St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Waterlooville

St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Waterlooville Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, PO7 7BP

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Good 2

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

 Instability in staffing in the past has hindered the effectiveness of the school. It has led to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching over time and in pupils’ achievement.   Older pupils do not build on the good start they make in the early years and Key Stage 1. Too few make better than expected progress.  The basic skills of middle-ability pupils in writing and mathematics have not been developed quickly enough in the past.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics and writing is not yet as strong as that in reading.  The quality of teaching is improving, but has not sustained the good achievement of pupils over time. Teachers do not always have sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can achieve or take account of what they already know.  Not all teachers have got to grips with the new National Curriculum. Some subjects are not taught in sufficient depth.  The quality of teachers’ marking is uneven across

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

different year groups. Insufficient attention is given to spelling, grammar and punctuation at Key Stage 2. Consequently, pupils do not achieve high enough standards in writing.  The roles and responsibilities of the interim senior leadership team and subject leaders are not sufficiently developed to ensure that all take responsibility for improving the quality of teaching further and accelerating pupils’ progress.  Leaders have not been effective enough in their drive to improve teaching and to raise attainment since the previous inspection.

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The school has the following strengths

 The acting headteacher is highly committed and provides clear direction. She is unrelenting in her drive to ensure improvement continues.  The governing body is now effective in holding the school’s leaders to account for pupils’ outcomes.  Children settle well into the Reception classes and achieve well.  Standards at the end of Year 2 are above average.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well. The atmosphere throughout the school reflects a strong sense of community and mutual respect.  The care and welfare of pupils are strengths of the school. Pupils behave well and feel safe and secure.  Most parents and carers value what the school provides for their children.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons, of which two were observed jointly with school leaders. In addition, the inspectors made a number of shorter visits to lessons.  The inspectors held discussions with school leaders, including the acting headteacher, staff, governors and representatives of the local education authority and the diocesan education board.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils’ progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and samples of pupils’ work. They heard groups of pupils reading and spoke with pupils about behaviour and the safety arrangements at the school.  The views of 120 parents were analysed through the online questionnaire, Parent View. In addition, inspectors spoke with some parents and considered views of parents who wrote letters.  The views expressed by the 53 staff who responded to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Michael Bartleman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  One pupil in 10 is supported by the pupil premium, which is below the national average. The additional funding is for disadvantaged pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  One pupil in seven is disabled or has special educational needs. This is broadly in line with the national average.  Children attend the Reception classes full time.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club on the school site managed by the governing body.  Since the last inspection, there has been a considerable turnaround of staff. An acting headteacher was appointed in April 2015; she was previously an assistant headteacher at the school. An interim leadership team was formed in April 2015. Two acting assistant headteachers were appointed in April 2015. The inclusion manager and three newly qualified teachers were appointed in September 2014.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, and raise pupils’ achievement in mathematics and writing, by ensuring that:  teachers plan lessons which take account of pupils’ starting points, so they build on what pupils already know and can do  teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve for their age and ability in all subjects, so they no longer accept work of insufficient quality or poor presentation  there is a greater focus on developing pupils’ skills in grammar, spelling and punctuation and basic mathematics skills at Key Stage 2  teachers give pupils opportunities to use their writing and mathematical skills in other subjects  marking consistently helps pupils to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and management of the school by:  delegating more responsibility for checking the quality of teaching and learning to subject leaders  sharing best practice more widely among staff.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The school has experienced a period of instability in staffing which has had an adverse impact on pupils’ achievement. Many staff are new to the school and to their leadership roles. Leaders have not ensured that teaching is consistently good. Consequently, leadership and management require improvement.  The acting headteacher has established a culture of high expectations from all staff where good behaviour and progress are expected. Her drive and determination have been crucial in improving the school. The school is better placed to improve further.  The acting headteacher is held in high regard by the pupils, parents and staff. Comments on the staff questionnaires returned indicate a high level of confidence in the school’s leadership. Staff morale is high.  The interim leadership team has evaluated the school’s performance accurately. Leaders correctly identify the school’s strengths and the right priorities for further development.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The skills and expertise of the interim senior leaders and subject leaders are not fully developed to support the acting headteacher in driving forward the school’s improvement and accelerating pupils’ progress. At present, there is not enough delegation of responsibility, involving lesson observations and sharing good practice, to enable other leaders to make a greater contribution to school improvement and raise pupils’ achievement further.  School leaders have reviewed the curriculum in the light of changes to the new National Curriculum. The work planned by the teachers motivates the pupils, who say that they really enjoy their learning. However, this has not enabled all pupils to make good progress in their work. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply their writing and mathematical skills in other subject areas. Inconsistent approaches and depth of study have led to variations in standards and progress between subjects, particularly at Key

