes to staffing and a substantial building programme. What is more, they demonstrate the skill and determination to bring about further improvement.  Teaching and learning are checked thoroughly. Training is provided to fit with school priorities and also to support the development of individual members of staff. There are comprehensive systems in place for checking how well pupils are doing. As a result, school leaders have an accurate view of how well the school is performing and where it could improve further.  Subject leaders are encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise with other members of staff, which contributes toward good-quality teaching across the curriculum. However, they are not all fully

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The leadership and management are good

involved in checking that agreed actions are implemented and having a positive impact on standards in their areas of responsibility.  School leaders are committed to making sure that there is no discrimination or prejudice at school and that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed. Consequently, pupil premium funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. The school’s success in narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and others has been recognised in a letter of congratulations received from the Minister of State for Schools.  The primary school sports funding has been used successfully to increase opportunities for pupils to participate in sporting activities. A range of activities is provided by expert coaches, for example, multi- sports, football and dance. As a result, participation has increased for pupils across the school. Training has also been provided to staff to help develop their skills in teaching physical education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects on offer effectively meet pupils’ needs. In addition pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is well developed, which contributes towards fostering good relations across the school. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain because they are taught how important it is to behave well and have respect for others. Through the school council, pupils are encouraged to share their opinions and develop their understanding of democracy.  The local authority provides light touch support as the school’s capacity to improve is recognised.  Safeguarding requirements are effective. All staff and governors agree that keeping pupils safe is a priority and parents appreciate this.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is effective. Members know about teachers’ performance management systems and the actions taken to reward good teaching and tackle underperformance. They are fully involved in

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The leadership and management are good

setting targets for the headteacher.  Governors also have an accurate overview of the quality of teaching and pupils’ attainment and progress. This is because they are highly committed to the school, visit as often as possible and receive accurate and comprehensive reports from school leaders and staff.  Members of the governing body keep themselves up to date with training. They know how to analyse information on pupils’ progress, including nationally published data and use of the pupil premium funding. This enables them to hold school leaders effectively to account for standards at the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are well mannered, take good care of each other and show respect for themselves and the adults around them. Pupils look very smart in their uniforms. However, they do not fully understand the importance of presenting neat and tidy work in their books.  Pupils are eager to do well and they speak enthusiastically about the way their teachers help them and make learning fun.  The school council makes sure that pupils’ ideas are shared with staff and governors. As a result, pupils contribute to ideas for equipment purchased for them to use in the playground.  Pupils enjoy taking care of each other. For example, they play together well in the playground and make sure that no one is left out. They will also help each other in the classroom when possible and house captains look after classes during wet play.  The before- and after-school club provides a fun start and end to the school day. Pupils who spoke with

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Behaviour

an inspector said that they really enjoyed the club because they could play with friends.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school because they know that the adults care for them well. They are confident that there is always a member of staff who will listen to them and any worries will be quickly addressed.  Pupils know about different types of discrimination and bullying. Pupils who spoke to inspectors reported that there is no bullying at their school and school records confirm that bullying is rare.  Staff make sure that pupils have a good understanding of risk, including risks associated with using the internet. Visitors to school, such as the local police officer and ‘Childline’ representatives, help pupils to understand the importance of recognising risks to their safety and letting adults know if they have any concerns.  Most parents are highly complementary about the school and are confident that their children are kept

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Safety

safe and secure. Pupils whose current circumstances might make them vulnerable are well supported by school staff who work with families and engage the services of external agencies when appropriate.  Most pupils arrive at school on time and attendance is similar to the national average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good quality teaching of reading, writing and mathematics results in good achievement for pupils. This is confirmed by work seen in pupils’ books, the school’s records of pupils’ progress and observations in the classrooms.  All pupils are encouraged to read frequently and the improved teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) helps younger pupils to become confident readers able to tackle difficult words. During the inspection, pupils in the Year 4/5 class demonstrated the more advanced skill of reading between the lines. They assigned qualities to a character from a book that were not explicit in the text.  Writing is taught well. Pupils are given plenty of time to talk together and learn ideas from each other. They routinely watch videos and read books so that they can take the perspective of characters that they see and read about. This helps them to learn from other people’s ideas and experiences and produce

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The quality of teaching is good

imaginative and/or informative pieces of writing, such as the excellent reports Year 2 pupils produced about hedgehogs.  This year there has rightly been a focus on improving teaching and learning in mathematics. Staff have engaged in training and new resources have been purchased. Consequently, pupils are more confident in using basic mathematical skills. For example, Year 5 pupils could explain very well how they were using multiplication and addition skills to find fractions and percentages of quantities. There are fewer opportunities for pupils to use these skills to investigate problems in real-life situations.  Challenging activities are often available for the most able pupils to complete. However, there are occasions when they start with work which is not difficult enough for them and teachers do not move the most able pupils on to harder tasks quickly enough.  Teaching assistants provide high-quality support for pupils who need extra help. Although they support

