Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary School

Inspection of Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary School Davyhulme Road, Davyhulme, Urmston, Manchester M41 7DS

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 October 2021

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 19 and 20 October 2021

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe at the school. They are proud of their learning in a range of subjects. Pupils enjoy and gain much from extra activities that are available to them. For example, they enthusiastically play netball, use the school zipwire or explore in the woodland area. Almost all pupils benefited recently from weekly, after-school sessions to play a range of games led by staff.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils undertake many roles to care for one another. They act thoughtfully to support other pupils’ behaviour and learning. Pupils said that it is easy to make friends at school. Older pupils make sure that younger children and pupils have friends too. Pupils are kind and helpful towards people in the local community, such as elderly people.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. This is because leaders have high expectations for their learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at the school are polite to adults and to one another. They respond to leaders’ high expectations by behaving thoughtfully and sensibly. Pupils said that any bullying is sorted out immediately by leaders and staff.

p.2

better?

Our Lady of the Rosary is a calm school. A gentle hubbub of pupils’ keen discussions in their learning activities can be heard throughout. Low-level disruption in classes is rare, which means that staff focus on teaching the curriculum. This is because of pupils’ excellent behaviour.

p.2

better?

In some subjects, such as mathematics, English and science, pupils achieve highly due to the carefully planned curriculum. However, in some other subjects, including in the early years, children and pupils do not always know all the essential knowledge that they should. This is because leaders do not identify the small chunks of knowledge that staff will teach pupils. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding by the end of key stage 2. Leaders are acting to further improve the school’s curriculum. For example, they are making prudent use of outside experts to assist staff as they revise their curriculum subject planning.

p.2

better?

Teachers are able to check pupils’ learning effectively in those subjects where the curriculum is well planned. Teachers at the school inspire pupils’ thirst for new knowledge by planning interesting and worthwhile activities for pupils to complete. In mathematics, for example, staff inspire pupils to think and talk about their new learning. Children in the Reception class can explain the many ways in which the number three can be represented by a group of objects or symbols because staff have taught them to do so. 19 and 20 October 2021

p.2

3

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. They gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident, fluent readers. Well-trained staff give effective support to those pupils who need extra help with their reading. Teachers and teaching assistants enthuse children and pupils about stories, rhymes and poems. Older pupils read challenging texts that teachers recommend, or that they discover themselves in the school’s many well- stocked library areas. Children and pupils at the school enjoy books that stretch their reading skills, expose them to fascinating new words and fire their imagination.

p.3

3

Staff, including those in the early years, quickly identify children and pupils with SEND. They teach all pupils in each year group the same curriculum. Where needed, staff teach information to pupils in smaller chunks. Leaders and staff make extensive links with other professionals, parents and carers to coordinate support for pupils with SEND.

p.3

3

Leaders and staff teach pupils to be responsible citizens. For instance, pupils can explain the need for clean, renewable energy in buildings and cars. Leaders’ and staff’s work to give pupils high-quality learning beyond the academic subjects is first rate and a significant strength of the school. For instance, they carefully plan activities, events and extra opportunities to develop pupils’ attitudes and character. Pupils learn to care about elderly people through organised, doorstep visits to speak with those who may feel lonely. Pupils gain detailed, first-hand insight into the lives of homeless people in Manchester. They raise funds for charities that support people in need. They learn much about the important contributions of people of different backgrounds to advances in human development, such as Mary Jackson in space exploration and Barack Obama in politics.

p.3

3

Leaders manage staff’s workload effectively. They ensure that all staff feel valued. Governors are committed to their roles. They are supportive of leaders. However, they do not have a clear understanding of which aspects and subjects of the school’s curriculum leaders should improve further.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff, including those in the early years, listen carefully to children’s and pupils’ views and concerns. Leaders train all staff to understand the risks to pupils’ safety in the local area, as well as nationally and online. Staff check for any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. They teach pupils to stay safe online, including about the dangers of using social media. They also help pupils to know how to stay safe when visiting parks or walking near roads. Leaders work effectively with other agencies where necessary to safeguard pupils. Governors carefully check the school’s arrangements for safeguarding. 19 and 20 October 2021

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ plans for some subject curriculums do not make clear the components of knowledge that children and pupils will be taught. This means that they do not develop all the knowledge that they need. Leaders should make certain that all curriculums, including in the early years, precisely identify the small building blocks of knowledge that staff will teach.  Governors do not have a precise understanding of which aspects and subjects of the school’s curriculum need further work by leaders and staff. This weakness holds back their ability to challenge leaders about pupils’ education. Governors should ensure that they fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s curriculum so they can better hold leaders to account for the work of the school.  The transition arrangements were used on this inspection to confirm that pupils benefit from a good-quality education.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 19 and 20 October 2021

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10199430 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 22 May 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision for pupils.  The headteacher, several governors and staff are newly appointed since the previous inspection.  The school has opened a Nursery class for three- and four-year-old children, a breakfast club and an after-school club since the previous inspection.  Our Lady of the Rosary is a Catholic school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2018.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and other members of staff. 19 and 20 October 2021

p.5

6

 Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences in school.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and evaluated parents’ responses, including free-text comments, to the online Ofsted Parent View questionnaire.  Inspectors met with an officer of the local authority and with a representative from the Diocese of Salford.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans for French, computing, geography and art and design and spoke with pupils and staff about some of these subjects.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils from Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 reading to staff.

p.6

6

 Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leaders and checked how leaders record and respond to safeguarding concerns. Inspectors spoke with pupils, parents and staff about safeguarding. Inspectors checked a sample of school safeguarding policies and leaders’ records of checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Joan Williamson Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 October 2021

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