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The leadership and management require improvement

Stage 2.  The curriculum is enriched through a wide range of educational visits, visitors to the school, use of the outdoor areas, learning French and specialist music teaching. It provides pupils with a broad range of interesting activities and exciting learning experiences. During the inspection, for example, pupils from Year 6 were performing the musical Grease. High levels of enjoyment and enthusiasm were evident.  The development of spiritual, moral and social skills is a strength of the school and equips pupils well for their future life in modern Britain. Staff actively promote British values. As a result, pupils show respect and tolerance for other pupils and adults within school. They have a good understanding of democratic processes through class discussions and the elections to the school council.  Partnerships with local schools have provided effective support for teacher training and for checking

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The leadership and management require improvement

assessments. These have resulted in the successful tracking of pupils’ achievement and raising the quality of teaching.  The procedures for checking the quality of teaching are well structured. The acting headteacher has responded quickly in addressing weaker aspects of teaching. Teachers say they find the process supportive, with good opportunities for training and coaching. These are helping to improve the impact of teaching on outcomes for pupils. Newly qualified teachers are well supported.  Thorough systems to check the progress of pupils provide accurate and up-to-date information on pupils’ attainment. This information is also used with increasing effectiveness to manage the performance of staff. The link between performance and salary progression for staff is clear and applied rigorously.  St Peter’s is a harmonious and happy school. The school fosters good relations and tackles any form of

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The leadership and management require improvement

discrimination well. Despite these strengths, all pupils do not have an equal opportunity to succeed because pupils in Key Stage 2 are not able to achieve as well as they should from their strong starting points.  Leaders make sure that the pupil premium funding is used well to support disadvantaged pupils. School data show that gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates are narrowing rapidly. The impact of targeted interventions is rigorously checked by the school and the governing body.  The school uses the primary sport funding well. It has been used to increase the scope of sports activities available to pupils during and after school. It pays for coaching by a sports specialist and this, in turn, adds well to teachers’ expertise. A wide range of sports is available and popular with pupils; this contributes well to their health and well-being.  The school has worked hard to develop mutually supportive relationships with parents. Most parents are

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The leadership and management require improvement

positive about all aspects of the school, including the breakfast and after-school clubs. However, a small number rightly feels that their children are not always making good progress and that teaching has been inconsistent.  The local authority and diocesan education board have not been active enough in supporting the interim leadership team. Their light touch approach has been unsuited to the school’s needs.  Safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements. Systems are securely in place and staff training is up to date in areas such as child protection.  The governance of the school:  The governing body now carries out its duties effectively. As a result of effective training and a clear understanding of test results and school information, governors are able to challenge leaders at the school and, at the same time, support their drive for improvement.  Governors can explain the process of spending the pupil premium funding and relate it to its success. At

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The leadership and management require improvement

the same time, they know and understand that the school’s expenditure on sports-related activities is effective and successful. They know about the quality of teaching and the purpose of performance targets and the importance of these being met for any possible salary increases for teachers and other staff. They know that staff receive support to improve their practice if necessary.  Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively and all safeguarding aspects meet current requirements. New governors are being well supported. Governors have kept parents well informed during the recent transitional period.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in and around the school. They are polite and courteous to adults. They are keen to learn. Teaching is rarely affected by any distracting behaviour.  The number of exclusions has reduced over the last three years and is now well below the national average. The school’s behaviour log shows that the numbers of incidents are few and reducing.  Pupils’ behaviour is consistently well managed. Pupils, staff and parents speak highly of the typically good standards of behaviour and strong relationships in the school. Behaviour is not outstanding because a few older pupils are more boisterous outside of lessons.  The school’s ethos has a strong sense of fairness and is rooted in the Christian beliefs that permeate all aspects of the school’s work.  Pupils play a significant role in the school and take on a wide range of responsibilities, which help to build

