Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Witney

Inspection of a good school: Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Witney Curbridge Road, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 5JZ

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Outcome

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Witney continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is full of joy. Pupils attend school eagerly. They love many aspects of school life such as choir and carnival. Pupils form positive relationships with one another and staff. They feel safe, listened to and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ expectations for pupils are high. Pupils rise to these and meet them. Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Pupils are enthusiastic about school life. In lessons, they are engrossed in learning. Teachers deal with low-level disruption quickly and this does not have an impact on teaching and learning. When pupils make the wrong behaviour choice, staff help pupils to ‘put it right’. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on what happened and how they felt. Bullying is rare. Leaders investigate any claims thoroughly and compassionately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff teach pupils to follow the school values, ‘FAITH’. Pupils strive to ‘try their best’ and ‘teach others by example’. They love winning ‘FAITH’ points for their house team and celebrating the success of others who show these values. Older pupils enjoy leadership roles to serve their community, such as Catholic ambassadors and librarians. They carry out these roles with pride. Pupils care for others. For example, they recently organised a sponsored run to help a local homeless charity.

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

Leaders have planned a curriculum that sets out broadly what pupils will learn in each subject. This begins in the early years. Leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge that children need to learn to ensure later success in each subject.

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

Pupils study a broad curriculum. In stronger subjects, leaders have broken down the knowledge that pupils need to learn into small chunks. Leaders have also carefully considered how pupils’ vocabulary develops in these subjects. This means that pupils’ learning builds logically on what they have learned before. Pupils articulate their learning clearly and they learn well. However, in some subjects, pupils do not learn consistently 16 and 17 May 2023

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well. In these subjects, leaders have not identified precisely enough what teachers need to teach and what pupils need to remember over time. Teachers lack clarity about what to focus on when checking pupils’ understanding in lessons. This means that, in these subjects, pupils are not supported effectively to develop and remember important knowledge.

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Pupils learn to read well. Leaders place high importance on reading fluently. They have made sure that all staff have had the training they need to understand and teach the school’s chosen phonics programme very well. Teachers identify pupils who fall behind the pace of the phonics programme swiftly. They ensure that effective support is in place for pupils at risk of falling behind to catch up quickly. Pupils also enjoy reading books for pleasure.

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The teaching of mathematics is a strength of the school. This starts strongly in early years. Children develop a secure understanding of number. They enjoy reciting numbers forwards and backwards. Teachers carefully plan activities to reinforce this learning in children’s play. For example, children love counting back from 10 to blast off when playing in their space rocket.

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Teachers carefully design their lessons to ensure that all pupils learn well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Leaders identify these pupils’ needs swiftly. Teachers use a range of successful strategies to support pupils with SEND in lessons. Recent training has supported teachers to develop a good understanding of sensory needs and attachment. Current leaders have established stronger relationships with external professionals and use specific advice effectively. As a result of this work, pupils with SEND achieve well across all subjects and are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ personal development is an important part of the wider curriculum. Pupils have a deep understanding of protected characteristics and celebrate difference. They love learning about world religions and different cultures. Pupils appreciate the views of others and respect different opinions. A well-designed curriculum helps pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they understand the importance of respecting other people’s wishes and healthy relationships.

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Leaders have, quite rightly, made many changes to the school in recent years. Pupils learn well. Staff are proud to work at the school and feel part of a close-knit team. On the whole, staff appreciate the way that leaders are considerate of their workload and well- being. Those responsible for governance receive useful information to check on the effectiveness of leaders’ work. They do this diligently, providing leaders with appropriate support and challenge to continue to improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture. Leaders make sure that all adults are up to date with required training. Staff are alert and know the pupils well. This means they notice 16 and 17 May 2023

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changes in pupils and report any concerns swiftly. Pupils also know to report their concerns to trusted adults.

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Leaders respond systematically. They keep detailed records of concerns and their actions are fast and appropriate. They work well with other agencies to get support for pupils and their families. Governors and trust representatives make regular checks to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are robust.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not yet identified precisely enough the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that teachers cannot develop pupils’ understanding effectively and pupils do not always learn the essential knowledge and skills they need for their future learning in sufficient depth. Leaders should ensure that staff know exactly what pupils need to learn across the whole curriculum.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Roman Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Birmingham.  The school received a section 48 inspection under the Education Act for schools of a religious character in May 2022.  The academy joined the Pope Francis Catholic Multi-Academy Company in 2020.  The current headteacher took up his role in September 2019.  The chair of the local governing board took up his post in September 2022.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. She spoke to subject leaders about the curriculum, spoke to staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector heard pupils read to an adult 16 and 17 May 2023

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from the school. The inspector also spoke to leaders about the curriculum and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The inspector met with senior leaders, staff and pupils. She met with a trustee and three members of the local governing board, including the chair. She held a meeting with the chief executive officer from the Pope Francis Catholic Multi-Academy Company and the trust’s primary lead for school improvement.  The inspector met virtually with a representative from the Archdiocese of Birmingham.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector checked the single central record, reviewed safeguarding records, and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils. The inspector also discussed safeguarding with those responsible for governance.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation of the school and the school improvement plan.  The inspector met with the leaders and staff to discuss the wider development of

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pupils, behaviour, well-being and workload.  The inspector considered the 17 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text comments. She also reviewed the school’s recent survey for parents.  The inspector took account of the 16 responses from staff and the 63 responses from pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 May 2023

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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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