Ss Peter and Paul RC Primary School

SS PETER & PAUL RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr Christopher Gray

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SS PETER & PAUL RC PRIMARY 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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SS PETER & PAUL RC PRIMARY 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. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Aberdeen Road Redland Bristol Postcode: BS6 6HY

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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: Mr Nick Barnett

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 - 24 November 1994 SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 4

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Team members

Christopher Gray Registered inspector Ron Elam Lay inspector Maurice Leyland Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 - 13

Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well above national averages. Pupils’ attitudes to learning, their behaviour and relationships are very good. The overall quality of teaching is good. The quality of leadership is good and governors are effectively involved in the school. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13 - 14

Standards by the time pupils are seven are not as high as they should be. The good procedures generally used in English, mathematics and science for assessing pupils' attainment and planning work to match their individual needs are not used in other subjects.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

SS Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic primary school situated in the Redland area of Bristol which draws its pupils from a wide catchment area across the city. The school is over-subscribed. The school is for children aged four to eleven, and has 194 full-time pupils (106 boys and 88 girls). Children’s attainment on entry is above the national average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds but, overall, their socio-economic background is broadly average. Approximately 13.4 per cent of pupils are entitled to receive a free school meal, which is broadly average for infant and junior schools. Eighteen pupils come from families of ethnic minorities, which is higher than most schools. Nine pupils have English as an additional language, though none of these is at an early stage of English language acquisition; as a percentage (4.6 per cent), this is higher than found in most schools. There are 62 pupils on the special needs register; at approximately 32 per cent of the school’s roll, this is above the national average. One pupil has a statement of special educational need, and, in percentage terms (0.5 per cent), this is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School is an effective school which is popular with parents. Pupils work hard and have very good attitudes to their work. The standards they achieve when they leave the school are well above national averages in English, mathematics and science and well above the averages for similar schools. The overall quality of teaching is good. The school is well led by the headteacher and senior staff and the governors work effectively with the school. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well above national averages. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning, their behaviour and relationships are very good. • The overall quality of teaching is good. • The quality of leadership is good and governors are effectively involved in the school. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good.

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What could be improved

• Standards by the time pupils are seven are not as high as they should be. • The good procedures generally used in English, mathematics and science for assessing pupils' attainment and planning work to match their individual needs are not used in other subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1994. The key issues concerned the use of senior management in monitoring the school’s work and focusing financial planning more sharply on agreed priorities. Good progress has been made on these aspects. In addition, the school needed to use knowledge of pupils’ prior learning in planning for higher attaining pupils. A good start has been made on this in English, mathematics and science. In addition, the school has made considerable improvements in the results of National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 and has maintained high standards at this key stage over several years. Overall, the progress made since the last inspection has been good. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 7

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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

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high A* 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

The table indicates that pupils’ attainment at Key Stage 2 is well above the national average in all three subjects. Compared with those of similar schools, results are also well above the average. All these comparisons show that the school is achieving high standards by the time pupils are eleven. The school’s overall results are improving at a similar rate to national trends. Pupils’ results in 1999 exceeded the school’s targets considerably, because the targets were over-cautious. An initiative begun this year involves regular target setting for all pupils which will form the basis of more realistic targets for National Curriculum tests in future. The inspection’s findings corroborate these results - attainment in the current Year 6 is well above average in English, mathematics and science.

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Key

On the other hand, standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are not as high. Results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests, compared with the results of similar schools, were well below average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. The inspection’s findings show that standards are higher in the current Year 2 but, given that children enter the school with above average attainment, standards are not as high as they should be at the end of Key Stage 1.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils are keen to learn and almost all enjoy coming to school. They show initiative and enjoy assuming responsibilities. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of the pupils in and around the school is very good. They are generally well mannered and show good self-discipline. Personal development and relationships Very good; pupils respond well to adults and one another. There is a secure, family atmosphere in the school. Adults and children treat each other with respect. Attendance Satisfactory. A small number of pupils arrive late in the morning.

