St Pius X Catholic Primary School

St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School

Dates of inspection: 18 th – 20 th January 2000

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St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Schneider Road Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - iii

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Team members

Mr P Snelling Registered inspector Mrs J Overend Lay inspector Mr D Twist Team inspector

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Team members

West Lancashire Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 9TN

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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 St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - iv

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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 5

The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high standards in mathematics, particularly in numeracy Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes good or better There is a lot of stress on teaching literacy and numeracy but not at the expense of a broad curriculum Staff show a high commitment to the personal, social and academic development of the children, which reflects the school’s Mission Statement Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy school, show tremendous enthusiasm and try really hard The headteacher leads successfully by encouraging a climate of reflection, commitment and a team approach which values everyone’s contribution, including parents

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 9

Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as in reading The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning systematically enough to best inform improvement

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 12

St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Pius X RC Primary School is an average size voluntary aided Roman Catholic school. There are currently 215 pupils on roll from four to eleven in the reception to Year 6 classes.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The area served by the school is varied in its social characteristics though overall it is one of economic disadvantage. The number of pupils presently entitled to free school meals (29 per cent) is above average for primary schools nationally. The number of pupils on the school’s register of special needs (17 per cent) is broadly in line with the national average, as is the percentage of these pupils who have statements of special educational need (1.5 per cent). There are no pupils with English as an additional language or from ethnic minority groups. There are a small number of traveller children. Pupils enter the reception class at four years old with a very wide range of abilities though there are more with below average levels of attainment than above.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Pius X is an effective school. It achieves good standards in English and high standards in mathematics. Most of the teaching is good or better. The headteacher, staff and governors create an ethos that promotes interesting learning and pupils have a very good attitude to their work. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high standards in mathematics, particularly in numeracy. • Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes good or better. • There is a lot of stress on teaching literacy and numeracy but not at the expense of a broad curriculum. • Staff show a high commitment to the personal, social and academic development of the children, which reflects the school’s Mission Statement. • Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy school, show tremendous enthusiasm and try really hard. • The headteacher leads successfully by encouraging a climate of reflection, commitment and a team approach which values everyone’s contribution, including parents.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as in reading. • The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning systematically enough to best inform improvement. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 2

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress in addressing the weaknesses pointed out in its previous inspection in 1996. Provision for information technology is much better, with pupils’ now regular users of computers. The appointment of a new teacher to take charge of and lead this area has made a big difference and other teachers are more confident to teach the subject than before. Although there is still more to do before pupils reach the national standard in all aspects of the subject, the way forward is set out in a sensible development plan. Improvements have been made in the way other subjects are managed as well. There is now one teacher in charge of each subject across both key stages, though numeracy and literacy have a ‘shadow’ co-ordinator to ensure full support in both the infant and junior classes. They now do some checking on teaching and learning in their subject but the scope is limited. The school has successfully implemented the national literacy and numeracy

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

arrangements. In mathematics, high standards have been maintained from year to year and there have been notable improvements in science and English. Parents at the meeting commented that the school is better and the inspection supports their view. The school has the expertise and knowledge to continue to improve in the future.

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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 E C C B well above average above average A B mathematics A A* A A* average below average C D science D A B A well below average E

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Key

These are very good results and they show that by the time pupils leave at 11 years of age, they have achieved at least what is expected of them and sometimes well beyond. Standards in mathematics are particularly high and they have been for several years. Pupils’ performance in 1998, and in 1999 in comparison to similar schools, was in the top 5 per cent across the country. In English, standards are better in reading than writing. In all three subjects over the past three years, results, when put together, have improved more than they have in other schools. Pupils under five, and those between five and seven also make good progress overall, though it is faster in reception and Year 1 than in Year 2. Most of the younger pupils comfortably achieve what is expected of them at five years of age and by seven years of age, results are on a par with those of the older pupils.

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Key

Work seen in Year 6 during the inspection confirms that standards in mathematics are still as good and in English they have been improved further. However, the targets set by the school for this and future years, for English and especially mathematics, are too low. They are not based sufficiently on analysing previous results and the standards that children in the younger years have already achieved. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 3

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils listen carefully to teachers, are keen to be involved in learning and try their best. This enthusiasm and zest for learning is an important reason why they achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. Pupils behave extremely well during lessons and around the school during playtimes and lunchtimes.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils respect and support each other at work and play. Older pupils show high levels of maturity, and sensitivity to younger pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Above average; better than in most schools. Pupils arrive in good time and lessons start promptly.

