Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Holbeach Gardens, Blackfen, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8QW

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Outcome

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to the school. They are kind and polite. They listen carefully to their teachers and each other. Pupils achieve well. They are keen to learn and take part in lessons with confidence and enthusiasm. In keeping with the school’s values, pupils behave with compassion and respect. Leaders and staff work hard to make sure pupils are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is an expectation by all staff that pupils will work hard and try their best. Pupils rise to this challenge. They settle to their work calmly and quickly. They cooperate well with each other and enjoy learning. Pupils like the many visits and trips that support their learning. They are keen to share their knowledge with each other. They like the way staff organise subjects to help them learn and they find learning interesting.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that bullying is very rare, but if it does occur it is dealt with effectively. If a child has any concerns, there is always a member of staff who will help them. The playground is well organised, and pupils get on well together. Pupils take part in many interesting activities, including after-school clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers said that they find the school welcoming and that they appreciate the care given by staff.

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

The headteacher has established a strong leadership team. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to study and have made well-thought-out changes to many subjects. The school offers a broad range of subjects. Subject leaders have received training in the skill of developing subject plans. These plans lay out the content that pupils will learn and the skills they will develop in each subject over time. Leaders are ambitious for the pupils to do well. They have devised a curriculum that engages pupils’ interest and deepens their knowledge. Leaders provide regular training for staff and ensure that teachers are confident in teaching their subjects. 15–16 January 2020

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Leaders ensure that pupils take part in outings and visits to places of interest. They plan the curriculum so that pupils’ cultural development is enhanced. Pupils organise charitable events to raise funds to support charity organisations. The school provides pastoral support for pupils and families and ensures that all pupils have equal access to the full curriculum.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is positive. Pupils move from one activity to another quietly. Teachers deal with low-level disruption swiftly, so that it does not disrupt the teaching of the curriculum. Pupils listen carefully and contribute their ideas and opinions.

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The school encourages pupils’ love of reading. In the early years, children get off to a great start to their education. Learning is well organised. A wide range of resources help children to develop their skills in English and mathematics. Teachers and staff in the early years start teaching reading from the beginning of the school year. Staff plan interesting activities that help children to learn and practise phonics. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 continue to build on this firm foundation. Staff adapt the curriculum so that it is ambitious for pupils who experience difficulties and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Pupils in all classes love reading. The school has ensured that there is a wide range of high-quality books for pupils to read. The two libraries and class reading corners are attractive and inviting. Pupils speak about stories they have enjoyed. They particularly like listening to their teachers read. Pupils know their preferences and explained to me why they choose different books. Pupils who fall behind get the help they need to become more confident readers.

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Revised mathematics planning helps pupils to build up a sound knowledge of all areas of mathematics. Pupils embed concepts, because they use resources and pictorial representations to help them. They explain their thinking and reason mathematically. Pupils enjoy the challenge of solving problems. They are able to use their in-depth knowledge of number facts and multiplication tables to help them.

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In some subjects, such as history, subject planning is not as carefully thought through to help ensure that pupils learn and remember essential content that will be important for them to know for future learning.

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The headteacher and the leadership team are respected by staff and pupils. They are well supported by a committed and knowledgeable governing body. Staff enjoy working at the school. They said that their workload is considered. There are many opportunities for staff to undertake professional training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are safe and know how to keep themselves safe. Leaders provide pupils with age- appropriate information to help them to avoid risks, for example when online or when out 15–16 January 2020

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in the wider community. Pupils are taught the importance of following road-safety guidance.

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Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding ensure that all staff have up-to-date training. All staff understand the importance of reporting any concerns accurately and promptly to safeguard pupils’ well-being and they do so should any issues arise.

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Leaders carry out all the necessary pre-employment checks before staff join the school. Leaders keep careful records. The safeguarding team has strong links with external agencies and ensures that pupils get any support they need as promptly as possible.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders and teachers have reviewed all subject areas. They have identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in each subject in each year. In most subjects, pupils are helped to remember important subject content that they need for future learning. However, in some subjects, such as history, what leaders want pupils to learn and the order in which it should be taught are not as well designed. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, planning and sequencing of crucial content embed knowledge in pupils’ memory so they know more, remember more and can apply their knowledge to new learning.

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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 second section 8 inspection since Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School was judged to be good on 10 June 2016. 15–16 January 2020

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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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 15–16 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121581 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 10 June 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Southwark.  The school has two classes in each year group. The Nursery class offers full-time and part-time places to three- and-four-year-old children.  The school has breakfast and after-school provision.

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Information about this inspection

 I held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and other staff. I also met with three governors, including the chair of governors.  I met with the school’s leaders with responsibility for safeguarding and considered the school’s safeguarding records. This included the record of pre-employment checks on the suitability of staff.  I considered documentation including the school’s self-evaluation and development plan. I also looked at information and policies on the school’s website.  I observed pupils at breaktimes and spoke to them informally. I also met formally with a group of pupils and listened to pupils read. 15–16 January 2020

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 I took into account the 103 responses to Ofsted’s online survey Parent View. I also considered other feedback from parents, and met with parents at the beginning of the school day.  I took into account the 31 responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. In doing so, I met with the subject leaders and held discussions with teachers and pupils. I examined curriculum documents, visited classes and talked to pupils about what they had learned. I looked at pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Frances Hawkes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15–16 January 2020

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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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