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Behaviour

their maturity, confidence and social skills. For example, pupils enjoy being representatives on the school council and play leaders. Year 6 pupils spoke with enthusiasm about their reading buddies from the Reception classes and the links they have with the local church and community.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and, from early years upwards, good welfare and health routines ensure that pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and well. Access to the buildings and site are secure and well maintained.  Virtually all parents agree that their children are safe in school and that the school cares for them well. This is confirmed by the pupils themselves. All staff are well trained in keeping pupils safe.  Pupils are very clear that bullying and derogatory or aggressive language are rare. Pupils are very knowledgeable about the different forms that bullying can take, such as cyber bullying or sexism. They are confident that, should it occur, it would be dealt with swiftly and effectively.  Pupils know how to stay safe as they are well prepared to maintain their personal safety through training

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Safety

in areas such as road safety and use of the internet.  Attendance is above average and pupils enjoy coming to school. They told the inspectors that they liked everything about the school. They enjoy other activities such as sports, outdoor learning, the breakfast club and the many other clubs and trips, including residential visits.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although the quality of teaching has improved over the last year, it requires further improvement because it is not consistently good or better in increasing the rate of pupils’ progress and raising attainment. There is still a legacy of weak teaching that has adversely affected pupils’ achievement at Key Stage 2.  Some of the variation in teaching has stemmed from changes in teaching staff. As staff settle into their new roles and classes, the quality of teaching is improving. However, the impact of this is not being seen in pupils’ achievement at the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils make slower progress where teachers expect too little of them. Teachers do not always have the highest expectation of the way pupils present their work.  Generally, teachers plan lessons well and provide interesting activities which promote good learning. There is an increasing amount of effective teaching on which the school can build, particularly in the early years

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

and Key Stage 1.  Where teachers use questioning well, it encourages pupils to reflect on their learning. However, teachers do not always check how well pupils are learning during a lesson, in order to adjust their approach. This sometimes slows progress. Occasionally, it means that pupils, including the most able, have nothing more challenging to do when they have finished a task, or when they have shown that they understand the work.  Although the teaching of writing has improved this year, in some classes in Key Stage 2 there is a lack of emphasis on basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar. This limits pupils’ accuracy when writing independently.  In mathematics, pupils are often asked to explain their thinking to each other, which gives good opportunities for them to use mathematical language. However, until recently, a number of pupils at Key Stage 2 did not have the confidence in using basic number skills.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Every seven weeks, teachers evaluate the progress pupils make with school leaders. They quickly identify any pupils who are not progressing in their learning. As a result, pupils are making better progress this year. Gaps between the attainment of groups of pupils are closing.  The marking of pupils’ work has improved, although it is not consistently applied across the school and between subjects. Pupils do not always have the time to act upon teachers’ comments and improve their work.  In reading, pupils develop a good knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) and have many opportunities to read to adults and to develop their comprehension skills.  Teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils’ learning. They question pupils carefully, encouraging them to stay motivated and to think about their learning and about the answers they give.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are identified early and receive good

