St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Dewsbury)Ofsted inspection, 3 Feb 2016

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Healds Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF13 4HY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement

 Pupils are not making consistently good progress in writing and mathematics across Key Stage 2.  The most-able pupils are not challenged sufficiently to write in detail, and to explain fully the skills they use in mathematics.  Gaps are widening in some subjects between some disadvantaged pupils and their peers.  Teaching is not consistently good in Key Stage 2. Not all teachers ensure that work is consistently well matched to pupils’ needs.  Some teachers do not provide pupils with enough time to practise their writing, and develop confidence in using key mathematical skills.  A minority of pupils across the school are slow to settle in some lessons. They do not concentrate and persevere enough with their learning, or take sufficient pride in presenting their work.  Leaders, managers and governors have not taken appropriate steps, since the previous inspection, to improve sufficiently teaching and pupils’

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement

outcomes in Key Stage 2.  Plans to develop the school’s work do not indicate clearly enough the precise nature of the outcomes required, or how these outcomes will be checked and measured.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The recently appointed headteacher shows high expectations. He has quickly gained the respect of all staff. Morale across the school is good.  Leaders and managers are eager to fulfil their recently revised roles, and bring about the required improvements faster.  The governing body has revised its working practices, and is holding the school’s leaders and managers more rigorously to account.  Provision in the early years is good. Most children reach a good level of development on leaving the Reception Year.  Teaching in Key Stage 1 is good and pupils make good progress.  The teaching of reading across the school is improving strongly, and is now good.  Pupils with special educational needs, and those at risk of falling behind, generally make good progress.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are safe and well cared for.  The many extra-curricular clubs and visits, and strong links with the local church and community,

p.1

The school has the following strengths

promote pupils’ personal development well.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 so that it is at least consistently good, to make sure that pupils make good progress, especially in writing and mathematics, by: matching work more carefully to pupils’ needs, especially the most able planning more opportunities for all pupils to write at length in all subjects increasing the time all pupils have in lessons to reason and justify the calculations they are using in mathematics, and to use them to solve problems in different contexts and in different subjects checking carefully how well all pupils are learning in lessons, before moving on to the next activities adjusting activities to meet pupils’ changing needs in lessons, particularly those who are disadvantaged, to reduce further gaps in achievement with other pupils ensuring all adults demonstrate consistently high expectations to motivate all pupils to participate fully and take care with their work.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders, managers and governors relentlessly drive forward the necessary improvements in teaching and pupils’ outcomes, by: providing further training to develop the skills and confidence required to assess accurately the impact of the school’s work, and determine whether it is good enough ensuring all teachers consistently follow the school’s policy on marking and assessing pupils’ work ensuring all plans to develop further the quality of the school’s work indicate precisely the nature of the outcomes intended, and clear arrangements by which to check and assess the degree of improvements over time.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders and managers have not shown enough commitment and urgency to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes, since the previous inspection. Governors have not challenged senior leaders and managers sufficiently, or questioned rigorously enough the accuracy and reliability of the information provided by them. As a consequence, the pace in improvement has not been rapid enough, and key areas for development from the previous inspection have not been successfully tackled.  The recent appointment of a new headteacher has brought a change in impetus to the school’s work. His high expectations and aspirations for all pupils have injected urgency into the school’s work. He has reorganised the senior leadership team, provided expert training for senior and middle leaders, and quickly developed a culture of high expectations across the school.  Much of this work is recent and has not yet had sufficient time to take full effect. For example, while

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

senior and middle leaders understand their new roles in improving teaching and further enhancing pupils’ learning, arrangements to check the quality of the school’s work, and to hold staff more rigorously to account, are not yet fully embedded.  Leaders and managers, at all levels, have not yet fully developed the expertise and confidence to accurately assess the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, across all years, and determine whether they are good enough.  New assessment arrangements enable leaders and managers to track pupils’ progress with increasing care. Regular checks on pupils’ progress ensure that senior leaders and staff now quickly identify pupils who are not doing as well as they should. Additional support is put in place with increasing efficiency to help these pupils to make better progress. This demonstrates leaders’ increasing commitment to promoting equality of opportunity for pupils.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 All adults tackle any rare instances of discriminatory or prejudiced behaviour robustly and successfully. These actions underpin the school’s strong sense of community and its positive environment.  Good training has been commissioned by the headteacher from the Learning Unlimited Teaching School Alliance, Sheffield, and quality support has been received from the local education authority and a national leader of education. This training and support have yet to impact fully on the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning, particularly in Key Stage 2.  The headteacher has also introduced new performance management procedures to help to improve teaching. Individual teachers’ objectives have been strengthened, and bespoke professional development linked to individual staff’s needs. While these actions demonstrate capacity for improvement, their implementation is only recent. Arrangements have the potential to link teachers’ pay progression more

