St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School

School report St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School Baugh Road, Footscray, Sidcup Kent DA14 5ED

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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

 The determination of the headteacher to raise standards of attainment has been a deciding factor in the school improving quickly.  The deputy headteacher and other leaders, including the governing body, contribute well to improving teaching and raising standards.  Partnership work with Corpus Christi, the diocese and the local authority provided the school with very good support to increase its effectiveness. This, combined with constant challenge, has led to senior leaders increasing the school’s capacity to take control of its work.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan lessons very carefully to challenge pupils.  The school’s systems and arrangements for monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress are well-established.  Middle leaders and other staff are using assessment information well to help pupils make good progress.  Provision for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or a

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This is a good school

disabilities is of good quality. As a result, they are making good progress.  Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils feel very safe, and are passionate about their school.  Outcomes are good in Reception. Children make good progress to develop skills that are above those typically found for their age.  Children make good progress in reading and writing but teachers do not always insist that they apply their knowledge of sounds and letters to their reading.  Provisional outcomes in the 2016 key stage 1 and 2 national tests show that most pupils reached the standard expected nationally. However, at key stage 2 pupils fell short of the much higher predicted standard in reading.  The ethos of the school and the exciting curriculum provides pupils with a range of subjects to develop their interests and stimulate them. Opportunities abound for them to learn more. The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely

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This is a good school

well, and also British values.  Most parents are very supportive of the changes and say that the school has restored its reputation in the community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The best practice in teaching is not fully embedded to challenge more pupils to make better progress.  Reading skills are not well developed to ensure pupils can critically evaluate their reading.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the good practice in teaching, with consistency being the norm, so enabling a higher proportion of pupils to make more than expected progress. This is particularly in relation to the most able pupils and White British boys.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop pupils’ reading skills to enable them to confidently demonstrate their understanding of texts, in relation to: – selecting key points to support their views and commenting on them – giving personal responses – referring to the use of language, structure and themes and explaining their views – identifying different layers of meaning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has led the school very well since the last inspection and, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, improvements have been rapid. From the start of their appointments, they have maintained a continuous focus on changing the culture of the school through improving teaching and outcomes. As a result, the quality of pupils’ education is now good and the school is very well placed to develop further.  Senior leaders, including members of the governing body and middle leaders have worked together to remove the barriers to learning. They have given staff a clear explanation of their vision for improvement which involves pupils being inspired, challenged and empowered. A culture has been created whereby teachers are teaching well and pupils are stimulated to learn.  The leadership of teaching and systems for checking the quality of teachers’ work are now effective. Teachers know that mediocrity is unacceptable.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Senior leaders provide staff with clear guidance and access to training, coaching and support to improve their practice. Feedback is regular and focuses well on learning, with suggestions for addressing weaknesses. Across the school, there is now greater consistency in implementing policy and procedures. For example, most teachers habitually apply the marking policy well.  Training and development is not a one-off event; it is continuous and linked to the school development plan, subjects and action plans. Planning is progressive and used well to make further improvement. This leads to the school keeping its work under review.  The appraisal of staff is linked well to training and measurable targets. This ensures that staff have equal access to support before targets are assessed and awards given if they are achieved.  Senior leaders have used the strong partnership work with Corpus Christi to increase the school’s capacity,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

develop moderating skills, teaching and training and advice across the school. Similarly, the local authority has used its good links with the school to provide regular challenge, advice and training.  Senior leaders use the system for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress very well. Assessment information forms the basis of discussion when senior leaders hold teachers and middle leaders to account for pupils’ achievement. Careful analysis of standardised tests and tracking information identify the achievements of all groups. This ensures that all pupils have equal access to a range of opportunities to achieve well.  The school offers pupils an action-packed curriculum that provides breadth and opportunities for them to delve into topics. This enables pupils to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in a range of subjects which they find exciting and are enthusiastic about. For example, pupils enjoy science because of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

investigative work and opportunity to do so outdoors. Educational visits and enrichment activities, including trips and opportunities to learn about the world of work, contribute very well to pupils’ development and promote their understanding of British values. Circle time and the personal education curriculum are used very well to learn about tolerance, mutual respect for others, different faiths and cultures. The school gives pupils a good grounding in learning about British values and preparation for living in a diverse society. Parents say that there is a strong community spirit and the inspectors support their view.  The curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. The school has created an environment which allows pupils to develop, gain confidence and articulate their views with ease.  The premises manager contributes well to the school environment being a warm and welcoming place