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

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory 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 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching in the school overall is good. During the inspection, it was very good in 37 per cent of lessons and good in a further 37 per cent. Teaching was at least satisfactory in 90 per cent of lessons and unsatisfactory in 10 per cent. Literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 8 good use is made of the new information technology suite. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is also good. All teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and most pupils respond well, producing a good classroom ethos. Good use is made of grouping of pupils in most English, mathematics and science lessons in order to present them with work which is planned to meet their learning needs. However, this approach is not always used at Key Stage 1 and in subjects other than English, mathematics and science more generally.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Broad and balanced; literacy and numeracy strategies are effective; the range of extra-curricular opportunities is limited.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets of their individual education plans. Teachers and learning support assistants give good help to pupils individually and in small groups.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. A strong, Catholic ethos enriches the whole work of the school, and this was praised by parents. The school’s link with Clifton Cathedral is used well for pupils’ personal development. Provision is made for pupils to experience cultures other then their own

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The concern of all adults in the school for pupils’ welfare is high, but there is no provision for regular health and safety risk assessments.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a good partnership with parents and their valuable assistance in the classroom is used well by teachers. Training of staff in child protection procedures needs updating.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led by the headteacher and senior management team, who share the head's clear educational vision. The level of delegation is good and all staff are actively involved in planning for the school's development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors discharge their duties well. They are fully involved in forward planning and several governors are involved in the monitoring of the school’s work.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has worked hard to introduce monitoring of teaching and standards in English, mathematics and science this year. Pupils’ progress is carefully tracked in these subjects. Setting of targets for each pupil is being introduced currently.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Staffing, resources and accommodation are used efficiently. Overall, the school applies best value principles wisely to the acquisition and use of its resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • The school is well led and managed. • Teaching is good. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • Most parents would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • One-third of respondents felt that there is not a wide range of extra-curricular activities. • One-fifth believed that amounts of homework were not appropriate, though this encompassed opinions at both ends - too much and too little. • Some parents would like more information about what is going to be taught each term. • A small number of parents feel that higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse parents’ positive views about the school. They found that the school makes an appropriate use of homework. The team agrees with parents about the limited range of extra- curricular activities. Inspectors found that provision for higher attaining pupils is mostly good in English, mathematics and science, but that it is not consistent in other subjects. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 10

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

1. The pupils’ results at Level 4 and above in National Curriculum tests in 1999 were well above average in English, mathematics and science. At the higher level (Level 5), results were also well above average in all three subjects. Using the average point score (where pupils’ attainments at all levels are taken into account), overall results were well above the national average in all three subjects and well above the average for similar schools.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

2. Current standards in Year 6 give a similar picture of well above average attainment in all three subjects. Teachers’ planning shows careful attention to what different groups of pupils will learn and activities are generally well matched to pupils’ prior attainment. For example, in mathematics, pupils were working with word problems about time, deciding which calculations were necessary to solve them. Lower attaining pupils were successfully converting 12-hour times into 24-hour ones and could explain how they did it. Average attaining pupils were working out information from a bus timetable, whilst higher attaining pupils (the largest group) were tackling the difficulties of the international time zones. They were able to explain how they had calculated a time in Paris from a given time in Sydney and comment on why they had preferred a particular method. A few were not as good at recognising small slips in their

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

reckoning. In a Year 5 science lesson where pupils were measuring their pulse rates, pupils used their mathematical knowledge to record their findings, using a greater degree of complexity according to their level of understanding.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

3. In English, pupils write in a wide variety of styles and for different audiences. Good standards of poetry writing are evident in Year 6. These pupils also have a good understanding of the differences one might expect in fiction and non-fiction texts and how these compare with the figurative use of language in poetry. In preparing an explanatory brochure about their hobbies, most use a clear, formal style with accurate spelling and punctuation.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

Pupils’ attitudes to learning, their behaviour and relationships are very good.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

4. Pupils’ behaviour in the classrooms, round the school and in the playground is very good; this is something that was commented on very positively by parents at the pre-inspection meeting and in the response to the questionnaires.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

5. In the playground, pupils play together sensibly and fairly; boys and girls mix well. Older pupils take turns to play with the youngest, to help make sure that their playtimes are secure and happy. A very small number of parents at the pre-inspection meeting wondered if there is adequate supervision at lunchtimes - inspectors found it to be satisfactory.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

