St Thomas Garnet's School

St Thomas Garnet’s School 28 Parkwood Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset BH5 2BH

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders are clear about the priorities for improvement. They have acted decisively to tackle areas for improvement raised during the last inspection.  Provision for children in the early years is good. As a result, they make good progress and are well prepared for key stage 1.  Attendance is above the state school national average.  Leaders and the wider staff have cultivated very strong relationships with parents. This ensures that there is strong communication between home and school.  Trustees’ understanding of pupil performance is not sufficiently fine-tuned, although it has improved significantly since the appointment of current senior leaders.  Not all staff are fully aware of their responsibilities with regard to aspects of safeguarding, such as the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty, despite having received training.  Pupils are very well behaved. They are respectful and considerate towards each other

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and staff.  Pupils achieve well because of the good quality of teaching they receive.  Leaders and staff have nurtured a welcoming, inclusive and tolerant school culture where all pupils are able to thrive.  Pupils receive tailored support to meet their needs because they are well known to staff and share positive relationships with them.  Pupils enjoy a varied curriculum that develops their skills and knowledge in a wide range of subjects. Pupils’ learning is also developed through the extensive range of extra-curricular activities.  The role of the subject leader continues to develop. Although subject leaders are growing in their role, they do not yet fully ‘own’ their subjects across the school.  Teacher assessment, although much improved, lacks precision across different year groups.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve leadership and management by ensuring that: – trustees continue to develop a sharper awareness of pupils who are not making sufficient progress and the action being taken to support their learning – all staff are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, particularly in relation to the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty, through the provision of suitable training – the role of middle leaders continues to develop so that they take greater responsibility for their subjects across the school.  Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that action continues to be taken to increase the precision of teacher assessment across different year groups.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school has improved since the last inspection. This is because senior leaders appointed since that time have taken decisive action to tackle the areas for improvement. They have implemented systems to improve the quality of teaching and assessment which are driving up standards further.  Leaders know the school well. They are clear about the school’s strengths but are also quick to acknowledge and confront weaknesses. This is because they are ambitious for the school; leaders and staff want the best for pupils.  Pupils receive a rich, broad educational experience because leaders believe fervently in the importance of this. The ‘whole child’ is nurtured at this school. Consequently, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is well developed alongside their academic education and extra-curricular pursuits.  The curriculum is well suited to pupils’ needs and interests. In addition to study of core

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

subjects, such as English and mathematics, pupils develop their understanding of the sciences, arts and humanities. Subjects such as music and drama are vigorously promoted. Staff are rightly proud of pupils’ success in choral singing competitions.  Pupils benefit from an extensive range of extra-curricular activities which complement their studies. These include sports clubs, karate, dance, pokemon and handicraft. Pupils can also attend Confidence Club, which helps build their self-esteem. Pupils who spoke with the lead inspector were very excited by the range of clubs on offer.  The leadership of teaching has improved since the last inspection. Leaders have higher expectations of staff and the quality of teaching. Consequently, they have implemented systems to improve the consistency of practice and quality of assessment. Teachers are now held to greater account through the performance management process. Appropriate,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

tailored targets are set for staff and their training needs identified. Leaders monitor their progress through the year and take action, where necessary, to remedy underperformance.  Very few pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities attend the school. Currently, the school does not receive any funding for these pupils. Nevertheless, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported both pastorally and academically. This is because all pupils, regardless of need, are well known as individuals and attended to accordingly.  The large majority of staff agree that the school is well led and managed. They also agree that they feel well supported, respected and treated fairly. They enjoy working at the school. One member of staff who completed the staff survey stated, ‘I feel very well supported working here and have thoroughly enjoyed working at St Thomas Garnet’s

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

School.’ Another staff member said, ‘The school now has a sound leader and direction. I feel the needs of the school are at last being addressed.’  All parents who completed the online survey Parent View agree that the school is well led and managed. Furthermore, all parents agree that their child is happy and safe, and would recommend the school. As one parent wrote, ‘My children are flourishing here as their individual needs are recognised.’  Subject leaders are not yet fully proficient in their role and taking responsibility for their subjects across the school. Senior leaders have taken steps to delegate more responsibility but this is a work in progress. They have identified this as an area for further improvement.

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Governance

 Trustees are highly committed to the school and give generously of their time. They bring a range of skills and expertise from backgrounds including business, education and law. As a result, they are able to play an appropriate role in setting the school’s strategic direction and knowing how best to deploy its resources.  Trustees know the school well. They know the extent to which senior leaders have tackled the areas from the last inspection. They are also clear about the most important priorities going forward.  Trustees do not yet have a sharp-enough understanding of the performance of different pupils or groups of pupils. Since the appointment of senior leaders and the implementation of a new assessment system trustees have been receiving good-quality summary information on a termly basis. This provides overall ‘broad brushstroke’ information, which is an improvement on previous years. However, information needs to

