Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Wellingborough

Inspection of Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Wellingborough Henshaw Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 2BE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Inadequate Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 3–4 March 2020

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are friendly, articulate and well mannered. They work and play well together. Pupils try hard in their lessons and are keen to learn. Many are proud of their school and feel a strong sense of community. Leaders and staff promote values that pupils do their best to uphold.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not always taken pupils’ concerns seriously. Some pupils, and their parents, do not feel listened to. Some pupils think that bullying is not always addressed well enough. Some do not feel safe in school. Leaders have not ensured that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Not all pupils attend school regularly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

In some subjects, such as mathematics, pupils’ learning builds on what they already know. This helps them to remember more. The school’s approach to teaching pupils to read and write is less effective. In subjects such as geography and art, teachers do not plan learning well enough. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can and should do are not consistently high. Children in the early years are not well prepared for Year 1.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles. They have opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils in the school choir were excited to sing songs from ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ at the Royal and Derngate Theatre. Pupils enjoy attending sports clubs and participating in competitions.

p.2

better?

Leaders have not ensured that there is an effective approach to teaching phonics. They have not identified which sounds pupils should know at different times of the year. Teachers have received training to deliver the school’s phonics programme. However, not all adults model the sounds letters make accurately. Some pupils struggle to blend sounds together to read words. Pupils who start to fall behind are not identified quickly. They do not catch up with their peers as quickly as they could.

p.2

better?

Leaders have begun to design a curriculum to help pupils know and remember more. This has been successful in mathematics. Leaders have provided teachers with effective training. Teachers have strong subject knowledge in mathematics. They plan learning which helps pupils understand key ideas and skills. Pupils achieve well in this subject.

p.2

better?

Leaders have not developed an effective approach to teaching reading and writing. They do not identify the small steps needed to help pupils understand what they read or how to improve their writing. Teachers do not plan learning that builds on pupils’ prior knowledge. Pupils enjoy reading and learning about different authors and poets. However, some pupils cannot read or write as well as they should. 3–4 March 2020

p.2

3

Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum in all subjects is well planned. Pupils do not study some subjects in sufficient depth. For example, some topics in geography are taught every year, while other topics are not covered at all.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in some subjects, such as mathematics and science. However, in other subjects, teachers do not adapt the curriculum well enough so that pupils with SEND can be successful.

p.3

3

Children in the early years do not get off to a good start. The curriculum is not well designed. Children do not learn what they need to be ready for key stage 1. For instance, in mathematics, children do not learn about shapes and measurements, or basic calculations. There are no plans to teach these skills. Teachers do not assess what children can do to help them plan new learning. Leaders have not addressed these weaknesses.

p.3

3

Staff help pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. For example, pupils become members of the school parliament or help others in the reading shed. Pupils are keen to help those who are less fortunate. They support the local food bank and a local project to help the homeless.

p.3

3

Pupils are motivated and eager to learn. They are keen to talk to visitors about their learning. The school has a rich variety of cultures represented. Leaders have identified the need to develop the curriculum to ensure that it supports pupils’ understanding of other cultures.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and governors do not make sure that pupils are safe and feel safe in school. They have not created a culture of openness. Leaders have not acted quickly or appropriately in response to serious issues. They do not keep accurate or detailed records of concerns raised or actions taken.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders do not check that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Some staff do not know the most up-to-date information about the potential risks that pupils face. Not all staff are clear about how to pass on concerns.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have not made thorough checks on all staff before they begin working at the school. 3–4 March 2020

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not feel safe in school. They are not confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with appropriately. Senior leaders need to ensure that there is a culture of openness, in which all pupils’ concerns are taken seriously.  Leaders do not make sure that all staff know the safeguarding procedures and are well trained. They do not always act swiftly or appropriately when staff refer safeguarding concerns to them. Safeguarding records are incomplete. Some pupils have not been kept safe from potential risks. Leaders must ensure that all aspects of safeguarding practices and procedures are well managed and reviewed regularly.  Leaders, including governors, have not fulfilled their statutory duties to keep pupils safe. Leaders do not carry out all of the checks required on staff prior to them beginning employment. Leaders must ensure that procedures for the recruitment of staff meet statutory requirements.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff are not trained well enough in teaching phonics and early reading. Teachers do not identify pupils who fall behind with their reading quickly enough. Some pupils do not read as well as they should. Leaders must ensure that the school’s approach to teaching early reading helps all pupils to read well and catch up quickly when they fall behind.  Leaders have not ensured that all subjects are well planned and sequenced, with clear end points. While this has been done effectively in mathematics, in other subjects, including English, geography and art, this is not the case. For each subject, leaders must identify the most important content they want pupils to learn and the order in which they should learn it. They must make sure that the curriculum in each subject is implemented effectively.  Children in the early years do not get off to a good start. Leaders have not planned or implemented an ambitious curriculum which covers all of the areas of

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

learning. As a result, children do not gain the knowledge and skills that they need. Leaders must ensure that they construct a curriculum which prepares children well for key stage 1.  The attendance of some pupils is too low. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Leaders need to implement appropriate strategies and support to help all pupils to attend school well.

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. 3–4 March 2020

p.4

5

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

p.5

5

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

p.5

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.5

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. 3–4 March 2020

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.6

School details

Chair of governing body Reverend Peter Griffin

p.6

School details

Website www.ourladyscatholic.northants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 14–15 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.6

Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes since the last inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 We spoke with senior leaders, including the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. We spoke with staff who support pupils with SEND.  We considered in detail the quality of reading, writing, mathematics, science and art and design. We met with subject leaders, teachers and pupils. We visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  We looked at the school’s single central record of recruitment checks, the school’s safeguarding policy and staff training records. We spoke with leaders and staff 3–4 March 2020

p.6

7

and checked safeguarding records. The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered.  We spoke with members of the governing body, and representatives from the local authority and the diocese.

p.7

Inspection team

Heidi Malliff, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector 3–4 March 2020

p.7

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

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

p.8

8

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

p.8