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

which encourages pupils to keep on learning. For example, the comfortable outdoor library is helping to increase pupils’ fondness of reading.  The sports premium funding is used to support the development of physical education (PE) well. Specialist coaches have provided professional development for teachers and introduced pupils to gymnastics, which is a strength of the PE curriculum. More pupils are now taking part in competitive sports and teachers are more secure in teaching the subject.  The school’s commitment to equality of opportunity is shown in the appointment of a dedicated teacher with responsibility for overseeing the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. The strength of this decisive action is exemplified in the most recent provisional test results which confirm rapid closure of the attainment gap. Similarly, the work of the dedicated special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

regular review of the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, has led to these pupils being identified early and given the right support needed for them to make better progress.  The governance of the school Since the last inspection, the installation of a new governing body has led to important changes. Members are highly skilled and knowledgeable about school effectiveness. Their expertise in education, law, human resources and other professions ensure that they can ask questions about the school’s work. They provide challenge and attend training to understand the school’s work. For instance, they have persisted in understanding assessment information and using it to interpret pupils’ progress. This has helped them to have an in-depth understanding of pupils’ achievement. They ‘dig deep’ when asking about outcomes. They visit the school frequently to update their understanding of its work and gather first-hand

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

evidence. As a result, they are clear about the school’s strengths and can quickly pinpoint relative weaknesses such as low attendance in Reception and the performance of the most able pupils. Governors do not accept reports without triangulating the information given. They check information provided on the pupil premium funding and ensure that the strategies employed are having the desired impact on closing that attainment. Similarly, they also check that staff are appropriately appraised before an award is given. The governing body and other partners have taken steps to begin planning the school’s future within the local network of schools.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Training records are up to date and include full coverage of national priorities such as the ‘Prevent’ duty and children missing education. Rigorous checks and records make sure pupils are safe and receive the most appropriate action. Staff liaise closely with external

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

agencies and families and ensure that children are not at risk of harm. As a result, parents and pupils are confident that they are safe in the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The school has improved the quality of teaching which is now consistently good. Over time, pupils’ progress is much better than it was at the previous inspection. This is because teachers take account of pupils’ starting points to challenge them to absorb and apply the skills taught accurately. The use of assessment is a regular feature of teaching and learning.  Expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour are high. Work set is challenging and as pupils succeed they make good use of the challenge cards to develop their thinking. Pupils talk about challenging themselves. This was well-exemplified in a Year 2 literacy lesson where pupils discussed the use of alliteration and onomatopoeia in a free verse before creating their own magic box with these literary devices. Similarly, Year 4 pupils demonstrated very good discipline as they worked quickly and accurately to solve increasingly challenging mathematical problems. The challenging activities whetted their appetite to learn more.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The clear vision of inspiring and challenging pupils is very evident in lessons. Teachers’ structured approach and effective questioning develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of new skills and reinforce learning well. Close questioning leads to teachers observing pupils and questioning them to address misconceptions. A bank of basic resources in, for example, mathematics ensure that pupils have suitable materials they can use to refresh their memories if they are stuck.  Scrutiny of pupils’ books confirms that they are challenged in the range of subjects taught. For example, science, taught regularly, provides pupils with a wide range of experiments which explains their excitement about the subject. For instance, in a Year 3 science lesson, a pupil explained that he enjoys science because of his increased understanding of how the body works. Pupils grab opportunities given to test hypotheses when carrying out investigations. Pupils use scientific terms accurately. Similarly, topic work

