Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School, Crawley

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School Hare Lane, Langley Green, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7PZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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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

 Leaders have secured significant improvements in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. Consistently effective teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Substantial improvements in pupils’ achievement at the end of Year 6 mean they are well prepared with the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their learning.  In early years, good teaching and warm relationships ensure that children make good progress.  The school’s positive values and inclusive ethos permeate teaching and learning and make an exceptionally strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils respect their teachers and each other. They behave extremely well and are justifiably proud of their school.  Adults take good care of pupils, so that they are secure and feel safe at all times.  Governors play a confident and effective part in

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This is a good school

the school’s development, working positively with staff, parents and members of the local community. They share the headteacher’s aspirations for the school’s future.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching does not always challenge and extend the most-able pupils’ writing skills sufficiently. As a result, the most-able make slightly slower progress in writing than they do in reading and mathematics.  Teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to strengthen literacy skills by completing longer pieces of written work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure the highest levels of achievement in writing by: – ensuring that teaching consistently challenges and extends the most-able pupils to achieve their full potential – providing more opportunities for pupils to practise and develop literacy skills by completing longer pieces of writing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders have successfully addressed the key issues for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Senior leaders and governors have secured substantial, sustained improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and in pupils’ outcomes.  The headteacher has been instrumental in raising expectations and securing developments. Parents recognise the significant improvements in the school since his appointment. Most parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, feel the school is well led and managed and almost all would recommend the school.  Subject leaders contribute effectively to the school’s development. For example, they regularly work constructively alongside colleagues to review the quality of teaching and learning and to give advice about how to improve pupils’ learning.  Pupil premium is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve well. The inclusion leader is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

passionate about making sure that every disadvantaged pupil achieves his or her very best. She has played a central role in narrowing the gaps for this group of pupils. She closely checks their progress to make sure that extra help is working and making changes where necessary.  The school’s well-planned curriculum contributes very well to pupils’ learning in a suitably broad range of subjects. Links between subjects make learning meaningful and relevant while trips, visitors and clubs capture pupils’ interest. Leaders and teachers regularly review the curriculum to ensure that it is meeting pupils’ needs. For example, they already have suitable plans in place to strengthen pupils’ literacy skills by providing more opportunities to complete longer pieces of written work.  The curriculum and the school’s ethos develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development particularly well. Throughout the school, including breakfast club, adults warmly greet and acknowledge

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils with smiles and individual comments. This ensures that pupils feel valued and treat each other with kindness.  Pupils learn about different religions and cultures with interest and respect. The headteacher provides a strong lead for worship in the school, setting a positive, inclusive and reflective tone in assemblies. As a result, these occasions are strongly reflective, bringing the school community together for a few moments of stillness in a busy school day.  The school’s values, such as tolerance and respect, sit closely alongside British values. They are widely promoted and celebrated through the curriculum. As one governor commented: ‘the school’s religious values and British values go together like a hand in a glove’. Links with local charities, sports clubs and places of worship help pupils to develop an awareness of the valuable part they and their school play in the local community.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders use the primary school physical education and sports premium effectively to enhance pupils’ enjoyment of physical activity and their sporting achievement. For example, teachers benefit from working alongside external sports coaches, strengthening their understanding of how to teach activities such as cricket and football more confidently and successfully. Numerous sportsmen and women visit the school, inspiring pupils to try out new activities. This is reflected in the growing numbers of pupils participating in sports clubs.  Leaders have made a very good start in developing systematic and reliable procedures for checking pupils’ progress. Leaders and teachers use assessments well to ask questions about individual pupils’ progress and to check whether they are learning well enough.  The learning mentor plays a valuable role in supporting pupils’ well-being, working constructively with parents and agencies to ensure that pupils receive appropriate help. The school’s employment of an

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

educational psychologist ensures that pupils’ special educational needs are quickly spotted and support promptly provided.  The school works very productively with the local authority to check that developments are on track and to provide staff with effective training and professional development.  The governance of the school – Governors’ roles have developed very well since the previous inspection. They provide committed, knowledgeable and effective support and challenge for the school. – Governors have strengthened their understanding of the quality of teaching and learning through a range of approaches, including regular meetings with leaders to discuss how well different groups of pupils are learning, looking at pupils’ books, visiting the classrooms and talking with pupils. They use activities such as these to ask leaders increasingly searching and challenging questions. As a result, they have a secure, accurate and confident view of the school’s work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