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

rigorously to their performance, and to measure this performance more closely against the national teachers’ standards.  All staff value the increasing opportunities to share expertise across the local pyramid of Catholic primary schools, and with staff within St Joseph’s. All staff are rising eagerly to the challenges posed by the new headteacher.  The recently revised curriculum is already providing a wide range of interesting and thought-provoking opportunities for all pupils. It is already making a strong contribution to pupils’ increasingly good behaviour across the school, and to promoting well their personal development and welfare. Visits by the emergency services, work about the local town council, regular assemblies about internet safety, and extra-curricular cooking and healthy eating clubs, all promote effectively pupils’ personal development. A love of reading is being successfully fostered, although there remains more scope to enhance writing and

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

mathematical skills across all subjects.  Additional well-planned visits and experiences enrich pupils’ experiences further. They help to bring learning alive. Pupils say how much they enjoy learning new coding skills that enable them to develop their own computer games, recognising different patterns and shapes inspired by nature as part of the ‘Earthworks’ project, and planning investigations about what happens when sound travels through the air during science week. They eagerly participate in a wide array of sporting teams and competitions that encourage teamwork.  Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. Pupils learn about the different cultures and faiths represented in modern Britain. British values are carefully promoted through, for example, pupils’ involvement in the democratic process of electing members of the school council and learning about the importance of remembrance and Armistice Day. As a result of this work, pupils are

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils’ appreciation of music is increasingly well developed through their weekly singing tuition, and their woodwind lessons.  The school’s use of the primary physical education and sport premium funding has increased the range of sporting opportunities available to pupils, and has resulted in greater pupil participation in sports and more competitions against other schools. School leaders have yet to investigate fully the extent to which it has helped to develop staff confidence in teaching physical education.  Leaders, including governors, ensure that the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively overall. Small-group support in reading, writing and mathematics, and additional resources to support home learning and Year 6 revision, have helped to ensure that these pupils make similar progress to all other pupils, over time. Leaders and governors are now focused on ensuring that present

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

in-school gaps are quickly closed.  Most parents responding to Ofsted’s online questionnaire indicate that the school is improving. Parents are confident that any concerns they raise will be listened to, and acted upon. They believe that the school is well led and managed. All staff responding to the staff questionnaire agree with them.  The governance of the school The membership of the governing body has changed significantly since the previous inspection. Governors have reviewed their working practices. They recognise that they have not held school leaders sufficiently to account for improvements over time, and have taken steps to improve the rigour of their work. This has involved external training and support. Governors now receive a wide range of information about the school’s work, including reports from external experts. Governors are regular visitors to school to find out things for themselves.

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

They are increasingly confident in holding senior leaders to account for the school’s performance and its safeguarding arrangements. Governors keep a close watch on how funding, such as the pupil premium, is deployed to meet priorities, and whether it is having its required impact on pupils’ outcomes. Governors have a clear understanding about the quality of teaching and know how it needs to improve to heighten outcomes for pupils. They fully support the headteacher in the commissioning of external quality training and advice, to hasten this process. Governors know about the management of teachers’ performance and the links between this and teachers’ pay progression. They have put in place robust arrangements for evaluating the headteacher’s annual performance.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders, governors and staff work closely with a range of external agencies and individual families to ensure that pupils are safe. All staff receive regular training

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

on safeguarding, and are aware of how to identify whether pupils are at risk and to report any concerns. All parents responding to Parent View say that their children feel safe at school.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Leaders, including governors, and managers have not improved the quality of teaching enough since the previous inspection. Teaching still requires improvement across Years 3 to 6, as it does not ensure that pupils make overall good progress, especially in writing and mathematics.  As yet not all teachers are carefully using the information provided by the school’s leaders about individual pupils’ learning to plan lessons that are appropriate for their needs.  Not all of the adults check carefully enough whether individual pupils’ needs are changing, and adjust their work accordingly in lessons. As a result, gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers are widening, in some subjects and in some year groups.  In some lessons, teachers are not consistent in ensuring sufficient time for all pupils to write at length, and to develop fully key mathematical concepts, before moving on to other activities. As a consequence,