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

covers in-depth coverage of subjects such as geography, history, religious studies, music and art.  Classroom management is good and staff hold pupils’ attention very well. Relationships with pupils are very good. Staff create a positive and inviting learning environment that draws pupils to apply themselves to their work.  Teachers provide useful feedback which helps pupils improve their learning. Teachers develop pupils’ critiquing skills well which pupils use effectively to review each other’s work.  The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is of good quality. Teachers know pupils and their specific needs and tailor their planning to support them. Teaching assistants provide suitable support to develop pupils’ learning. However, not all ask in-depth questions or allow pupils to do the work without constant supervision.  The school has increased the focus on teaching the most able pupils so that more can begin to exceed the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

progress expected. Classes are increasingly split so that teachers can give their undivided attention to deepening pupils’ understanding of the skills taught. A range of challenging activities are now provided as well as specific opportunities to extend pupils’ learning beyond the classroom. For example, pupils’ participation in a writers’ workshop is used well to develop their writing skills. However, leaders, including governors, acknowledge that this area of the school’s work needs to be developed further.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics ensure that pupils are given a good start in understanding basic literacy and numeracy skills. Writing skills are well developed and pupils’ appetite to write and explain their ideas is evident in the displays of work around the classroom. From Reception, children begin to make marks with some writing simple sentences. In comparison, although pupils read

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

widely and enjoy reading a range of genres, they have not fully mastered the skills needed to comment on a writer’s use of language. The school recognises that this aspect of pupils’ learning requires more work.  Teachers make sure that in all phases there are very good opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical skills. In Reception, children select to work on subtracting numbers, successfully using different resources to calculate their answers. Challenging tasks test pupils’ skills to interpret questions correctly and apply the taught skills by setting out their responses accurately when solving problems.  Most parents who took part in the school’s internal survey felt that the changes introduced have led to their children being taught well.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are happy and enjoy school. They are confident and communicative but also reflective. Pupils are highly motivated and want to do well. Discussions with the parliament and learning councils revealed that, as ‘go-getters’, pupils are already thinking about the impact of their learning on future next steps. Even the youngest representatives could explain their future dreams. The school’s work to inspire, challenge and empower pupils is contributing to the belief that they can achieve well.  Pupils are very much involved in many activities offered. They use opportunities to approach senior leaders with suggestions which they organise, promote and run, for example, a poetry reading group. These openings give pupils the opportunity to learn about persuasive skills to negotiate, organise and lead others. Parents admire their children’s enthusiasm and constant chatter about the different activities they do.

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Personal development and welfare

 As representatives of pupils, the parliament and learning councils work with senior leaders to press for changes in teaching. They also ensure that they maintain a high profile as ambassadors for the school. The learning council has been particularly influential in changes being made to the curriculum. They say that ‘topic work was weak because there was not enough coverage of subjects such as drama and geography’. Discussions and evidence presented show that the councils are outspoken and consult pupils about proposed changes. More recently, they successfully promoted reading across the school for which the school won prestigious acclaim.  Pupils’ involvement in a wide range of activities lead to them learning about the voting system in a democratic country. They talked with ease about writing a manifesto and taking part in campaigning and voting. Pupils talk with ease about the fundamental values of mutual respect, law and order and valuing

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Personal development and welfare

others. They know about living in a diverse community and show good awareness of global events and the importance of exercising tolerance. Within the school, pupils’ very good relationships with each other show their ability to embrace people regardless of their backgrounds, ability or needs. The school is inclusive and confirms the views of parents that the ‘school is a diverse community; a family’.  Topic work ensures that pupils know about healthy living.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Staff are effective in managing pupils. In lessons and during social times, the school remains a very orderly environment. Pupils conduct themselves well throughout the day. Where teaching is of a high standard, attitudes are good and pupils show good concentration and focus.  Behaviour has improved since the previous inspection. School surveys show that there are few concerns. Pupils like the school’s systems for managing behaviour. They know that good behaviour, work and attitudes are not only praised but appropriately rewarded as they climb up the behaviour ladder. Pupils seek to climb up the ladder each day, and as an incentive, they can showcase their work and let others know that they are achieving well.  Low-level disruption occasionally occurs in lessons when teachers do not insist on pupils or children being attentive. On these occasions, there is a tendency to ignore slight off-task behaviour.