– Governors talk authoritatively about pupils’ achievement and outcomes and know how these compare with other schools nationally. They are well-informed about how well funds are used to support learning and about how this is helping disadvantaged pupils to catch up with their peers. – Governors’ surveys and conversations with parents, pupils and staff give them an up-to-date view of the school’s work from a range of perspectives.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and governors sustain a continuous focus on pupils’ safety. Safeguarding procedures are robust and pupils are secure. Leaders, staff and governors are well qualified and alert to potential hazards, including the risk of extremism and radicalisation. The school’s open, honest and positive relationship with parents makes a strong contribution to pupils’ safety. Parents say that they feel comfortable talking to leaders about any concerns that might arise and feel the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection, accelerating pupils’ progress and lifting outcomes. Teaching is consistently good across the school and some is outstanding.  Teachers very successfully develop pupils’ understanding of how each can play a part in their learning, making sure they make the best use of their time in school. As a result, pupils of all abilities are keen to contribute their ideas during lessons and develop into responsible, mature learners.  Teachers have a very good understanding of how to teach mathematics. Mathematics lessons are characterised by high expectations of all pupils. Teachers give pupils the knowledge and confidence to select and use a range of strategies to solve calculations successfully. For example, pupils of all abilities in Year 6 confidently and accurately use their knowledge of fractions to work out percentages of given

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

amounts. The school’s focus on ensuring that all pupils participate fully and confidently in mathematics lessons means that pupils become competent, self-assured mathematicians.  Teachers give pupils frequent opportunities to write and to learn technical aspects of English, such as grammar and punctuation. They provide creative writing tasks, such as writing rhyming poems about Boris the spider in Year 2, which appeal to pupils’ interests, so that pupils enjoy writing. There are fewer opportunities, however, for pupils to develop their ideas more fully by writing at length. Teachers expect pupils to work neatly and carefully in all subjects and pupils take pride in their work.  Teachers make sure pupils frequently read while in school, so building fluency and expression. Consistent, regular phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) teaching gives pupils a secure framework for reading and writing. The school’s well-stocked library and classroom reading areas provide pupils with a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

wide range of high-quality books to capture their interest.  Teachers are alert to pupils’ progress during lessons, quickly noticing when pupils need extra help. They use information about pupils’ progress very well to consider how well pupils are learning and to plan future work.  Teaching assistants effectively work with pupils of all abilities, including pupils who have special educational needs or disability. They use questions very well, encouraging pupils to explain their thinking so that they are clear about what they are doing and why. Some teaching assistants use particular areas of expertise to contribute to high-quality teaching in subjects such as music.  Adults are knowledgeable and experienced in teaching those pupils who speak English as an additional language and use their expertise to good effect. For example, specialist teaching assistants make sure pupils are familiar with key vocabulary when preparing for new topics of work. In lessons, teachers and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

teaching assistants focus on pupils’ individual language needs, making sure that they successfully access the learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are keen learners, demonstrating consistently excellent attitudes to learning. They develop a strong sense of personal responsibility for learning and for doing their very best so that, by the end of Year 6, they are thoroughly prepared with a range of mature personal attitudes and skills. Their hard work and the positive way they approach learning fully reflects the school’s motto: ‘getting better never stops’.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and eagerly participate in all it has to offer. They attend school regularly and punctually. Attendance rates have improved since the previous inspection and are currently above national averages. Persistent absenteeism has fallen since the previous inspection and is below the national average.  Pupils are punctual and arrive in school ready to learn. They wear their school uniform with pride.

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Personal development and welfare

 Strong relationships underpin pupils’ confidence and their sense of security and well-being. Pupils get on very well together. They respect adults and each other, listening carefully to their teachers and appreciating different viewpoints. They speak sensitively and maturely about differing cultures and beliefs.  Pupils have a sensible view of some of the risks they may encounter in everyday life. For example, they know about internet safety and are aware of the dangers of talking to unfamiliar adults. Pupils told inspectors that, ‘following the rules helps us to keep safe’.  Almost all parents who completed the online questionnaire feel that children are happy, safe and well- behaved in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Their exceptional behaviour makes a strong contribution to the school’s positive and inclusive atmosphere and to the quality of pupils’ learning.  Pupils of all ages play and learn together extremely well. Pupils’ excellent attitudes during assemblies ensure that these occasions are peaceful and reflective.  Pupils are secure in school and say they feel safe at all times. They say there is nothing to worry them and know that adults will help whenever needed.  Pupils know what bullying is but say it does not happen. One pupil commented: ‘Nobody hates here.’ School records support this view, indicating that incidents rarely occur and that leaders follow up any concerns promptly.  Pupils are consistently polite and courteous. They talk intelligently about their commitment to the school’s values, such as tolerance and understanding.  The breakfast club provides a very positive start to the school day for those pupils who attend. Adults in