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

Lessons seen overall Good Satisfactory Good

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

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

Overall, teaching in the school is good and has improved since the previous inspection. All teaching seen was at least satisfactory and in 74 per cent of lessons it ranged between good, very good and excellent. Teaching is consistently good for under fives in the reception class and in years three to five. Most of the satisfactory teaching was observed in Year 2 whilst some very good teaching was observed in Year 1 and excellent teaching was observed in Year 6. Both literacy and numeracy are well taught.

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

Teachers plan their lessons in detail and start them well by setting out clearly for the pupils the main ideas to be learned. This helps them to understand what they are doing and to know how well they are getting on. The atmosphere in most lessons is one of busy enjoyment because of the calm and friendly way teachers manage and encourage the children. Two features of the best teaching are the skill with which teachers ask open questions that require pupils to give thoughtful and extended answers, and the pace at which they drive on the lesson. In the more ordinary teaching, questions can be answered in few words and the challenge to pupils is lessened by a more leisurely pace; for example when pupils move from a lesson introduction into group activities.

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

Teaching is good for all groups of pupils. Those with special needs and higher achieving pupils are given work at the right level of challenge. On occasions they work in groups or with other teachers; for example with the special needs co-ordinator or with the headteacher, for higher-level mathematics. At these times they make very good progress. Traveller children are given extra support in class and sometimes in separate groups. The children themselves are very enthusiastic about their work and they produce a large amount. Their very positive response to homework helps it to make a big contribution to their learning. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 4

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum All statutory requirements for the curriculum are met. Whilst there is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, care is taken to ensure other subjects are not neglected. There is a wide range of out of school activities and visits, some of which involve staying away, which enrich pupils learning and social development. There are some aspects of the curriculum for information technology that still need further development; for example control technology .

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils needs are met successfully both in the classroom and through a range of separate extra help groups.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ personal development is very good. Provision is based on strong Christian values and there are regular opportunities for pupils to reflect on spiritual, moral and social issues. Whilst opportunities for pupils to develop awareness of their own culture are ample, there are fewer opportunities for them to appreciate the traditions of other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils to a high level. Procedures for ensuring pupils welfare, health and safety, including child protection are very good. All staff in the school know the pupils and their backgrounds well; they are very sensitive to their needs.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy together provide effective leadership. With the staff they make a strong team, which puts into action the school’s mission in daily life. The headteacher, governors and staff work very well together and their openness to sharing ideas helps the school to change and improve.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil all their statutory responsibilities. They have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and what needs to be developed further.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school knows the broad areas it needs to improve but does not always look deeply or carefully enough to know exactly what is working well, what isn’t, and why.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used efficiently and to the benefit of all pupils. With the help of the bursar, the headteacher and governors plan ahead successfully. The school applies principles of best value in a satisfactory way and uses its resources well. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 5

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The teaching is good • The school expects children to work hard and do their best • Their children like school and make good progress • The ease with which they can approach the school with questions or problems • One or two think there is either too much or too little homework • One or two believe there are not enough after school clubs and activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees entirely with parents’ overwhelmingly high regard for the school. The number of out of school activities is greater than in most schools and amounts of homework are in line with national guidance.

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The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high

standards in mathematics, particularly in numeracy.

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The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high

1. Over the past two years, pupils have achieved good results in their tests at the age of 11. In the 1999 English test, pupils reached the national standard and achieved above average results compared to schools with a similar intake of pupils. In science, results in tests have been better still, with standards well above average in 1999. However the best performance is in mathematics, where pupils have achieved consistently high standards for at least three years. In 1999, mathematics results were well above average compared to schools nationally and very high compared to schools similar to St Pius.

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The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high

2. The results for 7-year-olds in the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics have been good too. They also reflect how, within this strong picture of success, pupils do better in reading than they do in writing. In reading in 1999, infant pupils did better than the national average whilst in writing they scored in line; in both they were well above average compared to similar schools. This difference in progress carries through into the junior classes, where pupils’ work shows that fewer of them reach the top levels in writing than in reading.

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The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high

3. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is impressive. Much of this is due to the way the school has always put a strong emphasis on numeracy, for example in daily mental arithmetic work. Teachers are confident in the way they teach the subject and the implementation of the new national numeracy arrangements has meant small adjustments rather than major changes; for example there is now more emphasis on teaching vocabulary than before and on summaries at the end of lessons. Parents at the meeting recognised the strength of the mathematics provision when one said of the numeracy hour ‘they didn’t really need it‘ and another recounted how her four year old described the ‘spheres’ on railings as they walked near the park. Teachers employ a wide range of teaching methods; for example in the way they teach multiplication tables or use games. Because there is a wide range of abilities, pupils are carefully grouped

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The school achieves above average standards in English and science, and high

for their work and this allows pupils with special needs to be supported either by extra adult attention or individual number programmes. High achievers are given extension St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 6 work and these pupils also benefit in Year 6 from ‘booster’ classes taken by the headteacher. Regular homework throughout the school plays a significant part in pupils very good progress in the subject. When they are given holiday project work, nearly all pupils complete the work. The habit is well established and teachers value the outcomes.