6. In lessons, pupils are nearly always ready to start their lessons; they prepare their books with the minimum of fuss and sit expectantly so that little time is wasted and teachers are able to make a good impact straight away. Teachers use this opportunity well so that what is to be learned and how it fits in with what went previously are clear at the outset. All staff set high expectations for behaviour and self-discipline and most pupils respond very well. This enables teachers in the literacy and numeracy hours to work with small groups whilst the others get on with their work independently. This whole approach to managing behaviour is a major factor in the high levels of attainment which pupils achieve by the time they leave the school.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

7. Pupils develop a sense of responsibility and act in a mature way by the time they reach Year 6. The ‘buddy’ system extends beyond playground and lunchtime supervision into the classroom. A good example was seen in a scrutiny of Year 1 mathematics work. One pupil had been having difficulty with an aspect of counting and he had worked alongside his class ‘buddy’, who had explained the problem carefully. The teacher had written a very supportive comment at the bottom of the work. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 11 The overall quality of teaching is good.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

8. Teachers set high standards for their pupils, in terms of both the work they are set and the behaviour expected. Most pupils respond well and teachers and pupils together produce a good classroom ethos where learning is seen as the object of the day and enjoyable.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

9. Careful use of a clear knowledge of each pupils’ prior attainment is made in planning for what they are to learn next in most English, mathematics and science lessons. For example, in a very good mathematics lesson for Year 5, pupils were matching written calculations to specific criteria, such as “adding three three-digit multiples of ten.” The criteria were graded by difficulty and pupils were divided into four groups. The required mental calculations were also fitted to what pupils were able to do, so that higher attaining pupils were dealing with decimals to two places while lower attaining pupils were exploring multiples. Mental arithmetic is well taught in most classes, with a good level of challenge for all pupils. Pupils in a Year 6 class were working with numbers which add up to one, supplying the complement to the teacher’s number (for example, 0.46 given and 0.54 replied). The answers had to be given in time to a

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

beat, which was gradually speeded up to provide greater challenge and promote faster thinking.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

10. Good use is made of classroom assistants and parents, who are fully briefed and know the pupils well. They use their time effectively and give good support to groups of pupils, as directed by the class teacher.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

11. At Key Stage 2, teachers use the results of annual standardised tests to discuss with a pupil’s next teacher which level that pupil will reach by the end of the next year. This gives the new teacher a good knowledge of the prior learning of each child and enables appropriate work to be set. This is to be augmented this year by the setting of targets in English and mathematics in order to incorporate more direction. Key Stage 1 teachers use their own assessments as the basis for these discussions.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

12. Good use is made by teachers of the new information technology suite. Teachers have received good training from the information technology co-ordinator, a process which is continuing. The school has invested a lot of money in up-to-date machines which are enabling pupils to produce good standards. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils were asked to use software to draw a pie chart of information on the class’s favourite pop groups. They entered the data, stored the graph and then imported it into another application in order to add questions.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

13. The quality of teachers’ marking varies, as was evident from a scrutiny of pupils’ past work. There are many examples of thorough marking, including helpful remarks for further improvement. Sometimes, however, marking is only ticks or crosses.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

The quality of leadership is good and governors are effectively involved in the school.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

14. The school is well led by the headteacher and senior management team, who share the head's clear educational vision. The level of delegation is good and this enables the school to focus its work on key areas - for example, regular meetings are held for each key stage, for core subjects and other subjects, and the senior management team co-ordinates the work of these groups. Monitoring of standards has been a priority since the new headteacher began last September and this has produced an awareness of the need to raise standards at Key Stage 1. All staff are actively involved in planning for the school's development and governors are fully involved. One of the many important contributions of governors is the work of the finance committee. Priorities in the school development plan are broken down into basic elements, each of which is costed over several years, with a clear indication of where the money will be

