St Hubert's Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood

Inspection of a good school: St Hubert’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood Harwood Lane, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire BB6 7SN

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Outcome

St Hubert’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to St Hubert’s. They feel valued and included. Pupils enjoy the wide range of activities on offer. They play well together at lunchtimes and breaktimes. They appreciate that adults listen to what they have to say.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are courteous and sensitive to the needs of one another. They behave well in school. Pupils said that teachers make learning fun. They do not get bored and they can get on with their learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their swimming and music lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that name-calling is rare. Pupils said that sometimes they can be a little boisterous when playing games outside. They said that teachers were alert to poor behaviour and dealt with it quickly and fairly. Pupils have a strong opinion of different types of bullying. Those I spoke to clearly explained that it did not happen in this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have provided pupils with skills to ensure that they remain safe. Pupils feel safe and have a thorough understanding of how to stay safe while online. Pupils told me about the road safety and cycling training that they have had in previous years. Pupils each have an identified adult in school, with whom they share their concerns if the need arises.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is designed to meet the needs and interests of the pupils. Leaders have continued to develop and refine how subjects are taught. This is so that pupils can develop their knowledge and skills in a logical order. Teachers use assessment information to match work to the ability of pupils. Leaders have ensured that teachers meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils who leave St Hubert’s in Year 6 achieve as well as other pupils 17–18 September 2019

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nationally. Pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Leaders have ensured that reading is central to pupils’ learning. Staff have all received training in the delivery of phonics. Their passion for reading is evident. Children in Reception enjoy reading. Well-known children’s books and stories form the basis of many activities. Children take home a reading book and phonics games to practise each week. The youngest children do not choose books to read for pleasure. Teaching provides pupils with skills to become successful readers. Teachers use assessment to ensure that pupils who fall behind receive extra help.

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The science curriculum is well planned. There is a sharp focus on what pupils learn each year. Pupils behave well in their science lessons. Each year they develop and extend their knowledge and skills. Pupils enjoy discussing and debating within science lessons, for example distinguishing between different types of organisms. Pupils take great pride in their work and present their findings clearly. Pupils do not always show the depth of their learning through their work.

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The leadership and teaching of mathematics is a strength of the school. Leaders have created precise curriculum plans. Across each key stage, teachers set exciting and challenging tasks for the pupils. Routines begin in the early years and continue consistently as pupils move through school. Pupils listen to what adults say because they are interested. Teachers use assessment information well. Learning builds from the previous year. Pupils enjoy daily revision of the four rules of number. They enjoy setting their own activities. They push their understanding through challenging tasks. Pupils achieve well in mathematics.

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Pupils support several local and national charities for causes close to their hearts. They are aware of the need to be good citizens. They know how their actions affect others. They consider challenging topics such as homelessness. They appreciate that they have a part to play in looking after the environment. Pupils have a mature understanding of right and wrong.

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Most staff are happy with their workload. They acknowledge that there have been a lot of changes in the last year. They are aware that due to several long-term staff absences parents are frustrated with school leaders. Teachers are keen to extend their knowledge of subjects beyond English and mathematics. There have not been enough opportunities for them to do this recently.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have received training in safeguarding. They use this training to identify signs that indicate abuse or neglect. There are clear procedures in school for recording and passing on concerns. Leaders keep careful records of their safeguarding work. Staff are aware of their responsibilities. Senior leaders work in partnership with a wide range of external agencies to target support where it is most needed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers have received training in English and mathematics. Opportunities to update their subject knowledge and skills in other subjects are not as well developed. Teachers rely on what they know rather than engaging in a range of professional development opportunities so that they can deliver the broad curriculum with higher levels of expertise.  Reading is promoted well across the school. However, there is currently no system in the school to enable the youngest pupils in key stage 1 and Reception to choose books to take home for pleasure so that they can further develop their love of reading.  Work in pupils’ science books is of a high quality and demonstrates that they are developing knowledge and skills across the curriculum. Sometimes, teachers do not provide pupils with opportunities to explore and deepen their understanding through a broader range of scientific activities.  Many parents who responded to the Ofsted survey are unhappy with staff absences

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

and staff changes that have happened over the past six months. Leaders, including governors, should ensure that they improve channels of communication with parents so that they are better informed about what is going on in school.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 29-30 April 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 17–18 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10087682 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.sthubertswithstwulstans.lancs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29–30 April 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is a Catholic school.  The school had its most recent section 48 inspection, undertaken by the Diocese of Salford, in October 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection I met with the headteacher and senior leaders.  I held meetings with subject leaders and class teachers. I met with a representative of the local authority and met with five members of the governing board, including the chair of governors.  I spoke to five staff about workload and their well-being.  I spoke to parents, I also considered the 55 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire and the 43 free-text responses. I considered the 10 responses to the staff survey.  I scrutinised a wide range of documentation in relation to safeguarding.  I observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtimes. I spoke to pupils about behaviour and expectations. 17–18 September 2019

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 I listened to pupils read from each key stage.  As part of this inspection, I considered the school’s approach to the teaching of phonics and early reading. I explored how leaders had planned and organised the science and mathematics curriculums. I visited lessons, spoke with teachers and subject leaders. I talked to pupils about their work and their lessons and listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

John Donald, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 17–18 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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