Our Lady of Victories RC Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22nd – 23rd May 2000

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Our Lady of Victories - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant, Junior and Nursery

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Clareville Street Kensington London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Fr. Timothy Dean

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30th April 1996 Our Lady of Victories - 4

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Team members

Capital Inspections Chaucer Building Canterbury Road Morden Surrey SM4 6PX

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Our Lady of Victories - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves the community of Kensington in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic school, which provides education for boys and girls between the ages of three and eleven. Since the time of the last inspection in 1996, the school has opened a 29-place nursery and undertaken building alterations, which provide increased teaching accommodation. There is a total of 237 pupils of which 128 are girls and 109 are boys.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The majority of the pupils live in the community surrounding the school. However, a significant minority of the pupils live outside the immediate community and come to the school because of its Christian foundation and good reputation. Accommodation in the area is mostly a mixture of privately owned and rented accommodation. About four per cent of the pupils join or leave the school other than at the usual time. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is 16 (6.75 per cent), which is below average. Around 135 (57 per cent), of the pupils have English as an additional language. This is very high. Of these, the most frequently spoken languages are Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Polish. The proportion of pupils with English as an additional language has increased from 115 at the time of the last inspection. There is a total of 38 pupils (16 per cent) who are on the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

special educational needs register. This total is just below average. Five pupils who are on the special educational needs have a Statement of Special Educational Need; one of these is in the nursery. Each of the five pupils who are at Stage 3-5 of the special educational needs register, has a different special educational need. These needs include severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, speech or communication difficulties, hearing impairment and dyspraxia. The level of attainment of the majority of children on entry to the school is above the level expected. This year, nearly all of the pupils transferred to the main school at the age of five.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, which places a high priority on providing pupils with an all-round education, which is firmly based upon Christian values. It has good procedures for supporting pupils' welfare. Standards in English, mathematics and science are very high. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ attainment is very high in English and mathematics and well above average in science.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The quality of teaching and learning are good overall and often very good. Teachers have particularly high expectations of what pupils can do. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and the school's strategies for literacy and numeracy are very effective. Pupils’ attitudes to learning, their behaviour and personal development are very good. The provision for pupils' personal development is very good overall, with spiritual and moral development being particularly strong. Parents have very positive views of the school. The headteacher, supported by the senior staff, leads the school well and the Governing Body plays an effective role in helping to shape the direction of the school. Overall, the school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are high at the end of both key stages and pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress towards attaining there agreed targets. • The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social and cultural development well. • The quality of teaching is good with examples of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught. • The leadership of the headteacher and senior staff is very good and together with the Governing Body provide a clear direction for the school. • The school's partnership with parents is good and parents are very pleased with the education provided for their children.

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What could be improved

• Pupils' attainment in information technology is satisfactory, but could be better. • Although the Governing Body carries out its statutory duties effectively, it has not yet fully developed its role as a critical friend of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Our Lady of Victories - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in April 1996. Since that time the school has maintained its strengths, such as the high standards in English, mathematics and science. It has made good improvement in addressing the areas for development identified in the last inspection. Standards in information technology have improved and are now broadly in line with the level expected. However, the school is aware that more needs to be done to ensure that pupils reach their full potential in the subject. Procedures for assessing pupils' progress are fully in place. The school uses information from the assessment of pupils level of attainment, to set realistic targets to help raise standards still further. In addition, teachers have improved their lesson planning by making good use of information gained from assessing what pupils know, understand and can do.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has improved the accommodation, for example, the new information and technology suite is operational and has greatly improved pupils’ access to computers. The level of pupils' attendance has also improved. The school has successfully introduced both the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Both are having a positive effect on pupils' learning. In the case of numeracy, pupils are improving their mental agility. Since the last inspection, the school has opened its nursery which provides children under-five with a secure and effective base upon which to base their learning. The quality of teaching has improved to the extent that in nearly one quarter of the lessons observed, teaching was very good.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A* A* A* A* well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A A* A* Average Below average C D Science A* A* A A well below average E

