St Edmund's Catholic Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Carmel Moreland Headteacher St Edmunds Catholic Primary School Nelson Road Whitton Twickenham TW2 7BB

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 21 February 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2012.

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Under your clear and caring leadership, assisted well by the deputy headteacher, this school is a wonderfully supportive place for its pupils to learn. Parents and pupils are understandably very pleased. One parent spoke of their child being ‘cherished’. Another said that the school ‘instils confidence, independence and an iron will to learn. It also provides the most wonderful, nurturing community.’

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

The school’s inclusive Christian framework very successfully encourages pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as good values. Pupils behave very well. Their rate of attendance is high. They are kind, polite, smart, understanding, confident and considerate. Many pupils take responsibility by, for example, serving actively on the school council, as a playground ‘buddy’, or by leading prayer and worship.

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

Teaching is consistently effective. Relationships between adults and pupils are very positive. Pupils enjoy a wide range of interesting learning tasks. Staff are supported and guided well in their training and development. Adults in teaching and support roles universally enjoy their work, going the extra mile to give of their best to the pupils. One said, for example, ‘the leaders have helped me grow and develop as a teacher. I consider myself very lucky to work here.’ The previous inspection report recommended working to improve pupils’ outcomes in reading and writing. This has been achieved. Pupils generally progress well in these subjects. This is also true in mathematics, a consistently successful subject. Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above average in national testing. Across the year groups, pupils write with clear purpose. They present their work carefully. However, sometimes their spelling is inaccurate and the school is

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

working on this. Pupils read with good expression, enjoyment and accuracy. They can correct mistakes independently, demonstrating a good knowledge of phonics.

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

At the same time, relatively few pupils reach the higher standards in reading and writing in key stage 1 and key stage 2. This indicates a clear point for further improvement in the school, with which you agree. This is to raise expectations of all pupils higher still, so that they achieve excellently across all of the subjects.

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Short inspection of St Edmunds Catholic Primary School

 The school looks after its pupils very well. Staff go out of their way to appreciate and really understand the needs of each child individually, seeking to work together with parents.  The leadership team ensures that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. The school makes systematic checks on adults working in the school. The safeguarding policy is thorough and up to date; governors check that it is followed. The school site is welcoming but secure. Staff understand clearly the safeguarding procedures.  Pupils receive valuable teaching about keeping safe, including when online. During the inspection, older pupils benefited from a session led by the community police officer.

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Inspection findings

 In lessons, staff explain things well and check carefully that pupils understand. They show accurate subject knowledge, engaging pupils’ interest and commitment. They manage pupils’ behaviour effectively and with good humour. These strengths in teaching lead to the good progress pupils make.  Pupils really enjoy a very broad and interesting curriculum. This includes visits out and a wide and popular range of activities out of school hours. Pupils can all succeed in the arts, humanities, science and sport, as well as English and mathematics. Religious education has a high profile. Pupils explain very clearly the importance of faith. They know much about Christianity and talk with good understanding about their visits to the gurdwara, mosque and synagogue.  Leaders of all the subjects work hard and creatively. They promote their subjects successfully. However, there is scope for them to ensure even higher

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Inspection findings

expectations of pupils. Much of what pupils achieve is good but not yet excellent. For instance, the singing which I heard on separate occasions was enthusiastic and well controlled but there was room for further improvement in pitching, use of dynamics and the breadth and challenge in the repertoire.  The school’s instinct is to provide with great care for any pupils who fall behind, need extra help or who are vulnerable in some way. Staff do this very well. On the other hand, they pay less specific attention to pupils with particularly strong ability or who are attaining highly. Although these pupils achieve well, they do not consistently make as much progress as they might.  The school spends its pupil premium funding appropriately. Generally, disadvantaged pupils achieve well. However, the school pays insufficient heed to the needs of disadvantaged pupils who show particularly high ability. So these

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Inspection findings

pupils sometimes do not get opportunities that might develop further their particular interests and skills, or raise their aspirations.  Children make a terrific start in the Nursery and Reception classes. The early years leader and staff are really passionate and knowledgeable about their work. The children develop their skills across all areas quickly, reaching notably above average standards. They happily help plan, and talk about, their learning.  The governing body is well organised and well led by its chair. Governors are active, knowledgeable and ask challenging questions of the school. Senior leaders and governors evaluate the school accurately.  The school values the careful support and challenge it receives from the local authority and the diocese. St Edmund’s also has constructive partnerships with several other schools.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 all subject leaders and staff increase further their expectations of what pupils can do, especially higher-attaining pupils and disadvantaged pupils with high ability, so that all pupils achieve excellently.

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Information about the inspection

The inspector visited lessons across the school, jointly with the headteacher, as well as an assembly. He looked at pupils’ work, particularly their writing. He talked with pupils. He heard pupils from Years 2 and 5 read. He observed at playtimes and around the school. He met with senior leaders, members of staff, governors and a representative of the local authority. He considered carefully the 151 responses from parents to Parent View, which is on the Ofsted website, along with online questionnaires returned by 35 staff members and 173 pupils. He checked key documents, including the school improvement plan, self-evaluations, safeguarding records, assessments of the pupils and minutes of meetings.

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