St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School

St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School Western Avenue, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire RG5 3BH

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher has made a strong contribution to the improvement of the school. Under his ambitious and highly effective leadership, the school has improved in key areas.  Leaders and governors have ensured that the quality of teaching has improved and is now consistently good. As a result, pupils make good progress and achieve well.  Governors test the work of the school for themselves. They have been highly effective in improving the school.  Leaders and governors clearly understand their school. Their plans for further improvement are extremely well considered.  The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now consistently good.  Teaching assistants are skilled, and work closely with teachers and leaders.  Behaviour and pupils’ personal development and welfare are outstanding. This is a happy school, where pupils feel safe and well protected.  Pupils are cared for extremely well. Older pupils

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This is a good school

take care of the younger children.  Pupils achieve well. Results in all the various national checks have improved since the previous inspection. Progress in most year groups is strong. Achievement in writing has improved markedly.  The early years provision is good. Children achieve well. Children’s achievement has improved since the previous inspection. Teaching is good. Adults take good care of the children.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils throughout the school is extremely strong.  Pupils develop an extremely strong understanding of British values.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The written feedback pupils receive in their books does not always encourage them to find out for themselves how to improve their work. As a result, their learning is not as rapid as it could be.  For children in the Reception classes, the indoor and outdoor areas do not always offer enough opportunities for them to learn basic literacy and numeracy skills through play activities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure the highest-quality learning in all subjects, by making sure that pupils receive written feedback that helps them to think deeply about their work and how to improve it.  Provide more indoor and outdoor activities for children in the Reception classes aimed at improving their reading, writing and number skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The headteacher has improved the school rapidly. He has a clear vision of excellence, and is ambitious to make the school outstanding. Ably assisted by his deputy, he has made significant and highly effective changes. New and rigorous ways of checking pupils’ progress, for example, are used by all staff. A new curriculum for writing has secured improvements throughout the school. As a result, pupils’ achievement has risen since the previous inspection.  Leaders are clear-sighted about the strengths of the school and areas in which it can improve further. Based on accurate self-analysis, their plans for future improvements are robust and cover the right priorities.  Both the local authority and the school supporting St Dominic Savio have contributed very strongly to improving leadership and management, and the quality of teaching and learning.  Middle leaders are highly effective. They have made an excellent contribution in improving the quality of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

teaching and pupils’ learning. Lesson observations are rigorous and focused sharply on how well pupils are learning. As a result, pupils attain well and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school.  Staff responses to the survey of their views show that they overwhelmingly share the aims of leaders and governors. A typical comment from one member of staff was, ‘We have a great team spirit and are challenged to be the best we can be.’  Staff, including teaching assistants, are encouraged to undertake further training and to progress in their careers. Teachers new to the profession report that they are extremely well supported and given much helpful guidance.  In short, this is a happy school, where leaders, governors, staff and pupils share a common aim to be the best. Improvements already made indicate that the school is well placed to continue its upward journey.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The school gives all pupils an equal opportunity to succeed. It is a diverse community in which 24 languages are spoken. All feel welcome and there is no discrimination. Pupils respect the views of others.  Pupils are successfully prepared to grow up in modern Britain. For example, in an inspiring assembly, pupils learned to respect those of other faiths and heritages. The words of the recent Bake-Off winner, Nadiya Hussain, were used to help pupils learn resilience and determination in pursuing their goals.  The school very successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the creative range of subjects encourages pupils to develop a sense of wonder and awe. Such topics as ‘Frozen Kingdom’ stimulate an imaginative response as well as deepening their understanding of history, geography and science.  The range of subjects is broad and balanced. Most mornings are timetabled for improving pupils’ skills

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

and understanding of reading, writing and mathematics. This depth of learning has contributed to the improvement in pupils’ outcomes.  Staff give generously of their time to run clubs. Pupils are taken on visits to places of interest, designed to broaden their horizons and experiences. For example, pupils visit places of worship of other religions to help them understand the world they live in.  The additional funding for the small number of disadvantaged pupils is used highly effectively to promote their skills. Leaders and governors are acutely aware of the importance of spending this funding wisely and effectively. They check rigorously the progress of disadvantaged pupils throughout the school, enabling them to achieve well. The impact of their measures is highly positive.  The additional funding for primary sports and physical education is used effectively. New sports activities, such as lacrosse and Gaelic football, break down gender stereotypes and attract a wider range of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

