St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Queen’s Road, Ingrow, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 1AR

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 This school has rapidly improved. The executive headteacher has communicated a clear vision and high expectations of staff and pupils.  Staff have benefited from training and support provided by a local partner school. There is a strong sense of teamwork across the school.  Because teaching has improved significantly, progress is accelerating and more pupils are reaching standards typical of their age.  Senior leaders have established effective assessment systems to identify pupils whose learning needs extra support. Consequently these pupils are catching up with their peers.  Behaviour is now consistently good in lessons and around school.  Pupils’ good learning attitudes are a major strength. Lessons proceed smoothly and time is used well. Pupils make good use of the constructive feedback they receive from teachers.  The lively curriculum, drawing on first-hand learning experiences, has sparked pupils’ interest

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This is a good school

and motivation.  The school’s promotion of the Catholic values of care, tolerance and respect makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development.  The governing body works effectively with leaders and staff. Governors are well informed and able to check development is moving in the right direction.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In the early years, children do not have sufficient opportunities to develop language or have equal access to physical, constructional and investigational activities outside.  At times there is a lack of urgency in producing written work.  The teaching of handwriting lacks a cohesive approach which makes some work untidy.  Some pupils are not confident about speaking aloud in front of others about their learning.  The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) to support reading and spelling is not yet fully developed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ verbal and written skills by: – ensuring that the teaching of phonics and spelling to support reading and writing is consistently good – developing pupils’ confidence in speaking aloud for a variety of purposes – making writing tasks more sharply focused so that pupils produce enough good-quality work in the time allowed – establishing a cohesive approach to the teaching of handwriting to improve the presentation of pupils’ work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the use of the outdoor provision in the early years so that: – children can access more reading and writing activities to practise their developing skills – both boys and girls have equal access to physical, constructional and investigative activities.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The executive headteacher has high expectations of pupils and staff. He has a strong ambition for the school and has brought a sense of urgency and coherence to school improvement. With support from the diocese and the local authority he has been able to build on the work of the previous leadership and things are now moving ahead at a fast pace.  The leadership team has been restructured and strengthened in the last year. The executive headteacher has provided training for middle leaders and they have worked closely with colleagues from the partner school. As a result, leaders are clear about their roles and the team is well positioned to drive further improvement.  Senior leaders and governors have worked hard to eradicate the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection report. Teaching is now more consistent, progress is accelerating for all groups of pupils and behaviour is a real strength of the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 There is a strong sense of teamwork, echoed by staff, parents and carers and governors. Teachers welcome the support and targeted training they receive and are keen to improve their practice.  There are frequent checks on the quality of teaching and learning to ensure consistent strategies and approaches. These include rigorous appraisal of performance, visits to lessons, meetings with individual teachers to discuss pupils’ progress, scrutiny of work in books and discussion with pupils about their learning. Sometimes, however, following visits to lessons, leaders do not clarify the points for improvement explicitly enough.  There are secure systems for middle and subject leaders to monitor outcomes for pupils. The new assessment system aligned to the curriculum enables teachers to plan additional support for pupils who have fallen behind in their learning. The leadership of mathematics has been particularly strong and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

provides a model of good practice for colleagues.  Leaders have spent the pupil premium on academic support for disadvantaged pupils. They have provided teaching opportunities outside lesson times, additional targeted work with adults and have funded the wider educational experiences of this group. As a result, most disadvantaged pupils are now making good progress in line with other pupils.  The additional funding for physical education and sport is also used effectively. Sports coaches have worked alongside staff so that over time teachers are developing their expertise. More events and clubs for pupils have been introduced and both parents and pupils commended the school for an impressive range of sports that include curling, table tennis, golf and judo.  The curriculum is vibrant and engaging. The executive headteacher has introduced a number of new elements that widen pupils’ horizons. In addition to plentiful local first-hand learning experiences, there

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

are residential visits to Whitby and Paris. There is also a television studio in the school to enhance work in the creative arts and the web-based ‘Fabmag’, where a range of pupils’ writing is celebrated.  Leaders promote a strong ethos based on the core values of care, tolerance and respect, set within the Catholic faith. Pupils understand the importance of following rules, accepting differences in other people and the way that democratic systems work, as in their own religious education council and eco-group. As a result, pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain.  Parents and staff have an overwhelmingly positive view about improvements to the quality of the provision and the impact of the new executive headteacher. They commented on the care and support that staff have offered to families, the transformation of pupils’ learning attitudes over the last year and the exciting nature of the curriculum and enriching activities now on offer.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school – Governors acted swiftly at the end of the summer term 2015 to secure the services of the executive headteacher and make further leadership appointments. This has meant that the school has been able to move forward quickly. – Governors are very knowledgeable about the school and its development. They have wide expertise and have established sound working practices to enable them to support and challenge senior leaders. Through frequent visits, links with subject leaders and by taking up training opportunities, they are able to verify that senior leaders are moving the school forward. – Governors keep a watchful eye on the performance of pupil groups and the way that funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent. They know where achievement is weaker and share the leadership’s commitment and zeal towards ‘building a community of excellence’ for all pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All recruitment processes are robust and both