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

4. There are similar good features in much of the teaching. Throughout the school there are first-rate relationships between teachers and pupils, and the enthusiasm of teachers matches that of the learners. The calm and efficient way in which they manage the pupils ensures there is a purposeful working atmosphere most of the time.

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

5. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons thoroughly and make it clear to pupils what they should be learning. Their introductions are interesting and they hold the pupils’ attention through clear explanations or by asking them questions which make them think. For example, in a Year 4 geography lesson, pupils were asked to recall what they already knew about India as a basis for moving their learning on. Questions are also used well at other times. For example, in a very good Year1 science lesson, pupils' knowledge and understanding about what a plant needs to grow was continually probed by the teacher as they worked at activities. In reception a good explanation about the beat of lively music helped pupils to respond to what they were hearing. The teacher also kept reminding pupils what the lesson was about and this helped them to keep concentrating on what they were trying to achieve. Where teaching is more ordinary,

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

time is not so well used and the pace of the lesson is slower. Pupils then don’t achieve as much; for example when it takes a long time to set up group work.

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

6. When the school was last inspected, a weakness in some of the teaching was that the work pupils were given was all the same and wasn’t at the right level of challenge for some. This is no longer the case. Teachers very carefully match the activities they give to the pupils to their abilities or give them extra support if the task is difficult.

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

7. Teachers are skilled at teaching reading and mathematics. They begin all mathematics lessons with mental arithmetic activities and they try to make them fun. Pupils enjoy these sessions. In years 3 and 5 for example, the teachers made good use of resources by giving coloured number cards to pupils to use in answering questions. These allowed them all to become involved and stimulated their interest. In an excellent Year 6 lesson, pupils warmed up by playing a game based on the 4 and 7 times tables. The high level of mental challenge was maintained as the lesson moved on to consider different multiplication methods. Open questions such as “can you think of a quick way to?” or “has anyone got a quicker way?” kept pupils on their toes, interested, and made them think. Pupils were asked to explain how they had worked out answers to ensure that they always considered which was the best method to use. Another strength in

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

mathematics teaching, also seen in science, is linking pupils’ learning to everyday life. For example in mathematics, pupils were asked when they might use particular methods of calculation in their daily lives. In science a child’s description of how leaving a mat on the grass killed it was well used to illustrate what plants need to grow.

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Teaching is good overall, with all lessons seen in the reception and junior classes

8. Teaching during the literacy hour, particularly of reading is good. In Year 1, the teacher showed pupils a range of different ways to unlock new words such as using letter shapes, the initial sound or the sense of the sentence. Use of strategies such as ‘today’s words’ help young pupils to extend their vocabulary and the teaching of phonics is given a high profile. In Year 2, lower attaining and special needs pupils made good St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 7 progress with writing with the help of a classroom assistant and student. In Years 5 and 6 pupils also made good progress with guided writing in the literacy hour. However older pupils tend not to reach the highest levels because they are not given enough opportunities to use more advanced skills.

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broad curriculum

9. The curriculum for children under five promotes good progress in all the recommended areas for learning. Literacy and numeracy are taught in all infant and junior classes every morning. The school has successfully adopted the national guidelines in both these areas. In literacy, the benefits particularly show in improved standards of reading. Other subjects of the National Curriculum are given enough time but some parts of the information technology curriculum still receive too little attention; for example control technology.

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broad curriculum

10. The curriculum and provision for pupils with special or particular needs is very good. The targets set in individual education plans are specific, regularly reviewed and updated. The special needs co-ordinator keeps a close eye on pupils’ progress and every effort is made to ensure they successfully acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills. Special after school booster classes have been started for Year 6 pupils who are close to but not quite reaching the national level. The classes are interesting and pupils work hard in them.

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broad curriculum

11. There is a wide range of after school clubs covering chess, sports and music, mainly for older junior pupils. There is also a residential trip to an outdoor pursuits camp for pupils in Year 5 and to London for pupils in Year 6. They also go out on many local visits. These activities add much value to pupils’ personal and social development, and to the standards they achieve. The children themselves enjoy these opportunities because they add excitement and breadth to their learning. They enjoy success; the football team, for example, were County Champions last year and the netball team has also done well. Parents and the caretaker help in the running of these activities, which helps bring the school community closer together.