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Key

By the age of five, most pupils exceed the Desirable Learning Outcomes in all of the six areas of learning. Over the last three years, pupils have consistently attained standards that are very high or well above average at the end of Key Stage 2. In 1999, the school's performance in comparison with national averages was in the top five per cent of schools in English and mathematics. Over the last four years standards have improved broadly in line with national trends. Pupils' achievement, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is good overall. It is good for children under-five and very good in the rest of the school. Standards in information technology are satisfactory and pupils attain the level expected. However, given the high standards in other subjects, standards should be higher. The school has set challenging targets for its pupils in

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Key

literacy and numeracy and is on course to meet them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to their learning. They are keen to succeed and very interested in their work. Even the youngest pupils show very mature attitudes to their school work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. The pupils show respect for their teachers and respond positively to their high expectations for behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils show a good level of personal responsibility and use their initiative well. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Our Lady of Victories - 8 Attendance The attendance of pupils has improved to a rate above that achieved in similar schools. Fewer holidays are now taken during term time.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Good Good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching is good overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. About one quarter of the teaching was very good, just over half was good and the remainder was satisfactory. The quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is strong. Teachers have a very secure subject knowledge, which they use well to support pupils' learning. A particular strength is that teachers have very high expectations of what the pupils can do. In the most effective lessons, teachers use skilful questions, which challenge pupils' thinking. Pupils respond very well to the challenging activities set for them and make good progress. They have very positive attitudes to their work and try hard to do their best. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum includes all National Curriculum subjects, is relevant to pupils' needs and provision for extra-curriculum activities is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are supported well by staff. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed and identify clear and well-focused targets to support pupils' achievement. Special educational needs staff are well deployed and have a beneficial effect on pupils' progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils' needs are identified well when they start school. Relevant programmes of support are provided so that pupils make good progress in learning English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. Provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good. The provision for their social and cultural development is good. This provision has a very positive impact on pupils' personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school demonstrates good care and concern for all its pupils. Since the last inspection, the school has formalised its very good practices for child protection through a written policy, which is known to all.

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Aspect Comment

Parents have very positive views of the school. The school provides them with a good range of general information and also organises meetings for them to find out more about how the curriculum is taught to their children. However, in their present format, the annual reports to parents are not as clear as they could be about the progress pupils are making throughout the year, or what the pupils need to do next to improve their work. Parents feel welcome in the school and know they can approach teachers to discuss their child’s progress. Our Lady of Victories - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall. The headteacher has a strong sense of purpose and together with senior staff, has a very clear view of where the school should be heading.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They are generally aware of the strengths and areas for development within the school and together with the staff, share a commitment to improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators monitor and evaluate the school's performance and the quality of teaching and learning regularly throughout the school year. A detailed analysis is made of test results to support curriculum planning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Staff, accommodation and learning resources are used well to support the work of the school. Specific grants are directed well to enrich pupils' learning. The principles of best value are effectively applied to the purchasing of resources.

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Aspect Comment

Financial planning and administrative procedures are effective. The school is coping well with the necessary changes brought about as a result of becoming part of the Local Education Authority. Procedures for staff appraisal and opportunities for the professional development of staff are good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children make good progress. • The teaching is good. • The school expects children to work hard and achieve his or her best. • Children like school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The information provided on their child's progress. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents' positive comments. Inspectors also agree that pupils' annual progress reports to parents do not always provide clear information about how pupils are getting on, or what pupils need to do next to improve their work. However, the school provides a good range of out-of-school activities and inspectors do not therefore agree with these concerns. Our Lady of Victories - 10

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

English as an additional language make good progress.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

1. The school has been very successful in maintaining consistently high standards in English, mathematics and science. By the end of both key stages, pupils' attainment overall is very high. Over the last four years, standards attained have broadly matched national trends. In comparison with similar schools, results by the end of Key Stage 2 are very high in English and mathematics and well above average in science.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

2. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their work. They enjoy coming to school, are interested in their activities and work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support. This, together with the caring and informed work of the staff, help to ensure that pupils' personal development is very good. Parents too, feel strongly that the ethos of the school supports their children in becoming mature members of the community. These important aspects of the school have a very positive impact on pupils' learning and the standards attained.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