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Behaviour

 Pupils develop trusting relationships with staff and are confident that they can turn to them if the need arises. They feel safe at school and this view reflects the comments of those parents who expressed their opinion about their children’s well-being at the school.  Pupils have positive relationships with each other and while there are a few records of bullying incidents, pupils said that bullying does not really occur in their school, and if it does, it is silly behaviour and falling out, which is dealt with quickly. They are very much aware of the different types of bullying, such as cyber and prejudice-based bullying and the likely consequences should these occur in school. Pupils recognise the importance of treating each other with respect and this is seen in the fact that members of the governing body could quickly say, ‘There are no recorded cases of racist bullying.’  The school has had no exclusions since the previous inspection.

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Behaviour

 Attendance, previously above the national average, has fallen during the current school year to average because of illness in Reception and a few pupils not attending regularly. Where attendance falls below the acceptable threshold, individual cases are dealt with effectively.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Standards and pupils’ rates of progress have improved since the previous inspection. As a result of the very clear drive for developing teaching, the provisional national test results in 2016 show that the attainment gap has closed significantly for disadvantaged pupils.  The 2016 provisional national test results in key stage 1 indicate that an above-average proportion of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics with a small minority making more than expected progress. At key stage 2, most pupils reached the standard expected in writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling and in mathematics. However, outcomes fell short of the school’s expectations in reading with only a minority achieving the predicted standard. Senior leaders have launched an enquiry and an appeal as a result of reviewing the marked test papers. The senior leaders have identified a possible shortfall which probably affected the outcomes in relation to developing test

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Outcomes for pupils are good

techniques, extending pupils’ interpretation of texts and accuracy.  Children’s achievement in Reception is good and standards achieved have been well above that expected for their age since the previous inspection. The current provisional outcomes, although slightly lower, show that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has been sustained with disadvantaged children achieving above the provisional expected standard. However, their achievement is below that of other children in the group.  Provisionally, the outcomes in the 2016 Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds they make) screening check were well above the expected standard nationally. Differences in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils remain slight. These provisional outcomes confirm that very good achievement has been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils retaking the phonics screening check in Year 2 achieved

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Outcomes for pupils are good

similar outcomes, in line with the standard expected nationally.  Across the school, the 2016 provisional outcomes point to the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and other groups closing quickly. At key stage 2, they were ahead of other pupils in the school in mathematics and in spelling, punctuation and grammar. This represents a year-on-year improvement. The provisional outcomes in the national tests confirm that the specialist appointment of a dedicated teacher and increased focus on developing teaching have led to disadvantaged pupils achieving well.  In 2015, attainment and rates of progress in both key stages were in line with the national averages. However, at key stage 2, pupils made slower progress in mathematics than expected based on their starting points. This has now been successfully tackled.  Tracking information of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities shows that good

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Outcomes for pupils are good

support, linked to specific needs, contributes to them making progressing well towards their targets.  Increasingly, the most able pupils are challenged to improve their achievement in subjects across the curriculum. The school responded to the fact that most pupils in this group did not exceed expected progress. Consequently, work throughout the current academic year has been more demanding. Pupils and parents alike say that pupils are fully challenged. In-school assessment information shows they are working at greater depth and making better progress.  In the 2015 national tests, most pupils from minority ethnic groups were either in line with or above the national average in all subjects. Their performance was also similar to other pupils in the school. A few made exceptionally good progress in the phonics screening checks and in key stage 2. The school recognises that in the phonics screening check, White British pupils did not make as much progress as

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Outcomes for pupils are good

other pupils in the school and as a result there is a sharper focus on using the pupil premium funding to provide targeted support in literacy.