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

found and who is responsible. This approach has been successful in identifying clearly what funds were necessary for the new information technology suite, to which the parents’, teachers’ and friends’ association and the governing body made a valuable contribution. 15. Results of National Curriculum tests are closely analysed each year to see which areas have been answered well or if changes are needed to any of the teaching. Governors monitor the school’s performance through the headteacher’s reports, and local education authority and SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 12 DfEE publication of results and statistics. They also are involved in first-hand monitoring. Staff have already discussed the introduction of target setting for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics, which will be used at the end of this term when current class teachers meet with next year’s teachers to provide more detailed and individualised challenge for all pupils.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

Information from this analysis and tracking is shortly to be transferred to appropriate computer software so that further analysis - for example, by gender or ethnicity - can be undertaken easily.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

16. The school is run efficiently and the work of the office staff was commended in the recent audit report, which raised no serious issues. Good use is made by the office, the head and staff of modern technology such as spreadsheets and word processing. The unit costs for the school are high as it is an inner-city school; in view of the good quality of management and teaching and the high standards achieved when the pupils leave the school, good value for money is given.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

17. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. When withdrawn from classes they benefit from good teaching in small groups. Their individual education plans are drawn up by their class teachers, with good guidance from the co-ordinator for special educational needs. Pupils are given targets relevant to their needs, which are reviewed regularly and monitored by the co-ordinator. Parents are fully involved in the process.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

18. Class teachers are fully aware of pupils’ specific difficulties and plan work according to their ability. Learning support assistants give good help to pupils individually and in small groups. Records for pupils with special educational needs provide accurate profiles and enable progress to be monitored. The governing body is kept fully informed through the governor responsible for special educational needs, who also visits regularly and gives good advice on the appropriate outside agencies to contact.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

19. There is a good policy which fully complies with the Code of Practice. The number of pupils on the special needs register is rising and is now above average. This presents an increasing work-load for the staff.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

20. Collective worship was not part of the focus of this inspection, since it is inspected separately, but it is clear that assemblies make a major contribution to the school’s explicit teaching of spiritual and moral values. During class assemblies, pupils are invited to make personal intercessions which are spoken sincerely and reverently. An attractive feature of the school hall is the Comfort Corner, incorporating stained glass from the former Pro-Cathedral. Pupils often visit this, for a quiet moment, to look at the religious artefacts or to offer prayer.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

21. Older pupils take responsibilities around the school. The effectiveness of the ‘buddy’ system was described above. In addition, pupils are encouraged to initiate charity collections for causes of their own choice. The school’s link with Clifton Cathedral is used well for pupils’ development in a social sense as well as spiritually. Pupils from Year 4 received their first Communion recently and displays in the classroom and in the Cathedral demonstrate the importance of the supportive, family atmosphere which parents praised at the pre-inspection meeting.

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Pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven is well

22. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is made through a variety of out-of-school visits, such as the summer camp or trips to local museums. Displays show a range of cultural experiences. One of the most original of these is a display using the school’s latest technology. Pupils in Year 3 used the digital camera to photograph a part of the school they would like to improve with an artefact of their own design. They then made the object, photographed it, printed the two pictures on the computer and made a three-dimensional montage of both of them. Provision is made for pupils to experience cultures other then their SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 13 own; for example, they learn about Hanukkah and Divali, they make traditional foods from Jamaica and Asia and they have participated in St Paul’s carnival, held in a well-known multicultural part of the city.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards by the time pupils are seven are not as high as they should be.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. Initial testing when children enter the school in the Reception class shows that pupils’ attainment on entry is above national averages. At the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, pupils’ results in National Curriculum tests at Level 2 and above were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Teacher assessments in science were also broadly similar to the national average. Results at the higher level (Level 3) were well below average in reading and science, below average in writing and average in mathematics. Using the average point score, results were similar to the national average in mathematics, below in writing and well below in reading. In terms of the comparison with similar schools, results were average in mathematics and well below average in reading and writing. The group of pupils who took 1999 tests contained a higher number of pupils with special educational needs than is the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