3. The school has implemented the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies very successfully and this is helping to ensure that standards in reading and writing are very good. Pupils speaking and listening skills are high. Most pupils speak confidently and use an interesting vocabulary. They speak in a way which is tailored to the needs of their audience the occasion. For example, in collective worship, pupils are happy to answer questions and share their views in front of the whole school. Pupils have good standards of reading. They read with fluency, good expression and obvious enjoyment. For example, older pupils presented a dialogue to their classmates, which clearly showed how a point of view could affect a reader's response. The school supports pupils' literacy well by finding many opportunities for pupils to use and extend their literacy in different subjects. For example, in science, pupils use subject specific language to classify materials into

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

gases, liquids and solids. Teachers often provide good opportunities, particularly towards the end of a lesson, for pupils to listen, discuss and learn from others' work and to use new subject specific words learnt whilst carrying out their activities.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

4. In numeracy, the school has placed appropriate emphasis on improving pupils' mental agility. This has had a positive impact on pupils' ability to solve problems. Teachers have a very secure understanding of numeracy and this, together with well planned lessons, helps pupils to recognise and understand that there may well be different, but correct ways of solving the same problem.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

5. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language well. The staff work hard to ensure that these pupils are valued and play a full part in the life of the school. The positive approach to including all pupils in activities makes a significant contribution to their personal development and their level of confidence. Other pupils show a positive and supportive attitude towards pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. For example, in a numeracy lesson, there was a sense of willing another pupil to correctly explain co-ordinates in the first quadrant and spontaneous applause upon his success.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

6. The pupils with special educational needs have well focused individual education plans, which provide clear attainable targets to help pupils make good progress. Teachers and learning support assistants work very closely together. The level of support provided for pupils, in small groups or individually, has a positive impact upon pupils' rate of achievement and attainment. Careful assessments are made at the end of lessons, so that the rate of learning is closely monitored and future learning is planned to build on what pupils already know, understand and can do. The school provides a good level of support for pupils with English as an additional language. Support is provided as soon as is possible after a pupil enters the school. This generally means that pupils rapidly improve their English and support is often appropriately reduced as they move through the school. The success of the provision for special educational needs and English as an

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Standards in English, mathematics and science are high and pupils with special educational needs and

additional language means that by the end of Key Stage 2, there is no variation in attainment between those who have English as an additional language and those who do not. In addition, a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs attain the expected level in English, mathematics and science. Our Lady of Victories - 11

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The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social

7. The curriculum is well supported by very good provision for spiritual and moral development. Opportunities are provided for reflection and prayers and pupils are taught about family values. For example, in an assembly taken by the headteacher, pupils were asked to reflect upon who was the favourite brother or sister in their family. The point that God does not have favourites and that each is equally important regardless of whom we are, our nationality or gender was sensitively emphasised. The concept was appropriately supported by reference to the story of Cornelius from the New Testament. The school is a harmonious community, based upon trusting and respectful relationships, where pupils are valued. Pupils are taught to appreciate God’s world, value the uniqueness of individuals and have a very good awareness of themselves. The school has close links with the clergy and the parish.

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The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social

8. The school provides very good opportunities for pupils to become self-reliant and to increase their personal development. Staff provide a consistent approach to dealing with moral issues and pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. Teachers provide very good role models for pupils and often include moral issues within lessons. This underpins the importance of appropriate moral behaviour for pupils. School assemblies are used very effectively as a means of reminding pupils of right and wrong and to emphasise that everyone is responsible for their actions.

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The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social

9. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their social and cultural awareness. Pupils are expected to take care of others. This attitude is promoted well through the way that staff build relationships with pupils. Pupils are provided with opportunities in their classes to undertake responsible duties for the benefit of all the class. Pupils are provided with opportunities to help around the school, for example, by preparing the hall for assemblies and helping to run the library. Pupils 'social development is also supported through the activities available after school. The school regularly raises money for others less fortunate than themselves; for example, pupils raised money for the CAFOD millennium appeal and the lifeboat appeal. The school helps to underline the importance of pupils' social development by awarding certificates for good behaviour and attitudes.