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

governors and leaders are conscious of potential risks. The school environment is clean, tidy, safe and secure. The head of school ensures that staff are kept up to date and are clear about what to do if they believe a pupil may be at risk. Records and systems that relate to vulnerable pupils and families are managed well and staff go to great lengths to provide timely support to pupils in difficult circumstances.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching has improved considerably from the last inspection and is now good. Teachers make lessons enjoyable by choosing themes that capture pupils’ interest and by providing a variety of stimuli. In a Year 1 lesson, for example, pupils were captivated when a visitor brought a selection of Victorian toys for them to play with and then write about.  Teachers now plan learning tasks that challenge pupils of different abilities and enable them to go deeper in their learning. This approach was seen at its best in mathematics. When asked if a complex question about percentages was too difficult, a Year 6 pupil replied, ‘No, I like it when it’s hard because it gives me a challenge.’  The most able pupils tackle challenging work across different subjects. Teachers provide activities to deepen pupils’ understanding and skills in practical situations. For example, a group of most able Year 5 pupils used imperial and metric units to take a range of measurements and then discussed the relative

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

merits of both systems.  Teachers use assessment well to ensure that pupils understand new concepts and approaches. For example, in a Year 3 class the teacher revisited work on fractions that had not been understood well the day before. She made sure that pupils’ understanding was secure before moving on to more advanced work.  The teaching of mathematics is good and improving as a result of effective training and support from the subject leader. Teachers plan tasks involving problem solving and reasoning. There is a coherent approach to using calculations and pupils are able to use jottings effectively to show their thinking. This was observed in Year 4, where pupils were using number-line notes to help them to solve problems involving time differences.  There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to write for a variety of purposes and at length. They are encouraged to shape their draft versions by editing and improving their choice of words, sentence

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

structure and spelling. In Year 6, for example, pupils wrote and refined their letters from refugees during the Second World War to a high standard. However, in some classes there is a lack of urgency about the quantity of written work pupils should complete in the time they have available.  In the early years and in key stage 1 the teaching of phonics is generally good, but a few adults fail to articulate the sounds accurately and sometimes miss opportunities to explore alternative spellings for the same sounding words.  Across the school, staff promote reading well through a number of initiatives designed to encourage pupils to enjoy books. Visiting authors and poets have also raised the profile of reading, while parents receive useful advice on supporting their children’s learning at a reading café.  Feedback to pupils is extremely consistent across the school and also across thematic work, science and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

religious education. All teachers follow the school marking code and provide steps for improvement that really advance pupils’ learning. Pupils appreciate the efforts of their teachers and respond well to it.  Teachers generally use questioning productively to deepen understanding. This was seen in a Year 6 class when the teacher got pupils thinking hard about the strategies used by advertisers to persuade us to purchase their products.  The handwriting of most pupils is neat but there does not appear to be a consistency about the teaching of letter formation and letter joins and some pupils revert to printing. Some teachers do not support those pupils who find it difficult to develop fluency in handwriting effectively enough.  Pupils commented positively on the variety of homework they receive and how much they enjoyed choosing the ‘take-away menu’ of homework tasks covering different subject areas. Parents appreciate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the homework and one commented, ‘Homework challenges are interesting and allow families an opportunity to work together.’

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are ‘proud of the badge’ and say that things have got even better since the appointment of the new executive headteacher. They explained that there is now more focus on learning and better support and are pleased about how far they have moved in their writing and mathematics work.  Pupils feel safe around school, trust the adults to look after them well and have a good understanding about keeping safe outside school, for example, when using computers and mobile devices. They are able to explain basic elements of a healthy lifestyle and why too much sugar or fatty food may lead to problems. They were keen to talk about the ‘healthy roadshow’ event that had taken place at school earlier in the week.  There is a high take-up of extra-curricular activities and pupils say they really like all the different clubs they can join. This was supported by comments from parents. A judo club held after school during

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Personal development and welfare

inspection was notable for the enthusiasm and activity levels displayed by pupils.  Pupils feel that there is hardly any bullying and say that now they resolve most fall-outs themselves. They have a clear understanding about why they should not be unkind to other people who may be different from themselves.  There are good opportunities for learning about different cultures and faiths through a programme of assemblies and through the time provided in religious education lessons. Older pupils were able to talk about aspects of different religions and were aware of notable figures such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.  Staff responsible for safeguarding ensure that any concerns over pupils thought to be at risk are quickly followed up and records show that matters are pursued to a satisfactory conclusion. All staff know what to do and who to inform if they are worried about a pupil and the head of school ensures that staff are

