Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy 292 Harrogate Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS17 6SX

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Outcome

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Frances Clark. This school is part of St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Peter Hughes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Shaun Vickers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is a school that is proud of its distinctive ‘family’ feel. Staff are deeply committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for pupils. They have very high expectations for pupils. These high expectations are met. Pupils behave well and achieve well. They are very well-prepared for the next stage of their education and to become the adventurous, accomplished and considerate individuals that the school wants them to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes typify the school’s seven core values or ‘virtues’. These include resilience, respect and courage. Pupils are highly respectful and polite. They give guests a warm welcome. They speak about their school with pride. They show extremely positive attitudes to their learning. In lessons, they are attentive and keen to participate. They move around the school in a calm and orderly manner.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils welcome the plentiful opportunities they have to fulfil leadership roles in school. School councillors contribute their ideas for school improvement. Eco-warriors protect and care for the environment and the ‘Mini Vinnies’ orchestrate a range of fund-raising activities for a number of charities. Pupils perform these roles with pride. They are well prepared to be active and positive contributors to society.

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The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, there is a clear sequence of learning that runs from early years to the end of Year 6. In some subjects, such as mathematics and physical education, the curriculum has considerable strengths. Where this is the case, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well. The school promptly identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. It makes suitable adaptations to ensure that these pupils can successfully progress through the curriculum. In mathematics, teachers make frequent checks on learning. They make sure they go over what pupils have learned before. This helps pupils to remember important mathematical knowledge. Children in the Reception Class develop skills in early mathematics through well-planned provision. They explored the number eight in a range of different, interesting contexts. In a small number

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of subjects, the important knowledge that the school wants pupils to acquire has not been identified or sequenced as clearly. In these subjects, pupils do not build their knowledge and understanding over time as effectively.

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Reading is given a high priority. Reading is strongly promoted and encouraged. Books are celebrated. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read learn the sounds that letters represent in lessons that follow a clear sequence. Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ progress with reading. Those that fall behind receive support to keep up with their peers. The school’s chosen scheme for the teaching of phonics is mostly used with consistency. However, on some occasions, strategies to support pupils to decode and blend words while they learn to read are not applied as consistently.

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Behaviour in lessons and at less structured times is calm and orderly. Children in Reception live up to the high expectations of staff. They respond well to well-established routines. They demonstrate independence. They cooperate well and show joy when playing and learning with their friends. Their first year in school prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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Pupils benefit from the plentiful experiences the school provides to enhance the curriculum. They have opportunities to undertake interesting visits. The youngest children paid a visit to a farm. Prior to the visit, they spoke knowledgably about what they were expecting to see. Pupils attend Mass in the nearby church with some of the older pupils serving at the altar.

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The school provides an extensive curriculum for personal, social and health education. Through this curriculum, pupils learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles and healthy relationships. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology. Pupils have mature attitudes to equality and diversity. While they appreciate they attend a church school, they are knowledgable about other faiths. They are well prepared to be respectful and responsible citizens of the future.

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Leaders at all levels have the same vision and ambition for all pupils. Leaders are outward-facing and benefit from links with local schools and schools in the trust. On occasions, the school becomes a place where other educators can come to learn, for example by showcasing their successful approach to mathematics for visiting teachers. Leaders constantly seek further improvement opportunities. They engage positively with external support. Staff report that it is a happy and supportive place to work where Academy 23 and 24 April 2024

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leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being. Governors understand their role in providing support and challenge to school leaders. They fulfil their important leadership role well. A significant majority of parental comments submitted through the Ofsted Parent View survey were complimentary of the school. Many refer to the positive experiences their children have at school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff deliver the school’s early reading programme as securely as they might. This means that some pupils at the early stages of reading do not benefit from the expert phonics teaching they need. Leaders should ensure that the school’s phonics programme is delivered with the highest degree of fidelity possible in all phases of the school and by all staff who teach pupils to read.  In some areas, the curriculum is less developed than it is in others. Where this is the case, pupils' learning is less secure. The school should further develop the curriculum so that the knowledge and skills that pupils need to acquire are clearly mapped out equally well across all subjects.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, to be good in January 2015.

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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. Academy 23 and 24 April 2024

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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). Academy 23 and 24 April 2024

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School details

Website http://www.immaculate-heart-of- mary.leeds.sch.uk Date(s) of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Leeds. The last section 48 inspection took place in November 2021. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2028/29.  The school is part of St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school. Academy 23 and 24 April 2024

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 The inspector held discussions with members of the trust board, including the CEO. He held a discussion with the academy council (local governing body), including the chair. He also held a discussion with a representative of the diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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.  The inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupils’ survey and the staff survey. The inspector spoke informally with parents at

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the end of the school day.  During the inspection, the inspector met with groups of pupils, both formally and during less-structured parts of the day.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Academy 23 and 24 April 2024

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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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