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Staff show a high commitment to the personal, social and academic development of

the children, which reflects the school’s Mission Statement.

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Staff show a high commitment to the personal, social and academic development of

12. Parents hold the school in high regard and believe it serves their children very well. They have a strong view that it gives all children the opportunity to make good progress in both their work and their personal development. Two parents of pupils with special needs mentioned how successful the school has been with their children. This very much reflects the stated mission of the school which embodies the gospel values and emphasises a welcoming and caring school that caters for all needs. As the headteacher put it when talking about personal development, ‘the mission statement reflects all we as a school would wish for in spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and we think we attain it”. The inspection supports the truth of this belief.

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Staff show a high commitment to the personal, social and academic development of

13. There are two particular activities that help the school to achieve high levels of personal development. ‘Circle time’ provides an opportunity for pupils to talk about issues of concern and the pupils enjoy it. Some Year 4 pupils described, for example, that they liked it because “ you can say what you really believe and feel, knowing that you will be listened to, and no one will laugh at you”. A School Council has also been established, with children representing every year group in the school. Teachers and pupils have confidence in it and it has contributed to some significant changes, such as the St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 8 decision to allow girls to wear trousers. This approach helps to develop self-assured pupils who, by the time they leave, are mature and ready for secondary school.

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Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy

school, show tremendous enthusiasm and try really hard.

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Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy

14. Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is excellent. Pupils quickly do as they are asked in lessons so that little time is wasted getting down to work. They move around the school sensibly and display good self-discipline and social skills at lunchtimes. In the playground and in class they show good awareness of and consideration for others. This was seen, for example, in Year 4 when one pupil patiently explained and answered questions asked by his working partner who has special needs. Parents at the meeting were delighted to mention that the children always receive praise for their behaviour on visits wherever they go.

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Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy

15. Parents have the view that their children are very happy in school and when asked, the children say they enjoy school. From the moment they arrive in the morning their enthusiasm is obvious; for example, in the way they run down the drive. Pupils are very supportive of each other and no one is afraid to speak out in class because they are worried about ‘getting it wrong’. This was seen in a Year 1lesson when the teacher asked pupils at the end ‘ is there anything anyone doesn’t understand?’ and two children asked for further explanation. This atmosphere helps good learning to take place.

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Pupils’ behaviour is extremely good and they get on well with each other; they enjoy

16. By Year 6, pupils are able to consider for themselves where they might have made mistakes and are not embarrassed to do so. For example, one boy who had done less well than usual in his mental arithmetic test responded to a question from his teacher by explaining openly where he thought he had gone wrong. Pupils show mature behaviour. Again this was demonstrated in Year 6 when a pupil answered the telephone, the teacher dealt with the call, the class sat quietly and the lesson resumed with a minimum of interruption. These strengths in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour make a significant contribution to how well they learn.

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commitment and a team approach which values everyone’s contribution, including

17. At the heart of the successful management of the school is the maintenance of a strong community that everyone feels part of. As a result of this feeling of belonging, all those involved in the school are prepared to work hard and play their part in making it a success. There is clear direction to the work of the school, guided by its Mission Statement. This can be seen in the way adults and children respect each other, in the care shown to pupils and in the willingness of staff to work together to bring about change. The headteacher and governors are successful in recruiting staff with the skills that are needed to move the school forward and in enabling them to get the job done. This can be seen in the improvement now taking place in information technology.

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commitment and a team approach which values everyone’s contribution, including

18. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities and keeps a good overview of the life of the school. Links have been established between governors and teachers responsible for the different subjects. These links provide a valuable route for governors to learn more about the curriculum, standards and the school’s targets. The governors have a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Parents hold the school in high esteem. They believe it is well managed, cares well for their children in every way and provides them with a very good education. They feel part of the St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 9 community because they are welcomed into classrooms, to help with activities and because communication is good.

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commitment and a team approach which values everyone’s contribution, including

19. The headteacher and staff are thoughtful about what is going well and what might need to be improved. They have rightly identified the need to improve some aspects of English and information technology, and have begun to review the school’s assessment procedures. This good awareness helps the school to move forward in the right direction though more detailed information is needed in some areas, for example in English, to help with planning the changes.

