St Gregory's Catholic Primary School

St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School Woodfield Road, London W5 1SL

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 Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not secured consistently good progress for pupils.  Senior leaders’ analysis of information about pupils’ progress lacks clarity and detail.  The quality of teaching is not consistently good. The information pupils receive on how to improve is patchy in both quality and regularity.  Not all pupils make the progress they are capable of. This is especially the case for the most able pupils.  Pupils’ presentation of work varies in quality.  Leaders at all levels do not check the progress pupils make frequently enough to make the necessary improvements in a timely manner.  Governors do not have a secure understanding of the progress made by different groups of learners. They do not check this thoroughly enough.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 is above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils are eager to learn. They are caring and thoughtful to one another.  Early years children make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils’ well-being is ensured within a safe and caring environment.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress and the gaps in their learning compared with that of others are narrowing.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and also those pupils who speak English as an additional language, make good progress.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ rates of progress by: accurately identifying the most able pupils in all year groups and tracking their progress regularly enough to provide additional support when necessary ensuring that assessment information is used more rigorously by leaders at all levels to check how much progress pupils are making consistently applying the school’s expectations regarding providing feedback to pupils on how to improve their work.  Minimise the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching by: systematically checking the quality of the feedback pupils receive during lessons to help them with their next steps in their learning making sure that pupils’ work is completed and well presented in all subjects.  Ensure that the governing body checks the progress of the different groups of pupils regularly in order to hold leaders and teachers to account for any variances.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders, including the governing body, are aware of what the school does well and what the areas for development are. Appropriate plans and actions have been put in place to improve pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. However, there is a lack of urgency, rigour and precision in the checking of how effective the actions have been. As a result, there are notable successes in improving the rates of progress for disadvantaged pupils but the progress of some year groups in some subjects and the most able in most subjects is too variable.  At the beginning of the school year, a new system was introduced to track the progress of individual pupils. However, senior leaders have not gained a clear overview of how much progress different groups of pupils are making compared with their starting points. As a result, senior leaders do not have an accurate summary of how much progress pupils have made.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Middle leaders work with their teams to share good practice to improve the quality of teaching and learning. However, many of the systems for checking progress and quality within year groups are not robust enough to ensure that teachers are held to account. This is clearly seen in the variability of how well and how often teachers provide pupils with feedback that helps them to improve. In some cases, pupils’ work has not been marked in line with the requirements of the school’s policy.  The regular checking of the quality of pupils’ work by leaders at all levels is not in place. Consequently, weaknesses are not being identified promptly enough. For example, inspectors discovered poor-quality presentation in the science books and lack of feedback from the teachers in two of the Year 5 classes. Senior leaders were unaware of this because the subject had not been monitored since the autumn term 2015.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Teachers are provided with feedback from senior and middle leaders. However, it is not sufficiently rigorous to smooth out the irregularities in a timely manner.  The curriculum provides a good balance of subjects and activities, but does not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils. French is taught to pupils in key stage 2 and there is a French club for younger pupils. During the inspection, Year 4 pupils were visiting a mosque and children from the Nursery class were visiting a local farm. Year 6 pupils attend a residential adventure centre in Dorset.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Its faith ethos is used to good effect in ensuring that pupils have regular opportunities to be reflective. Weekly themes such as ‘resilience’ are promoted and discussed during lessons and assemblies. Pupils are encouraged to think about others with different values, faiths and beliefs.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The use of pupil premium funding has been effective in helping disadvantaged pupils to catch up with their peers. The school appointed a part-time teacher whose role is to work with pupils and staff in ensuring that pupils have the required skills to make faster progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Sports and physical education are important to the school. Qualified sports instructors are employed and additional activities take place outside the school, for example Gaelic football.  The governance of the school Governors have not thoroughly checked that all groups of pupils are making the progress they are capable of, particularly the most able Governors ask appropriate questions of school leaders to check on the performance of the school but rely too heavily on the very detailed and lengthy reports of the headteacher. They do not check with enough stringency what difference the school’s work and resourcing are having on pupils’ progress

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

The governing body oversees the safeguarding arrangements effectively. Many governors have attended the appropriate training.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The deputy headteacher is the designated safeguarding lead and ensures that the appropriate training and systems for checking staff are in place and up to date. The school works with parents and appropriate outside agencies effectively to keep pupils safe from harm.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The school’s marking and feedback policy is not followed consistently. The regularity of feedback to pupils about how to improve their work varies too much.  Marking and feedback are not provided precisely or promptly enough to help pupils make the progress they are capable of. This leads to some pupils repeating mistakes or not knowing what their next steps are.  Many teachers provide pupils with helpful comments on how to improve their work. Leaders acknowledge that work to improve ‘next steps’ of pupils’ work is not fully developed.  Many teachers have effective questioning skills which draw out of pupils their knowledge and understanding. When used well, this information helps teachers to provide pupils with more challenge to their thinking.  Teachers have secure subject knowledge in most subjects. The employment of instructors for sports, music and french provides additional expertise.  Parents who spoke to inspectors and responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, raised their