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

some pupils become frustrated, and their attention wavers. On occasions, this results in low-level disruption.  Not all teachers provide the most-able pupils with additional challenges that deepen their learning. As a result, they do not always make enough progress.  In mathematics, not all teachers provide sufficient opportunities for the most able to test new knowledge and skills to the full, when solving mathematical investigations and word problems.  There are similar inconsistencies in the teaching of writing. Not all teachers encourage all pupils, including the most able, to present written work with sufficient care. On occasions, work is not introduced thoughtfully to support all pupils to sequence ideas confidently, spell new words and phrases accurately, and use correct grammar to develop complex sentences.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that all teachers mark pupils’ work according to the school’s policy.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The guidance given to pupils to enhance their work does not always result in improvement.  These shortfalls are less evident in Years 1 and 2, and in the early years, where teaching is consistently motivating and effective. Activities are introduced gradually, with degrees of difficulty matched closely to individual pupils’ aptitudes. Teachers’ guidance to pupils about how to improve their work is effective. As a consequence, most make good progress in all subjects.  The teaching of reading across all years in school is increasingly effective. The vast majority of pupils enjoy reading. They can retrieve information accurately and efficiently, and many can predict future events in the books they read. Phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is taught effectively across the school. It is helping pupils to read more fluently, and with greater understanding.  Relationships between adults and pupils are overall positive. Newly designed and introduced whole-school

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

topics such as ‘fire and ice’, and ‘adventurers and explorers’, provide increasingly interesting experiences that stimulate pupils’ curiosity, inspire them to ask questions, and enthuse them to learn.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are proud of their school. They talk readily about the school’s core values, and are respectful and caring of each other and adults. Pupils from different backgrounds work and play together happily.  Pupils enjoy the different responsibilities they are given. These include membership of the school council, Year 6 prefect roles, Young Sports Leaders roles, organising assemblies and conducting school tours for visitors.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and can approach a member of staff easily if they have any concerns about their safety. They are confident that staff will not tolerate any language or actions that may be offensive.  Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe, and know about, for example, road and fire safety and how to keep safe when using the internet.  Pupils have a good awareness of different types of bullying, including racist, homophobic and cyber

p.5

Personal development and welfare

bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare. This is confirmed by the school’s behaviour records which show few incidents of poor behaviour around the school.  The many visits and visitors to school promote well pupils’ all round spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As a consequence, they are well equipped for their future learning in secondary school and for their roles as active citizens in the local community.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  A minority of pupils across the school are slow to settle in lessons, do not persevere enough with their learning, or take sufficient pride in how they present their work. This is particularly the case where pupils’ work is not challenging enough, or when pupils have too little time to complete the planned activities and they become frustrated, and often lose interest.  In some Key Stage 2 lessons, inspectors observed low-level disruption that prevented other pupils from concentrating, and completing their work. The school’s information indicates that such instances are not rare.  However, around school, most pupils are polite and friendly, and conduct themselves well. In the playground and dining room, pupils are helpful and considerate towards one another.  Expectations of how everyone should behave are made clear in the school’s core values, published in

p.5

Behaviour

every classroom. These are understood by all pupils. They appreciate the rewards they get for positive behaviour and achievements in the Celebration Assemblies, and understand that there are consequences for unacceptable behaviour.  The school’s leaders work hard to encourage pupils to attend school regularly. Most do so and, as a result, attendance is at the national average.  The vast majority of pupils, parents and staff responding to the Ofsted online questionnaires confirm that pupils’ general conduct is strongly improving, and that the school is a calm and orderly place to be.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils’ overall outcomes have not risen enough since the previous inspection, and still require improvement.  Across Key Stage 2, pupils made no better than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics, across 2013–2015. They attained below-average end of Key Stage 2 outcomes in reading and mathematics, and broadly average outcomes in writing. Not enough of the most-able pupils reached the highest outcomes in all subjects.  Information gathered during the inspection indicates that Key Stage 2 outcomes in writing and mathematics remain too variable for many pupils. As a result, many are not prepared well enough for secondary school.  Outcomes in writing require improvement because not enough pupils, especially the most able, are encouraged to plan and write at length, and across different subjects and topics. Not all teachers pay enough attention to widening pupils’ vocabulary, enhancing their accuracy in the use of grammar and