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Personal development and welfare

kept up to date through reviews and training.  Staff are aware of potential risks and manage the site well.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They conduct themselves well in lessons, around school and over breaktimes and lunchtime. They are polite and friendly to visitors and show good manners when speaking and listening. They respond well to different groups of adults and appreciate the efforts made on their behalf.  Pupils display good learning attitudes in class, they take a pride in their work and have a commitment to improve. Teachers rarely need to manage behaviour because pupils listen carefully, apply themselves to work and cooperate quickly in moving from one activity to another or when handling resources.  Senior leaders introduced a new behaviour policy at the start of the year, which clarified procedures and consequences for poor behaviour while rewarding correct choices. At the same time they analysed the number of incidents around lunchtime play which prompted them to introduce more meaningful activities

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Behaviour

for pupils. Subsequently, the incidence of problems over the lunchtime period has dramatically reduced.  Pupils report that they feel the efforts staff make around improving behaviour and promoting kindness and respect are paying off. One Year 2 pupil said, ‘More people are being a lot kinder to each other’. Pupils see the behaviour systems as fair and effective.  Pupils get along well with each other. There is a high level of care for one another and even the youngest pupils share well, as observed in the Nursery when one child handed another a brick, saying, ’There you are.’  There is a small minority of pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour and would be at risk of exclusion, but the school supports these pupils well through the provision of nurturing activities and the guidance of a learning mentor. This means that there is continuity and emotional support for these pupils.

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Behaviour

 Attendance has been broadly average over the last three years, as has the proportion of pupils who miss large amounts of schooling. There are well-established routines and actions to follow up absences, and staff go to extra lengths to support families in getting their children to school.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The positive learning attitudes of pupils contribute well to their progress. There is a real sense of commitment to learning and improvement that came through strongly in inspectors’ discussions with pupils, visits to lessons and through looking at pupils’ exercise books.  Better teaching and learning have combined to result in improved outcomes for almost all pupils. The school’s own assessments and the work in books point to good progress across the school in writing and mathematics for most groups of pupils.  In writing, most pupils in the majority of year groups are making good progress from their starting points. By the end of key stage 2 they are producing well-structured and largely correctly punctuated work that is lively, with a style appropriate to purpose. There is clear progress from the start of each year in terms of how much written work is produced, how well it is presented and in the quality of content.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 While progress is accelerating for virtually all groups, there are some pupils in a minority of key stage 2 year groups not reaching the attainment expected for their age. This is due to weaker teaching and underachievement in the past. The school has rightly focused its efforts on these groups and has put additional staffing in place to ensure that these pupils leave the school ready for the next stage of their education. The impact of this work has been effective in helping these pupils to catch up.  Work in mathematics is even stronger and very consistent across classes. Because they are more fluent in the recall of basic number facts and tables, pupils are working more quickly and accurately. An increasing proportion of the most able pupils are attaining the highest level in mathematics by the end of key stage 2, as borne out by the 2014 and 2015 results.  The most able pupils produce work that is detailed and well presented across all subjects, in response to

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Outcomes for pupils are good

higher expectations of their teachers. They work independently and thrive on additional opportunities afforded to them through extension activities, homework tasks and creative work in the Albus Cubus studio.  Pupils read fluently and enjoy books, though just occasionally a few are overambitious in their choice of reading material. They enjoy selecting books from school and some are keen members of the local library. They enjoy producing book reviews and are able to talk about which authors they favour and what types of books appeal to them most.  Lower-attaining pupils are showing clear and consistent improvement in key skills that they are able to transfer to other subjects.  Some pupils lack confidence in responding to questions or explaining their thinking in front of others. They struggle to speak clearly and are reticent about volunteering answers, and this hinders their progress.  In Year 1 the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics reading check in 2015

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Outcomes for pupils are good

was broadly typical. For pupils who did not meet the standard in 2014, there were improved results in 2015 when they were in Year 2 that were also around national levels. The school is expecting similar results this year.  At key stage 1 in 2015 results were above average and more pupils attained higher levels than were typical for their age. Reading was a particular strength.  At key stage 2 the 2014 results were average but in 2015 they were weak as a result of poor teaching that has now been effectively eradicated. Current Year 6 pupils have benefited from better teaching and are on track to meet the expectations in attainment for their age.  Through accurate assessment that is checked with staff from the partner school, staff have pinpointed gaps in understanding for disadvantaged pupils. They have provided appropriate support and intensive extra teaching for these groups and as a result these pupils are now gaining ground rapidly. This means

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Outcomes for pupils are good

that gaps in attainment are closing between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in school and nationally.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is good. This is because staff provide well-focused support on key skills and keep close checks on understanding.

