St Mary's RC Junior School

Inspection of St Mary’s RC Junior School Shorts Road, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2PB

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in December 2012 under the relevant inspection framework at that time.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The school has not been inspected for seven years, which is longer than the five- year maximum interval between inspections. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection. 4–5 February 2020

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy, kind, considerate and reflective. Pupils enjoy coming to school because they love learning and playing with their friends. Pupils like their teachers and they are grateful for the support they receive from them. Year 3 pupils particularly enjoyed writing the script for the school nativity at Christmas.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in the school and they also learn how to keep themselves safe physically and online. Pupils said that they did not worry about bullying. They said they knew what to do if it happened and they know that teachers will resolve any issues.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons, in the playground and in the dining hall. The playground is a fun space for the pupils and there is a range of activities available for them. Pupils play well together. On the rare occasions when pupils do not behave well, teachers use a system of ‘repair and reflect’. This allows pupils to think about their actions and how they can make things better.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils in the school to do very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) take part in all activities in the school, both in and out of lessons.

p.2

better?

Leaders want to make sure that pupils are ready for high school. They do this by providing pupils with a broad range of subjects in the classroom and many extra activities outside it. In most subjects, leaders plan so that pupils learn new ideas well. But there are some subjects where this is not yet the case, for example history and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Leaders need to support and train staff to plan and deliver learning more effectively in these areas.

p.2

better?

Leaders have made reading a priority. Pupils love reading and are very keen to speak about their favourite books and authors. Pupils in Year 5 were very excited about reading ‘Stormbreaker’ by Alex Rider. Leaders have thought carefully about which books the pupils will enjoy. Leaders quickly identify pupils who have fallen behind in their reading and have a programme to help them catch up quickly. Pupils we saw read well and enjoyed reading to us. As a result of leaders’ actions, pupils achieve well.

p.2

better?

The subject leader for physical education (PE) has planned a comprehensive programme for Years 3 to 6. An external coach supports teachers in some, but not all, lessons. However, teachers do not currently have the appropriate subject skills to teach the programme effectively. Leaders need to provide training for teachers to deliver the planned curriculum in PE.

p.2

better?

Pupils are excellent at managing their own behaviour. This means that teachers can plan exciting lessons that the pupils will enjoy as they learn. In music, for example, 4–5 February 2020

p.2

3

pupils’ excellent behaviour means they sing and play instruments confidently, as well as compose their own pieces.

p.3

3

Leaders are committed to providing pupils with a wide range of additional activities before, during and after the school day. A range of sporting activities from trampolining to martial arts are available. For those who do not enjoy a particular sport, the ‘active lunches’ club gets pupils outside and moving. Pupils sing in the school choir and perform in school musicals. Some pupils have had the chance to perform at the Royal Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall. Leaders ensure that all pupils have access to these opportunities and they keep records of which activities the pupils do.

p.3

3

This school is an inclusive community. Pupils are accepting of all faiths and beliefs and celebrate different cultures, for example on international day. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain and there is a strong culture of equality. Pupils with SEND are included in all of school life. Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND have targets and these are in every classroom. Teachers and teaching assistants check pupils’ work towards these targets regularly.

p.3

3

Leaders seek the views of parents and carers through regular surveys. The feedback is positive. Parents we spoke to were also very supportive of the school and the work of leaders and teachers. Staff described themselves as a ‘family’ and said that leaders cared about their workload and well-being.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all necessary recruitment checks are made before staff start working at the school. Governors have oversight of this and check it regularly.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe and they know the procedures for making referrals. Leaders have good systems for recording any referrals in school. Leaders know how to identify pupils in need of help and they manage support well. Records are kept securely.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planning and sequencing of lessons in history and PSHE are not as well developed as in other areas of the curriculum. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they do in other subjects. Leaders need to provide support and training for subject leaders to be able to plan and sequence their curriculum effectively. It is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year’s 4–5 February 2020

p.3

4

curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it, that they are in the process of bringing this about.  In PE teachers do not have sufficient subject expertise to ensure that pupils are progressing through the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not developing the skills that they require. Leaders must ensure that teachers receive the subject specialist training they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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 are the school and you are 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. 4–5 February 2020

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 11–12 December 2012

p.5

Information about this school

 St Mary’s RC Junior School formed a federation with St Mary’s RC Infant School in 2016.  The school is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic School.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The previous ‘outstanding’ judgement reflected the school’s overall effectiveness in December 2012 under the relevant inspection framework at that time

p.5

Information about this inspection

The new judgement of ‘good’ reflects the current inspection framework as well as any changes at the school since the last inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The school has not been inspected for seven years, which is longer than the five- year maximum interval between inspections under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Changes in school effectiveness may have happened at any point in that 4–5 February 2020

p.5

6

period. The long time between inspections is because the law changed in 2011; it made most outstanding schools exempt from routine inspection.

p.6

6

 We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  We met with the headteacher and senior leaders. We met with the chair of the board of governors and one other governor.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, history, music, PE and PSHE. We visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning and met with subject leaders and teachers.  Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, we considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. We also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of checks carried out before staff are appointed.  We met with groups of pupils and spoke to pupils during lesson visits. We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at playtimes. We spoke to staff about behaviour and about their workload in school. We met parents at the end of the school day.

p.6

Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Kate Frood Ofsted Inspector 4–5 February 2020

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