Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School Price Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 8DU

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 12 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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and children in the early years arrive at Our Lady and St Edward’s Primary School happy and keen to start their day. Staff greet them with a welcoming smile. Pupils and staff have positive relationships with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders set out high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Pupils’ achievement is improving due to leaders’ swift action to bring about improvements to the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils, including children in the early years, follow routines and behave well. They feel safe in school. Some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), said that bullying happens from time to time. Leaders deal with incidents of bullying effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and all of the extra opportunities that are on offer. For example, they eagerly told inspectors about their recent work to help those in their local community who are not as fortunate as themselves. Pupils also shared their positive views about the different clubs that they can take part in, including yoga, chess and drama clubs.

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better?

Leaders’ work on the curriculum has led to considerable improvements in pupils’ achievement. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders have identified the knowledge that they wish pupils in Years 1 to 6, and children in early years, to learn. Curriculum knowledge is well ordered. As a result, teachers design activities that help pupils to build on what they know and deepen their knowledge over time.

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better?

Leaders and teachers use assessment strategies effectively to find out how well pupils have learned what they have been taught during each lesson. However, teachers are not as well equipped to check that pupils have retained their learning over a period of time. They are not spotting that some pupils do not remember key knowledge. This leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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better?

Leaders make sure that reading is a high priority across the school. Older pupils spoke about different books that they have read in class with confidence and enthusiasm. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they enter the early years. Children in the two-year-old provision are immersed in songs and rhymes to get them ready for their future phonics learning. The approach to phonics is well ordered and taught consistently well by suitably trained staff. If pupils struggle to read, they receive effective support to help them catch up. As a result, pupils become confident and fluent readers. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Most pupils are keen to learn. They display positive attitudes in lessons and around the school building. Children, including those who attend the two-year-old provision, follow instructions and routines well. However, at times, some staff do not apply the behaviour policy consistently well. When this happens, a small number of pupils do not display the same positive conduct as their classmates. This occasionally disrupts the learning of others.

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Pupils benefit from a well-ordered personal development curriculum. They understand how to keep themselves physically healthy. Pupils learn about different faiths, cultures and religions. They understand what a healthy relationship is and the negative impact of gang culture. Pupils understand what it is like to live in modern day Britain.

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Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND have the same opportunities as other pupils. The needs of pupils with SEND are identified swiftly and they receive suitable support so that they can access the same curriculum as other pupils in the school. This helps them to achieve well.

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Staff are positive about working at this school. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. They consider the impact of any new policies on staff. Governors understand what is working well and what needs to improve further. All of the parents and carers who shared their views with inspectors were very positive about their child’s experience at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. Staff receive up-to-date training so that they are able to spot any signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff report such concerns quickly and leaders take prompt action to act on this information. Leaders work well with other agencies to ensure that pupils receive timely support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they understand what they need to do if they receive unwanted attention when working online. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers are not as well equipped to check that pupils’ learning is being stored in their memories over time. This means that they do not spot when pupils have forgotten key knowledge. This leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the strategies that they need to check that pupils are knowing and remembering more over time.  Occasionally, some teachers do not follow the behaviour policy as well as they should. This leads to some pupils disrupting the learning of others. Leaders should ensure that all staff abide by the agreed approach to managing pupils’ behaviour.

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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.

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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.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10245817 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 28 and 29 June 2010, under section 5 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has increased since the previous inspection.  The school operates on two sites that are situated close to each other.  Several new staff have joined the school since the previous inspection.  The school provides provision for two-year-olds.  This Catholic school is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The last section 48 inspection took place on 13 December 2016.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also met with a range of leaders who are responsible for the school’s pastoral system and personal development programmes.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, English and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils and looked at pupils’ work. They also reviewed other subjects in the curriculum.  The lead inspector observed some pupils in Years 1 to 3 reading to familiar adults.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They

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Information about this inspection

discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff.  The lead inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Samantha Birchall Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 2022

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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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted 30 November and 1 December 2022

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