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The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social

10. Pupils' cultural development is supported well. Cultural issues are included in the long-term curriculum planning, for example, through the study of St Lucia; pupils increase their awareness of the diversity of different cultures. In art, pupils are provided with good opportunities to compare the work of different artists such as Degas, Van Gogh, Cézanne and Monet. The school takes part in the local Chelsea Music Festival, which allows pupils to experience a wide range of music from different cultures. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to develop their understanding of the diversity of literature through studying Dickens, Shakespeare, Pepys, Ted Hughes and black British poetry. The curriculum includes regular French and Latin lessons and there are opportunities for pupils to learn about traditional dance from other countries. The school make good use of the nearby museums and places of interest such as The Commonwealth

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The provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development is very good and the school supports pupils' social

Institute and Hyde Park. The provision of a residential visit to France for pupils in Year 6 provides a good opportunity for pupils' social and cultural development.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

11. The good quality of teaching has a strong impact on pupils’ learning. Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has improved and during the week of inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was seen.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

12. Teachers plan well and set clear learning objectives for their pupils to follow. Teaching is founded on the very good relationships, which have been established between staff and pupils. The opinions of pupils are respected and valued and as a result, the quality of interaction between pupils and teacher in lessons is high, contributing significantly to pupils’ knowledge and understanding. A positive feature of teaching is very high expectations, which teachers have for what pupils can do. Teachers expect that all pupils will give of their best. Pupils rise to the challenges set for them well and try their best. This has in a positive effect upon pupils' rate of progress. Teachers teach the basic skills of literacy and numeracy very well and this results in good gains in both their phonic and computational skills. Teachers expect and achieve very good behaviour from pupils. Our Lady of Victories - 12

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

13. A common strength in teaching is the way that support staff and teachers work together. Staff have a very clear view of what they expect pupils to learn and by sharing the planning together, assessing pupils' progress and understanding, they help to ensure that pupils are provided with activities which build well on their prior level of attainment. This has a particularly good effect on the progress of pupils with special educational needs towards achieving their agreed targets. Teachers plan their lessons very thoroughly. Work is supported well by the use of regular homework, which consolidates pupils’ learning and allows parents to take an active part in their child’s education. They use time well in lessons. At the end of lessons, they often bring pupils together to assess pupils' progress, to consolidate learning and to prepare pupils for the future activities. This helps pupils to assess their own progress and begin to identify areas

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

where they need to focus to improve their level of attainment.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

14. Teachers have a clear idea of how long they wish to spend on different parts of lessons; for example, introductions to lessons are clear and proceed at a brisk pace, thereby keeping pupils' attention and ensuring high levels of motivation. Teachers create a positive climate for learning. They show by their example, that learning is enjoyable. They choose and use resources effectively to support pupils’ learning and use praise appropriately. They also make it quite clear when they feel that insufficient work has been completed. Pupils respond to this by working hard and completing good quantities of work. Occasionally, the pace of the lesson declines and activities do not sufficiently match the needs of pupils. When this happens pupils’ progress suffers and they do not achieve as much as they could.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

15. Pupils are enthusiastic and totally involved in tasks and this contributes to the good working atmosphere in classrooms. In numeracy, pupils are challenged to explain how they arrive at answers and with appropriate intervention, teachers help pupils to extend their thinking and knowledge. For example, in a numeracy lesson in Key Stage 2, pupils were asked to increase and decrease a given number by tenths and hundredths and to see if they could recognise a pattern. This challenged pupils' thinking and deepened their understanding of the value of certain numbers less than a whole number.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

The leadership of the headteacher and senior staff is very good; they provide a clear direction for the school.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

16. The headteacher, senior management team and subject co-ordinators work well together. They have a shared vision and are committed to high standards. The school has a strong ethos based upon Christian values. It provides a very good environment where pupils' personal development is supported. This ethos is shared by all who work in the school and helps to ensure that procedures for pupils' welfare are good. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect and work together to achieve their best. This, together with the school’s recognition of the importance of good academic standards, provides a very good learning environment for pupils to develop and grow.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

17. The headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators carefully monitor quality and standards throughout the school. They do this by a wide variety of formal and informal techniques. The quality of pupils' work is evaluated through regular classroom observations and a careful analysis of pupils' completed work. The school uses information gained from monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning very well. The headteacher has a firm belief in the importance of professional development for staff and views this as an important factor in continuing the good quality education and further improving standards. The school is developing a systematic strategy for performance management based upon the needs of staff and the school and in line with the school development plan.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

18. The school constantly seeks ways to help all pupils to realize their true potential. The results of tests and assessments are carefully analysed to highlight areas of strength and those where pupils’ achievement could be improved. For example, the school is seeking ways of increasing the proportion of pupils who attain the higher Level 3 and Level 5 at the end of the key stages. The school has set itself challenging performance targets for the future, based on pupils' prior attainment and is on line to achieve them.

