Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Margaret Kolanowska St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School Woodfield Road Ealing London W5 1SL

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Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 3 October 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Catholic Primary School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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Catholic Primary School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order for the school to become good.

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Catholic Primary School

The school should take further action to:

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Catholic Primary School

 ensure that children in Reception Year progress through the school’s own phonics expectations in a timely manner  ensure that the teaching of phonics for the lower-ability pupils in key stage 1 is strengthened to improve their reading fluency.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, the two deputy headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), middle leaders and members of the governing body to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I visited different year groups to look at learning with senior and subject leaders. I reviewed a range of documentation, including that related to safeguarding. A phone conversation was held with a local authority adviser. I spoke with parents and carers at the end of the day to gather their views about the school. I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.

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Context

Since the previous inspection, staffing has remained stable. The school has recently appointed a new deputy headteacher and SENCo. Their work to further develop the school is at an early stage of development. The headteacher is supported by two deputy headteachers, and phase leaders, each with responsibility for early years and key stages.

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Context

The headteacher and senior leaders have taken effective action to improve the school. The leadership team has been recently strengthened. Staff say that this has helped them with their professional development. Parents and carers continue to be supportive of the school. They value the school’s strong communication systems.

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Context

The development of writing has been a key area of focus. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and clear about their priorities. Leaders provide staff with consistent messages of how to teach writing. In the past, this guidance was not clear. Staff value the subject leader’s direction to support pupils’ writing. They now fully understand leaders’ expectations about the teaching of writing. As a result, pupils’ progress and attainment in writing at the end of key stage 2 in 2019 improved. Across the school, pupils have well-structured opportunities to write. Often, writing themes link to class books that pupils read. This helps pupils to use a variety of vocabulary in their writing.

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Context

Most pupils in key stage 1 write using well-formed letters. However, too many pupils do not use an appropriate pencil grip when they write. Adults do not correct this quickly enough. This hinders these pupils’ writing fluency.

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Context

Children in Reception Year do not get off to a quick enough start to learn their phonics. Adults spend too long revising initial letters and sounds. This hinders the children’s progression according to the school’s expectations. As a result, in Year 1, pupils do not have a strong enough grounding in their phonics. Their ability to blend and segment is not as strong as it should be. This leads to pupils making mistakes in reading and writing simple words accurately.

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Context

Provision to support the early reading of lower-ability pupils in key stage 1 is not yet strong. These pupils receive weak support to help them build on their previous learning. Too often, they do not concentrate on their tasks. Consequently, these pupils struggle to read simple books fluently.

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Context

Leaders recognise that the teaching of phonics and early reading is not as strong as it should be. They have clear plans to review phonics and early reading, as well as developing staff training. Governors understand the school’s priorities well. They are knowledgeable about the school’s actions and evaluate these with rigour. Governors have supported the school to further strengthen senior leadership through new appointments. The governing body takes its responsibilities to oversee safeguarding procedures seriously.

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External support

The local authority continues to work regularly with school leaders. Governors and leaders value these monitoring visits. This helps leaders to reflect on the school’s priorities and actions required.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Director of Education for the Archdiocese of Westminster, the regional schools commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for Ealing. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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