norm in the school (11 out of 29). The provisional results for 2000 show a similar proportion of pupils attaining at Level 2 and above and a larger number of pupils reaching Level 3.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. The findings of the inspection corroborate the picture of average attainment in Year 2, but show that attainment is higher in Reception and Year 1.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. Baseline assessment in Reception enables teachers to gain a clear picture of pupils’ starting points in terms of attainment when they start school. In Key Stage 1, teachers’ assessments are used to gauge pupils’ progress. In Year 1, standardised reading tests are used to assess pupils’ reading skills. Little other standardised testing is used, so that teachers are not in as good a position as are their colleagues in Key Stage 2 to make predictions and set targets for pupils’ attainment.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. The use of different lesson objectives and tasks for groups of pupils of differing prior attainment is inconsistent across the key stage. There are good examples of this - for example, in a Year 1 English lesson on short and long vowel sounds, pupils were given work to do on rhymes. The tasks were graded by difficulty, so that some of the least able were supplying words to fill gaps, others were identifying which words in a text rhymed and higher attaining pupils were writing their own rhymes. However, classroom observations and scrutiny of work show that this is not consistent across all lessons in the key stage. There are lessons where the teacher does not have sufficiently high expectations about the quality of work pupils are to produce, in terms of challenge or presentation.

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assessing pupils' attainment and planning work to match their individual needs are not

27. As reported above, careful use of a clear knowledge of each pupil’s prior attainment is made in planning for what they are to learn next in most English, mathematics and science lessons. Teachers mostly plan different lesson objectives for different groups of pupils in these subjects. However, this is not consistent in all classes. There were some examples at both key stages in the mathematics and science scrutinies of past work, where pupils of all abilities were doing the

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assessing pupils' attainment and planning work to match their individual needs are not

same task. On these occasions, higher attaining pupils had all their work right, suggesting that they could have spent time tackling something harder, whilst lower attaining pupils had not managed to complete the task.

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assessing pupils' attainment and planning work to match their individual needs are not

28. In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, pupils generally work on the same SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 14 task. This means that pupils are sometimes able to attain higher standards by their own effort, but this relies too heavily on their own initiative. This was evident in information technology lessons. A system of assessing pupils’ attainment in the subject has not been devised, though one is planned, once national guidance has been matched to the school’s new equipment. Other subjects are in a similar position and the school has already discussed ways of identifying higher attaining pupils in a variety of subjects such as art and music, so that appropriate work can be planned for them. The deputy head has recently assumed responsibility for this development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

29. To improve further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raise the standards of pupils’ attainment by the time they are aged seven by: − introducing systems of standardised assessment to measure pupils' attainment and progress across the key stage; − using the information from this assessment to match work more closely to pupils' learning needs; − ensuring more consistency in the quality of teaching. (paragraphs 23-26)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• † Extend to all classes and subjects the good practice evident in English, mathematics and science for challenging higher attaining pupils by: − extending assessment to all subjects; − planning future work based on these assessments. (paragraphs 27-28)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

† denotes an issue already highlighted as a priority in the school’s development plan (Numbers in brackets indicate a reference to the main paragraphs where the weaknesses are discussed.) SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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

0 37 37 16 10 0 0 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

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 194

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 26 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 62

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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 9

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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 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

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Attendance

National comparative data 94.1 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 13 16 29

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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 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 14 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86 (85) 86 (76) 90 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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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 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (87) 90 (87) 90 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 22 10 32

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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 20 21 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 8 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (96) 91 (87) 97 (99) 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 19 21 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (96) 94 (92) 91 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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) 10 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 380,638

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1,952

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 36 Balance brought forward from previous year 16,698

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 9,468 FTE means full-time equivalent. SS Peter & Paul RC Primary School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 51 44 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 43 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 38 18 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 36 11 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 21 6 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. 65 29 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49 37 11 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 54 43 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 41 2 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 40 24 10 8

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Other issues raised by parents

About one-fifth of respondents raised other issues. The largest number of these was in praise of the school, its staff and the good moral grounding which is given to the children. Several parents feel that higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficient challenge. A few would appreciate more detail on the curriculum and how some subjects are taught. A few other parents regret some of the pressures put on their children. Two respondents are sad about the lack of time for creative subjects; two more would like anti-bullying policies to feature more prominently; a further two would like better use to be made of those parents who help in school.

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