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Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as

20. The school is aware that standards in English, though in line with national standards, are not as good those in mathematics and science. Hence improvement in English is at the centre of current school development. One of the reasons that test results are not so good is that fewer pupils reach higher levels in English. For example, in Year 6 last year, 48 per cent of the pupils achieved the higher level in mathematics (level 5), 35 per cent in science but only 9 per cent in English. The picture was similar in Key Stage 1 where 40 per cent reached level 3 in reading, 36 per cent in mathematics but none in writing. In English, not enough use is made of the results of tests and assessments to support the teaching of writing and set targets for groups or individual pupils.

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Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as

21. The school is more successful at teaching reading than writing. There are a number of reasons for this. The school’s approach to teaching reading has always been highly structured and teachers are particularly good at teaching phonic skills. Teaching of writing is becoming better as the benefits of the literacy hour begin to show. Teachers are good at teaching the ‘elements’ or ‘mechanics’ of writing, so pupils learn to write well structured sentences with good punctuation and spelling. Older junior pupils can also write appropriately in different ways for different reasons, from play scripts to the instructions for making a cup of tea. They can build a story with a clear beginning, middle and end. However they are not given enough opportunities to use their mechanical skills in longer pieces of writing or to write stories which require them to meet particular targets set by the teacher; for example to use exciting opening lines or

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Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as

to mix speech with narrative. Opportunities are not fully exploited in other subjects, for example in setting out experiments or drawing conclusions. There is too little variety in the writing asked of infant pupils and again they are not challenged to write longer pieces.

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Pupils’ standards and achievement in writing, though satisfactory, are not as good as

22. Although older junior pupils have good handwriting, there is variation in how well it is taught across the school. The transition from printing to joined writing is too sudden and some pupils in the older infant class find it difficult to cope. In the younger junior classes although pupils are given handwriting practice they are not sufficiently encouraged to use these skills in their other work. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 10

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The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning

systematically enough to best inform improvement.

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The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning

23. Although teaching is good overall there are variations. Teachers share many ideas informally and talk about their work with each other easily and openly. The headteacher has a good knowledge of the strengths of particular teachers but the information tends to come from her work with groups of pupils in the class or from working with groups nearby. Whilst appraisal gives the opportunity for professional discussion, it doesn’t lead to specific targets based on observation of teaching. Because teaching is mainly good, it will only get better if individual teachers further improve particular aspects of their own work. The present levels of monitoring do not collect sufficiently detailed information for this to happen, nor does evaluation lead to specific aspects to improve.

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The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning

24. Some curriculum co-ordinators have observed lessons in other classes; for example the literacy hour has been observed to measure its effectiveness and observations of the numeracy hour have identified resource issues. The informal systems of the school also identify areas where teachers may have concerns. For example, the co-ordinator is aware that the summary session of the numeracy hour is causing some uncertainty. However there is no programme for regular monitoring of subject teaching based on the priorities of the school. At a time when it is making good progress in improving standards in information technology, there are few opportunities for the co-ordinator to see how well this is going in other classrooms and to see what may be needed to further boost teachers’ skills and confidence. Co-ordinators do not presently collect in pupils work on a regular basis to help them build up their picture of specific strengths

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The school does not analyse performance data or evaluate teaching and learning

25. The school presently undertakes a range of tests and assessments for pupils but is aware that it needs to improve the way it does this to make better use of the information it collects. At present the targets set for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are not sufficiently challenging; for example in mathematics, the target for 2000 is 80 per cent yet the group is similar to last year’s group in which 96 per cent reached this level. Whilst the governors receive information about standards and the curriculum through co-ordinators, they are not deeply involved in discussions about the school’s performance. More information from testing would allow governors to be better informed about standards in the school and help them to judge the appropriateness of targets.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I. Further improve standards and achievement in writing by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Assessing pupils writing skills more closely; b) Setting targets and sharing them with pupils; c) Giving them more time to practise and apply their skills in extended writing and in other subjects. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 11 II. Further improve teaching and learning by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Evaluating teaching in lessons, pupils work and performance data more systematically; b) Using the outcomes when setting targets for learning and to raise the quality of teaching even more. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 12

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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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 YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 215

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 63

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 27

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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 0

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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 15

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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. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 13

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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 16 9 25

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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 13 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 88 80 84 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

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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 14 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 92 84 84 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

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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 9 14 23

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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 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 13 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 78 96 91 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

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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 7 8 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 10 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 73 82 91 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 14

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 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) 8.3 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 339,766

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1,611

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 10 Balance brought forward from previous year 31,394

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 40,384

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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)

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School - 15

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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. 80 20 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 25 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 64 31 3 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 73 25 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 16 3 1 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. 85 14 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 62 33 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 20 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 27 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 58 30 4 1 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer and may not total 100

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