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Governance

be further refined so that trustees are aware of which pupils are underperforming and the action being taken to tackle their underperformance.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website.  Leaders and staff understand the importance of an open safeguarding culture in the school. Leaders report, and inspection evidence confirms, that the small size of the school enables staff to know pupils and their families very well. Leaders have prioritised the importance of building strong lines of communication between home and school. This means that, formally and informally, pupils’ well-being is discussed constantly. Staff are encouraged to share any concerns they might have. They know to speak to the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead.  Referral records are appropriately organised and kept safely, although very few referrals have been made. When necessary, the headteacher has contacted external agencies for advice and acted on it.  Checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children are robust, complete and up

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Safeguarding

to date. Senior staff and designated trustees have had recruitment training to ensure that candidates who apply to work at the school are suitable.  The school site is secure and safe. External doors to the building are electronically operated and visitors are vetted before entering the building. Window opening is restricted to prevent pupils from harming themselves. Where windows and doors are not double glazed, safety film is in place to ensure that the glass cannot shatter.  Despite having received training, not all staff are fully aware of all their safeguarding responsibilities, particularly in relation to the government’s anti-radicalisation ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Pupils demonstrate very good attitudes to learning. They are attentive to their teachers, settle quickly to the task in hand and sustain both their concentration and engagement.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They communicate concepts and ideas clearly in language that pupils understand and appreciate. Teachers also have high expectations of pupils and plan work that encourages them to think. Consequently, pupils respond positively to the teaching they receive.  Teachers’ high expectations are also apparent in the disciplined way pupils approach their written work. Universally, pupils take pride in their work and present it to a very high standard. Pupils are taught to use cursive handwriting from an early age and to set their work out in a neat, ordered way.  Teachers use the national curriculum to good effect in their planning. As a result, they are clear about what pupils should know and be able to do as they move through the school

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

in different subjects. They communicate these expectations clearly to pupils.  Classrooms and corridors are engaging learning environments in which pupils are encouraged to see learning as a fun, stimulating activity. Displays are fresh, colourful and informative. They celebrate pupils’ work and help them to learn key ideas, concepts and formulae. Moreover, some displays invite pupils to consider life in other cultures and countries, broadening their horizons to consider the wider world.  Pupils of different abilities are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants. During the lesson, staff move around the classroom providing focused individual feedback to pupils about their work. Pupils respond well to this and make rapid progress as a result.  Pupils benefit from good relationships with their teachers. This means they feel comfortable asking questions, clarifying points they are unsure of and not being

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

embarrassed about making mistakes. In one observed Year 6 mathematics lesson, the teacher asked whether any members of the class had made a common multiplication error. A handful of pupils put up their hands and were relaxed about doing so. The teacher cheerfully commented that it was an easy mistake to make and put the pupils at their ease. Without saying it, he made it clear that mistakes have a key role to play in promoting progress.  Teacher assessment is not yet consistently accurate across staff and year groups. The new system implemented by leaders within the last two years is still being embedded. Nevertheless, good strides have already been taken. Staff are much clearer about age- related expectations for different areas of English and mathematics in different year groups. They are sharing and moderating their judgements to a greater degree. As a result, teachers and leaders are now able to use, and rely on, useful information with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

which to monitor pupils’ progress. Information is becoming increasingly accurate but there is still room for greater precision.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school’s prominent Catholic ethos threads through different aspects of pupils’ school experience. It underpins the values of tolerance, kindness and respect lived by staff and pupils. As a result, an air of welcome, warmth and approachability greets visitors to the school.  The school embodies a sense of community. Many staff, trustees and parents regard the school as a ‘family’ in which individual pupils are respected for who they are. At the same time, however, staff understand the need to develop pupils’ understanding of matters that extend beyond this small school community. They are taught about other cultures, important events in British history and key features of democracy. When key world events occur, opportunities are taken to help pupils appreciate their significance through study and prayer. These range from the recent Manchester bombings to last week’s earthquake

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Personal development and welfare

in Mexico.  Pupils report that they feel safe in school and that there are different staff they can go to if they feel worried or upset. One pupil told the lead inspector, ‘The teachers are really kind and if you’re upset they’ll always make you feel better.’ Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that bullying is rare and nearly all agreed that it is effectively dealt with when it does occur. The majority of parents who responded to Parent View also support this view, although a small minority do not agree.  Pupils are encouraged to take on roles in school to develop their appreciation of responsibility, civic duty and self-reliance. For example, pupils can join the student council or become head boy or head girl. Older pupils provide a valued service to the school when they become ‘Red Caps’. These pupils are prefects, identified by their red caps, who help manage the behaviour of younger pupils in the playground. They also keep a lookout

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Personal development and welfare

for any pupils who appear to be in need of support or a friend.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the school building and outside in the playground. They move around in an orderly fashion, showing consideration and respect to those they meet. Inspectors were frequently greeted with a ‘good morning’ and a smile from pupils during the inspection.  The attendance of pupils is good and above the state school national average for nearly every year group. This is because pupils enjoy coming to school. Leaders work closely with families to manage absence so that very few pupils are persistently absent.  With the exception of a small minority of parents who do not know, all parents who responded to Parent View agree that behaviour in the school is good. Moreover, this is supported by all staff who completed the staff survey.  Pupils are well prepared for their lessons. They turn up on time ready for learning with the right equipment. Furthermore, pupils wear their uniform immaculately at all times.

