Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School

Inspection of Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School Northumberland Terrace, Everton, Liverpool, Merseyside L5 3QF

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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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 Good 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to belong to this calm and welcoming school community. They enthusiastically described many things that they appreciate about school, especially the friends that they make. Pupils benefit from caring and positive relationships with staff. They told inspectors that the school is a great place for them to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They understand the importance of respecting others. They said that their school is a place where everybody is welcome. Pupils know that people should not be judged for any differences that they may have. Those pupils who have recently joined the school told inspectors that they have settled quickly in school. They value the many ways in which they have been helped to feel part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils’ achievements. Pupils understand these expectations and they work hard to learn as much as they can. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to school and to the wider community. They are proud of the leadership roles that they have, such as playground friends, school councillors, writing ambassadors and eco-councillors. Pupils enjoy gardening in the school allotment and in the community nature garden.

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better?

Pupils, including those with SEND, benefit from a carefully constructed, broad and ambitious curriculum. The school has designed learning to build logically from the early years to Year 6.

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better?

In 2022, the proportion of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standards in writing and in mathematics was lower than the national average. This was also the case for the number of key stage 1 pupils who met the expected standards in reading and in phonics. The school identified the reasons for this and has taken effective action to remedy these weaknesses. Across all year groups, the school has successfully addressed any gaps in pupils’ learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, most pupils achieve well.

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better?

Staff receive appropriate training to strengthen the delivery of the curriculum. They have a secure knowledge of the subjects that they teach. Staff select appropriate and interesting activities to engage pupils in their learning.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers successfully check that pupils understand and remember important knowledge. However, in a few subjects, the assessment strategies that teachers use do not identify precisely what pupils have learned and remembered. At 11 and 12 October 2023

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times, this prevents some pupils from making connections in their learning and knowing all that they should.

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Reading has a high profile throughout the school. High-quality texts are at the centre of the curriculum. Pupils appreciate the variety of books that teachers read to them. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about the books that they enjoy reading.

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The school places communication and language at the heart of children’s learning in the early years. Staff immerse children in a language-rich environment full of rhymes, books and poems. This helps to prepare children to learn phonics in the Reception Year. Pupils practise reading from books that contain the sounds that they already know. They use their phonic knowledge to accurately read unfamiliar words.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly. Staff ensure that these pupils access the same learning as their peers. Pupils who struggle to read, including those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), benefit from extra support. This increases their confidence and fluency in reading.

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Parents value the strong relationships that the school builds with them. For example, they are invited into school and take part in their children’s lessons. Parents receive useful guidance on how to support their children’s learning at home.

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Children in the early years settle quickly. Staff support them to concentrate on their learning. Pupils display positive behaviour across the school. They usually learn without interruption. Pupils play well together in a wide range of activities at breaktimes.

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Pupils are respectful of different religions and faiths to their own. They know that families are made up in lots of different ways, and they learn what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils are taught about how to be healthy, both physically and mentally. For example, they learn how to make healthy food choices and how to share any worries they may have. Pupils understand the importance of seeking advice and making safe decisions. This includes making choices when they are working or playing online.

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Governors support and challenge the school effectively to ensure that all pupils receive a high-quality education. The school is mindful of staff’s workload and well- being when making decisions, such as about curriculum policies and development. This helps staff to feel valued and supported in their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In some subjects, strategies to check how well pupils learn do not focus on the most important knowledge that pupils need to know. This means that some pupils do not learn all the essential knowledge needed. The school should refine assessment strategies in these subjects to check that pupils learn all the information that they will need to secure future learning.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Bishop Thomas Williams

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 From September 2023, two headteachers lead the school on a job-share basis.  The school is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The last section 48 inspection, which is for schools of a religious character, took place in January 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place during the academic year 2024 to 2025.  The governing body runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school provides education for two-year-old children.  The number of pupils who speak EAL has increased significantly since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 11 and 12 October 2023

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 Inspections are point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and history. As part of these deep dives, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke with subject leaders. They spoke to pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from key stages 1 and 2 reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with the headteachers and other school leaders.

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 The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the archdiocese.  Inspectors talked with staff and leaders about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, SEND and pupils’ personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their wider experience of school. They looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.

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 Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors also considered parents’ letters sent for their attention.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Amanda Dodd Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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