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Early years provision is good

 Children come from a range of settings and with a wide variety of abilities that are broadly typical on entry. There are a few children whose development is below that of their peers, but they are helped to catch up.  Children enjoy their time at school. The majority make good progress in reading, writing and number skills so that by the time they leave the early years most children are well prepared for the transition into Year 1.  About a third of the children make better progress than is typical, especially in reading and writing.  Children who have special educational needs or disability are well supported and make good progress in line with other children.  In 2014 and 2015, more children attained a good level of development across the curriculum than nationally and latest assessments for the current cohort of children in Reception indicate that they are similarly on track.  The early years is led well and staff have high expectations of the children. Assessment systems are

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Early years provision is good

secure and staff make good use of these to plan effective learning that is responsive to children’s varying learning needs. The early years leader is clear about what needs to be developed and has supported staff through training as a result of monitoring the quality of provision.  Work in books and ‘learning journeys’ shows that early years staff promote key skills well, especially writing. There are good opportunities for writing in religious education books. As a result of this emphasis, children gain much knowledge and understanding about the world.  Teaching engages children and excites their interest. For example, in Reception children first read the traditional tale, ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’. Following this, different learning activities with a mix of artistic and writing tasks based on the story were presented to groups. The children were very keen to discuss their ideas and complete the challenges.

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Early years provision is good

 The most able pupils enjoy role play activities and speak with increasing confidence. They initiate conversations with adults and are able to use humour appropriately. In the Nursery class, when taking orders in a fast food café scenario, one child announced, ’We’re out of octopus!’  Although purposeful learning was seen indoors in the Nursery, the outdoor activities did not provide enough opportunities for both girls and boys to access tasks that involved physical control, constructional work or investigative experiences. Boys were seen to spend a lot of the time on bikes, while girls tended to access the small world, mud kitchen or hair play resources.  Again, in the outdoor area language was not extended as fully as possible. The larger numbers of children who chose to play outdoors meant that adults were unable to interact with children as effectively as those indoors. The outside learning environment lacks labels and words pupils can read while there are not

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Early years provision is good

enough opportunities for writing as part of guided play.  Children’s behaviour across Nursery and Reception is good and reflects that of older pupils. Children work and play alongside each other happily. They respond well to adults and are able to share and take turns.  All welfare requirements are in place and the setting is secure. Staff encourage children to play safely, keep themselves clean and wear the right clothing for outdoor activities. There are good working arrangements and links with the local family centre, speech therapists and health visitors.  Staff make concerted efforts to engage with parents so that children settle in well to Nursery and so that parents know how they can support their children’s learning. In addition to meetings and open days, staff also make home visits to support children from vulnerable families or those who may have special educational needs or disability.

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School details

Unique reference number 107345 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10011953

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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 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 329 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Dematteis Headteacher John Devlin (executive headteacher) Telephone number 01535 605880 Website www.stjosephskeighley.org.uk Email address office@stjosephsprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 29−30 January 2014

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school but it is in the process of moving from a two- form to a one-form entry school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is slightly higher than average (the pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and children looked after by the local authority).  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is broadly typical.  The proportion of pupils with statements of special educational needs, or education, health and care plans, is below the national average.  The school meets the current floor standards that set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children in the early years attend part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.

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Information about this school

 At the time of inspection the school was due to convert on 1 July 2016 to an academy within the Catholic Schools Partnership of Bradford and Keighley.  The executive headteacher, who is also the headteacher of Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary School, was appointed in September 2015.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a total of 25 lessons or part lessons across all classes. Three lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors listened to readers from Year 2 and all key stage 2 groups.  Work in English, mathematics and foundation subjects was sampled jointly with the executive headteacher and the mathematics subject leaders.  Meetings were conducted with senior leaders, middle leaders, subject leaders, governors, and three groups of pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2. In addition, meetings were held with representatives of the Leeds Diocese and the local authority.  Information from the scrutiny of a range of school documentation was analysed. This included published data about pupils’ progress and attainment and previous inspection and monitoring reports.  Inspectors also viewed: school improvement plans; the school’s own evaluative judgements about its effectiveness; the school’s information about the performance of current pupils; curriculum outlines;

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Information about this inspection

school monitoring information including records of staff training and appraisal; governing body minutes and safeguarding documentation.  The views of parents were taken into account through informal discussions and by analysing responses from the 16 parents who completed the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View.  The views of pupils were taken into account through three planned meetings.  The views of staff were taken into account by analysing responses from the 28 staff who completed the inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

James Reid, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Mary Lanovy-Taylor Ofsted Inspector Beverly Clubley 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

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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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