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The quality of teaching is good with examples, of very good teaching. Skills of literacy and numeracy are

19. Good financial management helps to ensure that developments are suitably supported and specific grants are used well. The work of the school is well supported by the efficient administrative and financial staff. Our Lady of Victories - 13

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The school's partnership with parents is good and parents are very pleased with the education provided for

20. Parents are very pleased with the school and the quality of education that it provides. Many parents commented favourably about the commitment shown by the staff. Parents are very appreciative of the good discipline, the leadership of the headteacher and the Catholic values that the school promotes in their children. They think that all teachers treat their children fairly and they support the charities that the school contributes to. Parents enjoy coming into assemblies and appreciate the merit system for good behaviour and good work. The school provides a significant number of out-of-school activities and parents are particularly supportive of the policy to help pupils continue use their mother tongue. For example, there are regular language sessions in Italian and Portugese.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Pupils' attainment in information technology is average, but could be better.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. Although standards in information technology, by the end of Key Stage 2, are broadly in line with the level expected, they could be higher. This is because, until recently, there have been few computers and a minority teachers have lacked confidence in the subject. However, the school has begun to improve the situation. New computers have been bought and the newly developed information technology suite is providing good access to computers for all pupils. Teachers' subject knowledge and confidence is improving through carefully focused professional development opportunities. However, there has been insufficient time for these developments to have enough impact on pupils' level of attainment by the end of Key Stage 2. The school is aware of the situation and has an effective development plan, which takes account of the National Grid for Learning initiative and recognises the need for increased software and professional development of

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Although the Governing Body carries out its statutory duties effectively, it has not yet fully developed its role

22. The governing body supports the work of the school effectively and plays a part in helping to shape the future direction of the school. A small nucleus of governors is regularly in the school and has a clear understanding of the school's strengths and the areas for development. However, a significant number of governors are relatively new and are still coming to terms with the roll of being a governor. The school has governors who are responsible for particular aspects of the curriculum, for example, literacy, numeracy and special educational needs and these arrangements provide an effective link between staff and the Governing Body. However, there are currently few links between the remaining subject co-ordinators and individual governors. This important link, which provides governors with valuable insights and information about the school has lapsed with the effect that not all governors are as well briefed about how the school operates as

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Although the Governing Body carries out its statutory duties effectively, it has not yet fully developed its role

they could be. This in turn, means that some are not sufficiently aware of the school's strengths and weaknesses to help it move forward.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. The governors, headteacher and staff should work together to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raise standards in information technology by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) increasing teachers’ confidence in the subject so that all are aware of the possibilities for using information technology in other subjects.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Refer to paragraph 21) Information technology is a priority in the school development plan for 1999/2000. Our Lady of Victories - 14 • Improve the opportunities for governors to become more clear of the strengths and areas for development within the school. (Refer to paragraph 22) Our Lady of Victories - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y R – Y 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 29 208

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y R – Y 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 135

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Our Lady of Victories - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 18 12 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 18 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (97) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 100 (97) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87(86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 9 16 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 96 (100) 100 (96) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78(69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 15 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 92 (78) 100 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 68(65) 69 (65) 75 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Our Lady of Victories - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 9 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.6 Financial year 1999/200

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y R – Y 6 Total expenditure 781442

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 3297.22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 154 Balance brought forward from previous year 109179

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 98649

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 77.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady of Victories - 18

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Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 237 Number of questionnaires returned

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 74 25 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 85 15 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 83 15 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 68 25 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 28 8 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 23 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 95 5 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 68 32 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 77 20 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 81 18 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 45 43 5 2 3

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