participants. There are now more sports and dance clubs, together with increased participation in sports competitions. The school ensures that teachers develop the skills to continue the quality of sports provision in the future.  The school’s engagement with parents is exemplary. Parents are encouraged to contribute to school planning, not just through the governing body and the parent–staff association, but also through the parent consultation group. This group provides a forum for parents to present their views and for the school to test out its plans. As a result of good communication, a great majority of parents strongly support the school.  The governance of the school Governors are closely involved in the life of the school. They visit it regularly to check specific aspects of its work for themselves, such as behaviour reward systems and the success of measures to improve writing throughout the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Following the previous inspection, governors undertook a stringent review of their performance. As a result of their improved accuracy in self-evaluation, they have greatly strengthened their contribution to improving the school. They understand how well pupils throughout the school are achieving, and use the clear figures provided by the school to ask searching questions and hold leaders to account. Governors understand the link between teachers’ progression up through the salary scales and pupils’ progress. This helps them to ensure good teaching and good value for money. Governors are trained in safeguarding procedures, such as ensuring the safe recruitment of staff. They are highly effective in fulfilling their obligation to keep pupils safe. For example, governors ensured the safety of the large site by securing the perimeter and moving the office, so that anyone entering or leaving is clearly visible.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are rigorous. All adults who work with children are meticulously checked. The site is secure. Required checks on safety are carried out diligently. The school works in highly effective partnership with parents and a variety of external agencies to secure pupils’ physical and emotional safety.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is consistently good across all year groups and classes. This results in pupils making consistently good progress in their learning.  Teaching is not yet outstanding. This is because pupils are not always clear how to improve their written work, as guidance does not consistently help them to make the fastest progress they could.  Adults teach the key skills of reading, writing and mathematics well, preparing pupils effectively for the next stage of schooling. For example, pupils’ writing skills have improved considerably as a result of stimulating tasks that capture their imagination. In a Year 5 English lesson, for example, pupils were busily engaged in writing a letter to the head of the Football Association, encouraging him to make football less aggressive. This task engaged both girls and boys, and sharpened their persuasive writing skills.  Pupils like their teachers and enjoy a wide range of subjects. There are warm relationships in the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

classroom. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoyed learning and that behaviour was well managed by the adults. Pupils understand the reward systems for good behaviour.  Teaching assistants are well deployed and make a valuable contribution to the learning of all groups of pupils, including the most able and those at risk of falling behind.  Adults know the pupils well and plan effectively to meet the needs of all groups.  Questioning in class is strong, ensuring that all pupils remain alert and engaged in their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils told inspectors that they are very happy at school. They get on extremely well with one another. They feel safe and protected.  Pupils are confident, articulate and polite to visitors and to one another. They hold doors open for one another. They file respectfully into assembly, their hands clasped, ready to reflect on the day’s theme.  Pupils are looked after very well. Children who are most in need are given extremely helpful support, suited to their needs. The school works in highly effective partnership with external agencies to support those in need of emotional or behavioural support.  The school encourages pupils of different ages to mix together. This is clearly seen in the breakfast club and the after-school care provision, where pupils of different ages play harmoniously together. It is also

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Personal development and welfare

seen in the highly effective arrangement whereby Year 6 pupils act as ‘buddies’ to children in the Reception classes. Inspectors enjoyed seeing older pupils taking good care of the younger ones, cutting up their food and chatting to them. One Reception child volunteered, ‘I love my buddy.’  The school keeps pupils safe and gives them the understanding they need to keep themselves safe. Pupils understand the potential dangers from using computers or from making contact with strangers. They told inspectors that adults reinforce safety rules when taking them out of school.  Pupils confirm that there is hardly any unkindness from one child to another. Even children in the Reception classes know whom to turn to if they have a worry. Lunchtimes and playtimes run smoothly. Pupils eat and play harmoniously together.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are mindful of the school’s ‘golden rules’. Pupils who spoke to inspectors showed that they understood these simply worded and important rules for responsible behaviour. For example, the rule ‘we respect each other’ is clearly seen in practice. Pupils respect the faiths and backgrounds of others, and their tolerance is reflected in school records, which show few acts of unkindness from pupils and no racist language.  Behaviour in the classroom is excellent, enabling lessons to proceed smoothly with minimal disruption when activities change. Classrooms are pleasant and orderly. Pupils show their pride in their school by keeping the rooms tidy and their workbooks neatly presented.  Pupils show their enjoyment of learning by their good attendance. Persistent absences are low.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ outcomes are good. Pupils in nearly all year groups throughout the school make consistently good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes are not outstanding. Current progress, as seen in lessons and in pupils’ workbooks, is good but not exceptional.  Progress from the end of Year 2 to the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics has been rising since the previous inspection. The 2015 progress figures were stronger than in the previous two years.  In 2015, there was a marked improvement in writing, a subject that had lagged in the previous two years. This rise in pupils’ writing attainment and progress reflects the school’s determination to raise pupils’ achievement through a strong curriculum for writing.  Pupils’ attainment overall has risen since the previous inspection, and in 2015 was above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Year 6 pupils are prepared well for secondary school,