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Behaviour

They look very smart and clearly take pride in their appearance.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Many pupils choose to go on to the local grammar school and St Thomas Garnet’s School ensures that they are able to follow this path. The school is successful in ensuring that pupils pass the 11+ examination necessary for grammar school entry. Last year, nearly all of the Year 6 pupils who applied to grammar school were successful.  The school’s progress tracking information shows that pupils across most year groups are making good progress in their different subjects. Pupils’ attainment is particularly high. Last year, nearly all Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. This is higher than the national average for pupils who sat end-of-key-stage tests.  Pupils are taught from an early age to become confident, expressive readers. Pupils receive a good grounding in phonics which is built on as pupils move through the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

As a result, pupils are able to read clearly, project their voices appropriately, scan punctuation effectively and decode meaning.  Pupils benefit from many opportunities to practise their writing skills in the form of extended pieces of writing. These pieces, which include stories, diary entries and book reviews, allow them to practise writing for different purposes and audiences. Teachers also take these opportunities to firm up technical skills, correcting both punctuation and grammar. Teachers expect pupils to join up their writing in a cursive script and this habit is established early.  Pupils’ work shows that pupils of different abilities develop the skills and knowledge expected for their age in a variety of subjects. In mathematics, pupils are given ample opportunities to develop their calculation work. However, reasoning is less evident. The work of Year 2 pupils shows how they engage with the moral questions raised by biblical

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Outcomes for pupils Good

stories.  The most able pupils are challenged to think more deeply and move on to more difficult tasks without waiting for other members of the class to catch up. Extension tasks provide tasks of increasing difficulty which require pupils to consider problems from different angles. Lower-ability and middle-ability pupils are also challenged to achieve their potential because teachers have high expectations of all.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, although few in number, receive good support from staff. A high level of personal attention ensures that pupils are able to make comparable academic progress with their peers. It also means that their social, emotional and behavioural needs are met.

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Early years provision Good

 Children achieve well in the early years. In 2017, all children in Reception achieved a good level of development.  Provision in the pre-school and Reception Year offers children a wide range of experiences that support their social, emotional and behavioural development. As a result, they make good progress towards the early learning goals. Indoor and outdoor areas are well equipped so that children are able to investigate, explore and experiment in different ways. For example, an inspector observed children using the outdoor ‘kitchen’ to make mud pies, experimenting with different pots and pans as they mixed their ingredients.  Staff working with children are experienced and skilled. They know the children well. The high level of personal attention means that children are able to take full advantage of ‘on- tap’ support to get the most out of their learning.  Children are well behaved because they learn quickly good habits and routines. They are

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Early years provision Good

kind to each other and share willingly. Children are respectful and listen attentively to staff. Consequently, nearly all children feel safe and comfortable in school.  There is room for greater precision in staff assessment of children’s progress. An online system is used methodically to record children’s incremental gains in learning. However, the judgements that stem from this evidence are not always fully accurate.  Children are safe and well looked after in the early years foundation stage. Children are carefully escorted on and off the school site by staff, and parents are given appropriate, supervised access. The outside early years area is fenced off from the main playground to provide children with greater protection and help them feel more secure. Staff know the procedures to follow should they have concerns about children. They are vigilant for signs of upset and distress.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Proprietor St Thomas Garnets School Association

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £5,721 in Reception up to £7,995 in Year 6

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School details

Email address enquiries@stthomasgarnets.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24–26 June 2014

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Information about this school

 St Thomas Garnet’s is a non-selective, co-educational, independent, day school situated in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth.  The school was founded in 1979 by a Catholic charitable trust. The school maintains its Catholic ethos. The school’s admission policy clearly states that pupils of any, or of no, religious affiliation are welcome to apply.  There are 125 pupils on roll aged from three to 11 years. The school also has a pre- school with 40 children on roll aged three to four years, the majority of whom attend part time.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. There are no pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. No pupils are in receipt of pupil premium funding.  The school is governed by a board of trustees. The current headteacher has been in post for nearly two years. The deputy headteacher joined the school three months after the

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Information about this school

headteacher.  The school was previously inspected in June 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning and pupils’ attitudes to learning in lessons.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. In addition, an inspector met early years and pre-school coordinators.  Inspectors had discussions with pupils, parents and trustees.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s self- evaluation, school development plan, attendance data, behaviour logs and trust minutes. Inspectors also scrutinised policy documents, curriculum and assessment information and the school’s own progress data. In addition, they scrutinised records of the monitoring of teaching and performance management. They also considered safeguarding records.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work from different year groups and observed pupils’ conduct at break and lunchtimes.

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Inspection team

Steve Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Brady Her Majesty’s 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

Parent View 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

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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