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

concerns regarding homework. Senior leaders are aware that more could be done to provide challenging tasks for pupils to do outside school hours.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 Pupils work well together and say they feel safe and looked after.  During lessons, pupils are attentive and eager to learn. Lessons are calm and productive.  Bullying is very rare and pupils say they would know whom to go to for help if they needed it. They are aware of different forms of bullying and know how to stay safe when using electronic devices including tablets and computers.  Pupils are keen to collaborate and support each other and this starts at an early age. Inspectors saw good examples of young children working together in the early years.  The school has appointed a pastoral support worker to liaise with vulnerable families who require additional help and guidance. This work is thoughtfully overseen by the deputy headteacher.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. There is no low-level disruption during lessons.  Pupils are able to work for long periods of time undisturbed and demonstrate well-developed abilities to concentrate, becoming absorbed in their work.  Attendance rates are above average and the school has effective systems in place to work with the small number of families whose children are persistently absent. Close links with the local authority’s education welfare officer are effective in helping reduce the numbers of pupils whose attendance is of concern.

p.4

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 The progress of the most able pupils is uneven across the school and in different subjects. For example, the school has rightly focused on improving the quality of pupils’ writing during the year and there are some good examples of high-quality work. However, because of the lack of consistent feedback from teachers and, in a few cases, low expectations of what pupils are capable of, progress is not as fast as it could be.  Senior leaders have recently become aware that the difference in the rates of progress between year groups is too wide, especially in writing and mathematics. For example, the school’s assessment information indicates that pupils in Years 2, 4 and 5 are making less progress. The lateness of this discovery means there is limited time left in the school year to remedy the situation.  Pupils who are in receipt of pupil premium funding have been a priority for the school. The assessment

p.4

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

information and pupils’ work indicate that the additional support provided by the school has paid off as the progress of disadvantaged pupils has increased to narrow the gaps between them and their peers.  Reading is of a high standard. Pupils make good progress in learning new words and using their reading skills to access information in other subjects.  The school provides effective support for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils learn quickly to speak and write English fluently.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. The inclusion manager ensures that the team of teaching assistants is suitably deployed to support individuals and groups of pupils requiring additional support.  Year 6 pupils are well prepared for moving on to secondary school.

p.4

Early years provision is good

 The early years provision is well led and managed. There is a strong emphasis on ensuring children’s safety and well-being.  The significant turnover of staff in the Nursery and Reception Year at the start of the academic year was managed well. Judicious use of support from the local authority’s early years team has ensured that the previously good work of the early years setting has been maintained.  Communication with parents is effective. Parents who spoke to inspectors are very positive about how their children are helped to start their school lives. The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View also agree with this view.  Over the year, children have made consistently good progress in all areas of development. There are no significant gaps between different groups of children.  Children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in reading, writing and number skills are higher than

p.5

Early years provision is good

expected for children of their age. Phonics is taught well, and children are able to recognise different letters and sounds with confidence.  Children’s social skills are also well developed. Many children are able to collaborate and help each other without being prompted by adults.  The links between the outdoor and indoor learning are well managed and children have a good range of opportunities to learn with and without adult guidance.  The children’s learning journals are well kept and provide parents and teachers with clear information about the progress children are making.

p.5

School details

Unique reference number 101923 Local authority London Borough of Ealing Inspection number 10003805

p.6

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.6

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 639 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maura Lyons Headteacher Terry Cooper Telephone number 020 89977550 Website www.st-gregorys.ealing.sch.uk Email address tcooper@st-gregorys.ealing.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–11 February 2011

p.6

Information about this school

 St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School is larger than most primary schools.  The largest group of pupils are of ‘any other White background’. The second largest group are White British.  A higher than average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below average.  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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 The inspection was converted from a short inspection to a full section 5 inspection.  Inspectors carried out a series of short, focused visits to classrooms and longer lesson observations in each year group. Many of these were with the senior leaders.  Formal and informal discussions took place with senior leaders, including governors, subject leaders, parents, pupils, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors scrutinised documentation regarding the school’s website and safeguarding, including the single central register.  Other information looked at included the school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement and the school’s analysis of pupils’ progress.  Pupils’ work in different subjects was analysed jointly with the senior leadership team.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons as well as before and during school time was observed by inspectors.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took into account the 45 responses to Parent View, the 32 staff responses and the 24 responses from pupils.

p.7

Inspection team

John Seal, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Susan Lapido Ofsted Inspector Christopher Birtles Ofsted Inspector Michelle Bennett 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.7

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.8

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.8

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.8

Inspection team

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

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8