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils of all abilities, they are particularly effective in helping to improve the progress that the least able pupils make.  All teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. However, they do not always check that pupils complete their corrections so that they can learn from their mistakes, nor insist that work is well presented.  Teachers make sure that activities are interesting for pupils and make them want to learn. They adapt their questioning skilfully and explain instructions carefully, so that learning is not slowed by any misunderstanding. Teachers also demonstrate activities effectively to make sure that pupils understand what they are expected to learn.  The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to the questionnaires or who spoke with inspectors felt that their children were taught well and made good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Results of the 2014 Year 6 national tests show the proportions of pupils who made the progress expected of them and more progress than expected in reading, writing and mathematics were very similar to or above the national average.  In the 2014 national tests, pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 attained at broadly average levels in reading and writing. However, attainment in mathematics was well below national levels. Pupil tracking information and work seen in pupils’ books indicate that attainment in mathematics has improved this year. From below-average starting points on entry into Year 1 pupils achieve well and make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave Key Stages 1 and 2.  The proportion of Year 1 pupils who reach the required standard in the national screening check for phonics is below the national average. However, Year 2 pupils who read to an inspector and school

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The achievement of pupils is good

records of pupils’ progress demonstrate that they are well supported to catch up. All pupils in school are encouraged to read daily, both at home and at school.  An increasing number of pupils with complex additional needs is joining the school. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive excellent support from teachers and teaching assistants. Any additional needs are met well because they are identified early. External agencies are consulted if necessary and well-focused interventions are put into place. As a result, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  In the 2014 end of Key Stage 2 national tests, the proportion of pupils who reached the higher Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly average. The school’s own records and work seen in pupils’ books indicate that this is set to increase in the end of Key Stage 2 tests recently taken. There are also

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils, having attended extra lessons, who are working at the highest Level 6 in reading and mathematics. Overall, the most able pupils make good progress, although they do not always get to the more challenging tasks quickly enough to help them make faster progress.  In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in reading and writing was similar to their Year 6 classmates and approximately one term behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. Attainment in mathematics was one term behind other pupils in class and one year behind other pupils nationally.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving more than the expected levels of progress in reading and writing was above other pupils in their class and other pupils nationally. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils making more than expected progress in mathematics was above other pupils in their class and similar to other pupils nationally. Current data show that any gaps in achievement between

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The achievement of pupils is good

disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in their class successfully narrow as pupils move through the school.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 The early years provision is outstanding in supporting children’s rapid development and learning. The majority of children start in Nursery with knowledge and skills significantly lower than those typically found, especially in communication, number, personal, social and emotional development. From their individual starting points, children make exceptional progress across the early years.  Since 2012, fewer than half of the children joining Year 1 are well prepared for the learning that they will meet. This is because of the ground they have to make up from their very low starting points. However, work seen in children’s books and the school’s own records show that in 2015 proportionally more children will reach a good level of development than that seen nationally in 2014.  From very low starting points, children make rapid progress across both Nursery and Reception classes and their achievement is outstanding. Their communication and number skills improve quickly, as does

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The early years provision is outstanding

their personal and social development because all staff work well together to plan activities that enhance these skills. As a result, the gap between their skills and those typical for their age is narrowed considerably though not completely.  In both Nursery and Reception classes, the highly experienced and caring staff work closely together to make sure that learning is interesting and motivating for children. Relationships are positive and the staff make sure that children feel safe and secure both indoors and out, so that they become keen and curious learners. For example, with the help of ‘Kanga’ the puppet and of course the teacher, children successfully learnt how to identify and name two- and three-dimensional shapes. They were then able to take a magnifying glass and seek out shapes in the environment, ticking off each shape on their clip board as they located it.  Leadership across the early years is very strong. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is

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The early years provision is outstanding

excellent and the use of early years facilities is of a very high quality. Opportunities are planned to enable children to develop curiosity and imagination because improving children’s learning is central to what staff do.  Nursery and Reception class children consistently demonstrate an enthusiasm for learning and their behaviour and safety are of the highest quality. Routines are extremely well established and children follow instructions very well. For example, children in the Reception class daily settle into school by completing a challenge. This readies them for all of the new learning to come during the day.  Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child’s learning. Sessions are held to inform parents about how they can support their children with phonics and skills in English and mathematics. Parents send in photographs and information about what their children achieve

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The early years provision is outstanding

at home and this helps staff in school to plan activities that continue to build on any new learning.

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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 104479 Local authority Knowsley Inspection number 461735

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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 343 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Matthew Pendergast Headteacher Joanna Mousley Date of previous school inspection 2 November 2011 Telephone number 0151 477 8205 Fax number 0151 477 8206 Email address peterandpaul.de@knowsley.gov.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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