St Edward's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Edward’s Catholic Primary School Lisson Grove, London NW1 6LH

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 11–12 September 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that they enjoy coming to school. They said that teachers make them feel welcome. Pupils like the many activities that make school exciting, such as trips, clubs and sports days.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that leaders deal with behaviour well. For example, we heard that there are new rules in the playground that help to keep pupils safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils we spoke to said that they feel well looked after at school. They told us that adults listen to them. Staff help them to resolve any worries that they may have. They said that bullying rarely happens. If it does occur, adults deal with it quickly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that mathematics was sometimes too easy. We found that, sometimes, leaders’ and teachers’ expectations of pupils are not high enough. Pupils told us that teachers give them strategies to help them to understand their work. However, these are sometimes misleading or prevent pupils from gaining a deeper understanding of the calculations involved. Pupils said that they enjoy reading. We found that they have a narrow range of reading experiences.

p.2

better?

Current senior leaders have begun to make changes to improve the quality of pupils’ education. Leaders have made sure that plans are in place for what they want pupils to learn in different subjects, including science and computing. These plans are sequenced well. However, sometimes, teaching does not match the subject content that leaders intend pupils to learn. This means that many pupils do not achieve well.

p.2

better?

Leaders have introduced new programmes to support the teaching of reading and mathematics. However, there are inconsistencies in teaching in these subjects. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills. For example, pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not recite poetry as the plans intend.

p.2

better?

In history and physical education (PE), teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. In these subjects, teaching delivers what subject leaders intend. Pupils explained to inspectors what they know and can do. For example, pupils talked about the games they play in PE, including dodgeball and cricket.

p.2

better?

Leaders and teachers identify pupils who fall behind in phonics (letters and the sounds they make). They put support in place for those pupils who need it. However, leaders do not have high enough expectations. Teachers do not build upon pupils’ previous phonics learning. For example, in Year 2, pupils go over phonics knowledge that they have already learned in Year 1.

p.2

better?

Children in the early years are safe and happy. Plans for what children learn are sequenced well. Children are enthusiastic about work. They take part in all learning 11–12 September 2019

p.2

3

activities. For example, we saw children listening and joining in with excitement during story time. Children used pictures and small objects from the story ‘Owl Babies’ to retell the tale.

p.3

3

Many activities support pupils’ personal development, both at lunchtime and after school. Clubs include art and cookery. Pupils experience democracy at first hand when they vote for their peers to represent their views on the school council. They visit places of worship and learn about a variety of religions.

p.3

3

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective in advancing their personal development. However, teachers do not adapt what pupils learn in mathematics and science well enough for pupils with SEND. This limits pupils’ achievement.

p.3

3

During our visits to lessons, we saw pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They are well behaved so that teachers can get on with teaching.

p.3

3

Staff told us that leaders make sure that they are not overworked. They are confident that leaders are mindful of their well-being.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff know the school’s safeguarding procedures well. They raise concerns about pupils’ safety and well-being, should they need to.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about road safety and bicycle safety.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with external agencies, such as social work, so that pupils who need support receive it on time.

p.3

Safeguarding

Governors work closely with school leaders and ensure that the safeguarding procedures are followed appropriately.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 What leaders intend pupils to learn is not fully implemented by teachers. Therefore, leaders must ensure that teachers have the specialist subject knowledge that they need in order to teach the intended curriculum.  Mathematics, science and computing, particularly at key stage 2, are not taught effectively. Therefore, leaders must ensure that the intended curriculum content is planned and taught well in these subjects so that pupils achieve as they should.  Leaders have not made sure that the school’s phonics programme enables pupils 11–12 September 2019

p.3

4

to build on what they already know. Therefore, leaders must ensure that pupils’ phonics knowledge and skills are further built upon to ensure that pupils achieve well.  Although leaders have introduced new plans for the teaching of reading, it is not taught consistently well across the school. Leaders should ensure that the teaching of reading is effective. They must sharpen their procedures for identifying gaps in pupils’ knowledge and experiences, and make sure that these are addressed.  Leaders have not ensured that teaching for pupils with SEND is adapted to meet their needs in mathematics and science. They must make sure that these pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in these subjects.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

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. 11–12 September 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10110371 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 25 September 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been significant changes to the leadership team since the last inspection. The executive headteacher and head of school joined the school in September 2019.  The school has a Catholic religious character. The last inspection of the school’s denominational education and collective worship was in October 2015. These inspections are carried out every three to five years.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 We met with the executive headteacher, the head of school and the leaders for inclusion, the early years foundation stage and mathematics. We also held discussions with the science, PE and computing curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors held a discussion with representatives of the governing body.  Reading, mathematics, science and PE were subjects that we considered during this inspection. We also looked at history, computing and writing. This entailed discussions with curriculum leaders, visits to lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work and 11–12 September 2019

p.5

6

discussions with pupils.  To explore the effectiveness of safeguarding, we met with leaders responsible for safeguarding, talked to pupils and staff, and looked at documents related to safeguarding.  We also met with leaders and staff responsible for the early years, behaviour, attendance, personal development, the use of pupil premium funding and the SEND provision.  We talked to pupils about behaviour and their school experiences.  We also talked to staff about their workload, well-being and their views on how well pupils’ behaviour is managed. We analysed the 38 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including the 23 free-text comments.

p.6

Inspection team

Rajeshree Mehta, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Andy Turnock Ofsted Inspector 11–12 September 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7