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Early years provision is good

 Children enter a safe environment that meets statutory requirements and provides them with the means to develop an inquiring mind. Routines are very well established and children know how and when to respond to verbal and non-verbal signals.  A comprehensive pre-school information pack is used well to inform parents about the school. Home visits provide staff with a basic set of information on what children can and cannot do before they enter the school. This preparatory work involves parents in their children’s assessment and is built on throughout Reception. Parents have opportunities to attend workshops to find out how they can support their children’s learning in phonics and numeracy. Invitations to other events such as assemblies and celebrations help parents to know how well their children are achieving.  Partnership work with parents is very good. Parents are pleased with how the school, under the new senior

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Early years provision is good

team, works with and involves them in their children’s education. This open culture of learning leads to parents working alongside their children in a range of activities. The school is successfully reaching out to parents who are reluctant to engage by using initiatives such as ‘dad’s reading projects’.  The school works well with outside agencies to meet the needs of each child requiring additional help and support. Close links are maintained with the local authority, the Corpus Christi partnership and specific services as well as the pre-school setting which shares the site.  Good links with the local authority and Corpus Christi provide the staff with appropriate training that contributes to staff reviewing and developing their teaching to meet the needs of children. This works well as staff make very good use of their training to prepare and tailor resources to challenge children’s thinking.

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Early years provision is good

 Systems for assessing and tracking children’s progress are good. Senior staff use the information to set up learning opportunities that support children’s learning well. Staff use assessment well to inform the main priorities for development. This ensures that the focus on improving identified skills remain at the forefront of planning. Regular and informative monitoring reflect the same systematic approach used in the main school.  Adults track children’s progress and use their learning journals to record the assessment information. Parents value and contribute regularly to the profiles which provide a rich evidence of children’s progress in different areas of learning. The school expects parents to contribute and pursues those who do not.  Good teaching and leadership contribute to children achieving well. Children are curious and make very good use of the learning environment, both inside and outdoors, which offers a wide range of activities.

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Early years provision is good

They are keen to write and become prolific writers. Their work on the cheetah shows that they do not waste any time. Children write simple sentences that include recognisable words that are often spelled correctly. With support, they use phonics skills to spell out words. However, although many show good concentration, expectations of behaviour are not reinforced sufficiently when there is whole-class teaching.  Behaviour and relationships are good. Most children are motivated and interested in learning.  Most children attend regularly but a few have low attendance. The school does its utmost to make sure that parents understand the importance of good attendance.

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School details

Unique reference number 101461 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10009181

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School details

This inspection of the school 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 194 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mary Townsend Headteacher Samantha Gower Telephone number 020 8302 6029 Website www.st-peterchanel.bexley.sch.uk Email address admin@st-peterchanel.bexley.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 22–23 January 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school and has fewer girls than boys.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average, as is the proportion of those who speak English as an additional language. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The next largest groups are pupils from African heritage and ‘Any other Mixed background’.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average as is the proportion of pupils with a special educational needs statement or an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium is in line with the national average. This is the additional government funding used to provide support for pupils eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority.  The early years provision is in the Reception class where children attend full time.

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club for children in Reception and other pupils across the two key stages.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  The school is a member of the Corpus Christi partnership, a local network of schools working together to improve their practices.  The school meets requirements on the publication of information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 13 parts of lessons and activities for children in Reception and across both key stages 1 and 2. All observations were carried out jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, middle leaders who hold specific responsibilities and six members of the governing body.  A joint discussion took place with a representative from each of the following organisations: the chair of the Corpus Christi partnership, the head of school improvement from the local authority, and the chair of education from the Southwark Diocese.  The inspectors considered the 36 responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, and free text. The school’s use and analysis of the Parent View survey between 2014 and 2015 were also taken into consideration. The inspectors also spoke with a large number of parents in the playground when dropping off their children at the school on the second day of the inspection. Discussions were held with

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Information about this inspection

three groups of pupils and other pupils were spoken to randomly in lessons and during social times. The inspectors also took into account the 21 questionnaires completed by staff.  The inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a number of documents. These included documentation about the school’s arrangements to safeguard pupils, the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, records and evaluation of pupils’ achievement and the most recent 2016 provisional test results, records relating to attendance, behaviour and the monitoring of teaching and minutes of governors’ meetings.

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Inspection team

Carmen Rodney, lead inspector Joanna Franklin Her Majesty’s Inspector 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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