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Outcomes for pupils are good

leaving with strong literacy, numeracy and speaking skills.  The small number of disadvantaged pupils achieve well. Within each year group there is little appreciable difference between their attainment and that of others in the same year. Disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2015 attained more highly and made stronger progress in all subjects than other pupils in the school or nationally.  No group falls behind. All achieve consistently well. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because the school provides effective additional support and measures the impact of the support carefully. The school is equally effective in providing for other groups, such as those who speak English as an additional language and those at risk of falling behind in their learning.  The most-able pupils make good progress in line with others at the school. Their progress, like that of

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Outcomes for pupils are good

others, has improved since the previous inspection.

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Early years provision is good

 The quality of provision in the Reception classes is good but not outstanding. Many of the activities provided for the children, both indoors and outdoors, are lively and interesting. However, they do not always stimulate the most rapid learning, particularly of literacy and number skills.  Leadership of the Reception Year is good. Detailed plans have been drawn up to ensure that the recent rise in children’s achievement continues. These plans focus strongly on improving teaching and learning.  The Reception Year has got off to a good start. A brisk programme of home visits has been completed. Children arrive ready to learn and quickly settle into their new routines. Inspectors arrived early in the school year. Nevertheless, children were happy and had made friends, and could talk about the activities they were engaged in.  Teaching is good. All adults share in introducing children to new ideas and experiences. They question

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Early years provision is good

the children well, giving them good opportunities to use and develop speaking skills.  Children are looked after well. Parents who spoke to inspectors confirmed that their children are happy and looked after carefully. Communication between school and home is friendly and helpful.  Children behave well. They play well together. Inspectors enjoyed seeing children happily cooperating to fill vessels with water and so begin the process of understanding volume. Children are ready to share the equipment and take turns.  The school keeps the children safe. Rigorous checks of risk are undertaken before children move around the school site or go on visits and trips.  Outcomes for the children are good. The proportion of children gaining a good level of development in the early years skills has risen since the previous inspection. At this early stage of the school year, children have made a good start in their ‘learning journeys’.

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Early years provision is good

 The school is effective in supporting the few children who present with emotional or behavioural needs. The school works closely with parents and with external agencies to ensure that these children’s needs are met.  Children learn a range of language, number and personal skills in the early years. By the time they leave Reception they are ready to move on confidently to Year 1.

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School details

Unique reference number 110041 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10002288

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 374 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John McKendrick Headteacher James Broadbridge Telephone number 01189 693893 Website www.stdominicsavio.co.uk Email address admin@st-dominicsavio.wokingham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 19 September 2013

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Information about this school

 St Dominic Savio is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school receives advice and support from St Francis Catholic Primary School.  A smaller than average proportion of pupils are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium. The funding is used to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  The proportion of pupils who come from minority ethnic heritages is higher than average. A wide range of heritages is represented. Few pupils are at an early stage of learning English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is just below average.  The school runs a breakfast club and provides after-school care.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited classes throughout the school and observed pupils’ learning in a range of subjects. The headteacher and deputy headteacher accompanied inspectors on most of their classroom visits.  Inspectors visited the breakfast club and the after-school care provision.  Inspectors spoke to a number of pupils, listened to them read and looked at samples of their work. An inspector met with a group of pupils to hear how they felt about the school.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, including those who hold responsibility for specific subjects.  A telephone interview was held with the Chair of the Governing Body. A meeting was held with the co- Vice-Chairs of the Governing Body, and four other governors. In addition, an inspector met another governor separately.  A meeting was held with a representative from the local authority.  A telephone interview was held with the headteacher of St Francis Catholic Primary School, an

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Information about this inspection

outstanding Catholic primary school offering school-to-school support to St Dominic Savio.  A meeting was held with a group of teaching assistants.  Inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection. A meeting was held with four members of the parent consultation group. Inspectors took account of 148 responses to the online survey, Parent View. They also scrutinised the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views.  In addition, inspectors took account of the 36 responses to a questionnaire for members of staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents. These included the school’s own views of how well it is doing, its plans for the future and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors considered a range of evidence on pupils’ attainment and progress. They also examined safeguarding information, and records relating to behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Natalia Power, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Llyn Codling Ofsted Inspector Richard Blackmore Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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