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Behaviour

the club have the same high expectations of pupils’ behaviour as other staff in the school. Pupils conduct themselves extremely well while having fun with their friends.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress during key stage 1, so that they consistently attain in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. This ensures that they are securely equipped with the fundamental academic and personal skills to support and accelerate their progress during key stage 2.  Pupils make very good progress in reading. All groups achieve well, including disadvantaged pupils. The youngest pupils quickly learn how to use strategies such as phonics to help them to read confidently and successfully. In 2015, the results of the Year 1 phonics check were in line with national averages. Pupils develop a passion for reading and a love of books. By Year 6, they speak eloquently about favourite titles and authors. In 2015, pupils’ attainment in reading rose substantially at the end of key stage 2 to levels well above the national average.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics has accelerated rapidly over the past two years as teaching has

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Outcomes for pupils are good

improved. Confident teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities enjoy mathematics and make rapid progress. Standards in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 have improved dramatically since the previous inspection and were in line with the national average in 2015.  Pupils’ attainment in writing at the end of key stage 2 has improved steadily over the past three years, matching national averages in 2015. Pupils make good progress in literacy skills, writing successfully for a range of purposes and audiences. However, some pupils, particularly the most able, make slightly slower progress in writing than they do in reading and mathematics. While good-quality teaching ensures that they have a thorough grasp of literacy skills, infrequent opportunities for them to use and refine these skills by completing longer pieces of writing hamper their progress. Below-average proportions achieved the higher levels in writing at the end of both key stages in 2015.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils learn a consistent handwriting style so that their work is fluent and legible. Pupils of all ages work carefully and neatly in their books.  The most-able pupils make good progress and achieve increasingly well. In reading, the proportions achieving the higher levels increased at the end of both key stages in 2015. A dramatic increase at the end of key stage 2 lifted reading outcomes to above the national average.  Improved mathematics teaching means the most able make better progress across the school in this subject, particularly in key stage 2. High-quality teaching ensures that they regularly tackle challenging tasks which extend and deepen their understanding very well. As a result, more pupils are currently on track to achieve their full potential this year than in 2015.  Disadvantaged pupils make the same good progress as their classmates across the school. Improved teaching ensured that the gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally

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Outcomes for pupils are good

narrowed substantially in writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 and closed completely in reading.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress and achieve well. Good-quality teaching gives them a secure grounding in English language during early years and key stage 1. Their progress quickens during key stage 2, as their confidence and fluency grows. By the end of Year 6, they achieve as well as their classmates.  Strong leadership and careful attention to individual needs ensures that pupils who have special educational needs or disability learn very well. They develop increasingly secure literacy and numeracy skills to help them to succeed. The way adults ensure that pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem makes a key contribution to their achievement and well-being.  All parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire feel that children are making good progress.

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Early years provision is good

 Children settle very successfully into school life in early years. They are excited about learning, make friends and learn well.  Effective teaching ensures that children make good progress in all aspects of learning. Over the past three years, the proportions achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception Year have steadily increased and were above average in 2015. This ensures that children are well prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to learn successfully in Year 1. The small numbers of disadvantaged children in early years achieve as well as their classmates.  Teachers plan a wide range of activities with care, so that children are interested, active and busy. Teachers use the well-resourced outdoor area well, giving children a safe and attractive area for playing and learning.  Better teaching has secured substantial improvements in children’s writing development. Leaders give

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Early years provision is good

children more opportunities to write than before. They focus support closely on individual children’s needs and provide lively and engaging activities to capture children’s interest. However, as in other year groups, some children could make even better progress in writing, particularly the most able. Teaching does not always challenge and extend children’s early writing skills fully.  Strong relationships contribute well to children’s growing self-esteem. Children confidently ask questions and happily chat with adults and with each other because they feel valued and secure. They behave extremely well.  Leaders and teachers work very effectively with agencies to support children’s development, including those who need extra help. For example, adults make good use of specialist advice to ensure that children develop secure speech and language skills by the end of Reception Year.  Parents say their children are happy and enthused about school and are getting on well. They say

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Early years provision is good

teachers and leaders welcome parents into the school and regularly speak to them about their children’s progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 126044 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10009202

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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

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 315 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Dobson Headteacher Tobias Melia Telephone number 01293 526057 Website www.olqoh.com Email address head@olqoh.com Date of previous inspection 16–17 January 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than that found in most schools. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is in line with the national average.  The school provides full-time early years education in two Reception classes.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school runs and manages a breakfast club on-site, which was visited during this inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in 22 lessons or part lessons, including 16 observed jointly with senior leaders.  The inspection team held discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, members of staff, parents and pupils. A meeting also took place with the chair of the governing body and five other governors.  The inspection team took account of 64 responses to Parent View. In addition, they considered the views expressed by parents who spoke with them informally at the start of the school day, as well as written comments from parents.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and considered a range of documents, including the improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress and attendance, and safeguarding policies.  The inspection team looked at a randomly selected sample of pupils’ work, as well as looking at pupils’ work in lessons. They also listened to pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reading.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Rebecca Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector Lynda Welham 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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