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

developing confidence in sequencing their ideas in well-structured paragraphs.  Outcomes in mathematics require improvement because not all pupils have enough opportunities to practise calculations, and develop confidence before using them to investigate problems. The most-able pupils are not always stretched to explain their approaches to individual calculations, or to apply in depth, and often enough, their mathematical knowledge, in a range of relevant problem-solving activities.  Across Key Stage 1, however, pupils make good progress and attain outcomes that are at least average in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because the teaching in Years 1 and 2 is consistently effective.  By the end of Year 1, the proportion of pupils who achieve the expected level in phonics is above the national average. Pupils’ knowledge of the sounds that letters make helps them to enjoy reading.  Daily guided reading sessions, together with new strategies to support pupils in understanding what they

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

read and in making deductions and predictions, are improving pupils’ reading skills. They are increasingly good across the school.  Careful checking of the deployment, and impact, of pupil premium funding has helped to close gaps in the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. For example, in 2015 the end of Year 6 gap in reading and mathematics had closed almost completely, and disadvantaged pupils were only eight months behind other pupils nationally in writing. However, information gathered during the inspection indicates that these gaps are widening, especially in writing and mathematics, in some year groups, across the school.  Pupils with special educational needs, as well as those who have fallen behind and need to catch up in their learning, generally make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, over time. This is still the case because their progress is tracked carefully, and they receive effective individual care and support

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

from staff.  There is no discernible difference, from their White British peers, in the achievement of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds, as well as those speaking English as an additional language.  Many pupils develop particularly good all-round knowledge and skills in religious education, physical education and music, but less so in art.

p.6

Early years provision is good

 Most children enter the early years with skills that are typical for their age, although a minority experience some difficulties in speaking, understanding and reading, and with aspects of their personal development.  Pupils make good progress from these starting points due to good teaching and effective care and support. In 2014 and 2015, a larger proportion of children achieved a good level of development, by the end of the Reception Year, than seen nationally. Overall, children are well prepared for transition to Year 1.  Boys achieve as well as girls, particularly in reading and writing. The small number of disadvantaged children also make good progress with their learning.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. The information that is gathered through assessment is used effectively to plan for the needs and abilities of children, especially the most able.  There is a good balance of adult-led and independent activities where the children make their own

p.6

Early years provision is good

decisions about what they wish to do. For example, in a lesson on letters and sounds, children used both indoor and outdoor learning areas effectively to engage in follow-up activities, searching for ‘oo’ sounding letters in the outdoor sand and water areas, while eagerly making ‘moon’ puppets indoors. Inspectors saw how well adults ignited children’s curiosity when having their bikes repaired at the ‘Bike’ shop, and encouraged their talk during the painting of ‘underwater’ creatures.  Learning journals are well presented, with photographs and annotations describing children’s achievements. These provide a good record of the progress of each individual child, including the next stage in their learning, for parents and staff, as well as for the children themselves.  Good relationships with parents, and supportive home visits, ensure that they are well informed about their child’s progress. They are encouraged regularly by all of the adults in the Reception Year to support

p.7

Early years provision is good

their child’s learning at home.  The children’s welfare and safety are given the highest priority and, as a result, they are happy, safe and confident.  The leadership of early years provision is good. Staff work well as a team, and have a clear view about the strengths and areas for development of the provision. They use assessment information effectively to plan for improvements, including additional funding to close gaps in progress between disadvantaged children and their peers.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 107733 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10002112 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 218 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Leigh Manton Headteacher Robert Barraclough Telephone number 01924 325327 Website http://www.stjosephsdewsbury.co.uk Email address office.stjosephsdews@kirkleeseducation.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 October 2013

p.8

Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage, although the proportion of minority ethnic children, including those whose first language is not believed to be English, is above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are supported through the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average. There are currently no disabled pupils in school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed. There have been significant

p.8

Information about this school

changes in the senior leadership team and governing body. Roles of senior and middle leaders and governors have been reviewed, and working practices substantially changed.  The school receives support from the local authority, a national leader of education, and the Learning Unlimited Teaching School Alliance, Sheffield.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a range of different lessons, of which one was observed jointly with the headteacher.  Pupils’ work was sampled informally in lessons in a range of subjects. In addition, mathematics and writing from Years 3, 5 and 6 were sampled separately.  Inspectors also reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s own information on current pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, minutes of the governing body’s meetings, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents pertaining to safeguarding.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils in Years 3 to 6, with governors and with school staff, including those with management responsibilities.  Inspectors evaluated the 44 responses of parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors also took into account the views of 17 members of the school’s staff, and of the 18 pupils,

p.9

Information about this inspection

who completed the Ofsted online questionnaires. Inspectors also evaluated pupils’ and staff views in response to recent school questionnaires.

p.9

Inspection team

Andrew Swallow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Beverley Riddle 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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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,

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10