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

support to help them achieve as well as their classmates. Their progress is closely checked by the inclusion manager. Carefully planned activities ensure that these pupils are making better progress this year.  Relationships are strong and help pupils’ learning in the classroom. Classrooms are orderly, well organised and attractive. Imaginative displays inspire pupils to learn. Good relationships and the use of praise are strong features in lessons and most pupils are keen to do well.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils flourish across the early years and Key Stage 1, so they leave Year 2 with standards that are consistently above those expected for their age. Although the standards at the end of Year 6 are typically at the national average, this does not represent good progress for many pupils. Older pupils are capable of more, given their strong starting points and positive attitudes to learning.  The school’s internal data show that pupils currently in Year 6 are attaining standards that are similar to national levels, although there are some variations between groups in mathematics and writing. The school has introduced a programme of activities to develop writing which has started to bring about improvements. The current Year 6 pupils are making better progress. Writing is still a priority for development because of some inconsistencies and lack of expectation. Some pupils in Key Stage 2 do not show a good understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation in their work.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Weaker teaching in mathematics at Key Stage 2 in the past has left gaps in pupils’ understanding and in their confidence. Training and coaching provided by the senior leaders are improving teachers’ subject knowledge and skills. As a result, evidence from pupils’ books and information from assessments indicate pupils are making better progress than in the past, but it is not yet good for all pupils.  Achievement in other subjects is more variable. Pupils are not always given the opportunity to gain specific skills and knowledge in subjects such as science and information and communication technology because topics are not covered in depth.  In the past, the achievement of girls has been better than that of boys in national assessments at Year 6 in reading and writing, but not as good in mathematics. The school has worked hard to make the learning activities more interesting. Although gaps in the attainment of boys and girls remain, they are now closing

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

due to the recent improvements in teaching and the additional support.  In 2014, disadvantaged pupils at the end of Year 6 lagged behind other pupils in the school by three terms in reading and writing and just over one term in mathematics. When compared against other pupils nationally, they were behind by three terms in reading and writing, and two terms in mathematics.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding now benefit from well-judged extra support. Key to this is the highly effective support from the child and family support worker. The school has provided individual help and guidance, additional tuition and financial support to enable them to participate in out-of-school activities and courses. However, over time, the achievement of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding requires improvement because they make inconsistent progress across Key Stage 2.  The school has increased the demands made on the most-able pupils in all subjects recently. This is

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

resulting in the most-able pupils making better progress throughout the school.  Children join the Reception classes with basic skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. Well- planned experiences and careful monitoring of children's progress help children to learn and develop successfully. The proportion of pupils reaching a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year is above that found nationally, and is continuing to improve.  The result of the phonic screening check for pupils in Year 1 in 2014 was above the national average. Pupils are encouraged to love reading from the start of school. Regular teaching of phonics is supporting children well in rapidly developing their reading skills.

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The early years provision is good

 Children achieve well in the Reception classes and make good progress. From a range of different starting points, two thirds of the children reached a good level of development in 2014, which is broadly average. School information shows that the proportion achieving a good level of development has increased rapidly this year.  Staff guide the children very effectively. They give them good support through constant discussions and talking with individuals in order to improve their vocabulary and ability to respond to questions. Teaching is consistently good.  Leadership and management of the early years provision are strong. Assessments are checked to ensure they are accurate. Staff get on well together and their modelling of good relationships encourages children to share, play well with other children and freely take part in all activities.  The good transition between home and school helps children to join the classes calmly and free from

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The early years provision is good

upset. Transfer into school is well managed.  Good relationships help children develop positive attitudes to their learning, preparing them well for future progress through the school. Children behave well, work and play together happily, and develop good social skills.  Children make good progress in their learning and achieve well over time, so that most are well prepared to start their learning in Year 1. The work often starts from children’s interests or the class topic. During the inspection, children were seen writing shopping lists during activities they had chosen, which showed how confident they were with their mark making.  The outdoors area is vibrant and stimulating. It is well used to develop children’s skills across all areas of learning. During the inspection, children were fully engaged in the outside area making shapes using a wide range of materials. This gave them good opportunities to use shape vocabulary which had been

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The early years provision is good

introduced in a previous language lesson.  Staff carefully monitor children’s learning and make good use of this information to plan what children need to learn in the future. Parents are involved early on and contribute to their child’s development through the learning journals which log children’s progress.  The activities challenge the most-able children well. Teachers provide opportunities with reading and writing to extend their skills.  Those safeguarding procedures and policies relevant to the early years setting are in place and ensure that children are well cared for and kept safe.

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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 116489 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 456206

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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 437 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Liz Holford Headteacher Kay Bowen (acting headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 18–19 June 2012 Telephone number 023 9226 2599 Fax number 023 9223 0375 Email address adminoffice@stpeterswaterlooville.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

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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