Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School, Crawley

Inspection of a good school: Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School, Crawley Hare Lane, Langley Green, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7PZ

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Outcome

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School, Crawley continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud to be members of this school. The school’s mission of ‘listen, love, learn’ is important to them and they are committed to live by this. Pupils’ conduct around the school is of a high standard. This contributes to a very calm, pleasant atmosphere.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are relentless in their pursuit for the very best for their pupils. The school’s philosophy that ‘getting better never stops’ runs through everything. Pupils rise to this challenge. They take their learning seriously while enjoying the rich opportunities the curriculum offers. Pupils work hard. They develop the stamina to keep going, persevering when they find their work tricky.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show great respect for one another, playing and working together happily. Pupils are kind to one another and they say that bullying is not a problem in this school. Relationships at all levels are strong and pupils are well looked after. Pupils feel safe in the knowledge that if they have any worries, they can put a note into the ‘worry box’ and it will be dealt with quickly by the school’s learning mentor.

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

Leaders have carefully considered the planning of the curriculum. The content in all subjects has been thoughtfully sequenced. This is so that pupils learn key knowledge and skills in the right order. Leaders are not complacent, however. They continually look for ways to make their curriculum even better. As a result, pupils make strong progress through the curriculum. They achieve well by the end of key stage 2.

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

Leaders and teachers place the teaching of reading high on their list of priorities. They immerse pupils in a wide range of books to spark their curiosity and imagination. They use literature to expose pupils to rich language and to challenge their thinking. Teachers 17–18 December 2019

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make sure that children in the early years get off to a good start with learning phonics. Children develop a secure understanding of these important early reading skills. Sometimes, teachers give pupils books that are not well matched to their reading ability. As a result, leaders are currently reorganising the allocation of reading books. This is so pupils are able to practise their phonics knowledge even more effectively. As pupils become more confident and fluent in their reading, teachers deepen their understanding with challenging tasks linked to their books. As a result, pupils develop a genuine love of reading and they achieve well.

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Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. They use assessment well to understand fully what pupils already know and can do. They use this information to plan activities that are sharply focused on pupils’ next steps in learning. This is particularly evident in mathematics. Starting in the early years, teachers plan activities that carefully build on children’s mathematical knowledge. They skilfully question children to reinforce their mathematical understanding and challenge them to think more deeply. As pupils move through the school, they continue to learn well. Pupils quickly develop a strong foundation of mathematical knowledge. This stands them in good stead when it comes to working with increasingly large numbers and more complex calculations. Pupils achieve well in this subject.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged achieve well. The school’s inclusion leader works closely with teachers and teaching assistants to make sure that these pupils get the help that they need. She keeps a close eye on the achievement of these pupils. This is to make sure that the support they are given is working well. If it is not, she makes changes to ensure that these pupils get the right help.

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Pupils are self-motivated and are committed to working hard. They waste no time in tackling work. They concentrate and present their work with great care.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities that enrich pupils’ learning experiences. For example, pupils have the chance to deepen their knowledge and understanding by learning from representatives who work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

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Pupils learn to become responsible citizens who care about the world around them and the people in it. Leaders encourage pupils to be ‘mini-vinnies’. Taking inspiration from St Vincent de Paul, pupils look for ways that they can help others. For example, pupils take part in fundraising for those less fortunate than themselves and they visit the local care home to sing for the residents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff working in school have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. As a result, all staff commit to making pupils’ welfare and well-being their top priority. Staff are vigilant in keeping pupils safe from harm. Leaders 17–18 December 2019

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make sure that pupils get the help and support that they need.

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, leaders organise pupil workshops that focus on anti-bullying and online safety. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe, including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have carefully planned the sequence of phonics teaching so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding build cumulatively. However, the school’s selection of reading books is not yet fully aligned with this. Leaders are in the process of reorganising the sequence of reading books so that it closely matches pupils’ phonics learning. This is to enable pupils to practise more effectively the phonics skills they have been taught. Leaders need to complete this work and then check that it is working well.

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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 4–5 May 2016.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 17–18 December 2019

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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 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111379 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4–5 May 2016

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Information about this school

 Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School is located in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. Its last inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2006 took place in November 2019. The school was judged to be an outstanding Catholic school.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the curriculum leader and the inclusion leader. I held a meeting with a group of governors and met with a representative from the local authority. I also held a telephone conversation with a representative from the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.  I did deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. This included meeting with the subject leaders for these subjects, visiting lessons, talking to pupils, listening to pupils read, speaking with teachers and looking at pupils’ work.  I met with the school’s designated safeguarding leads and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding records. This included a check on the single central record of recruitment checks on adults working with pupils.  During breaktime and lunchtime, I observed pupils’ behaviour and spoke to pupils informally. I also met formally with groups of pupils. I considered the 46 responses to

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Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.  I reviewed the 62 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 26 free-text comments. I also considered other feedback from parents, including meeting with parents at the beginning of the first day.  I met with a range of staff during the inspection, including teachers and support staff. I also considered the 26 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Leah Goulding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17–18 December 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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