St Mary's Catholic Primary School

ST MARY’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 16 th January 2001

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ST MARY’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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ST MARY’S CATHOLIC 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. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Vivian Road Harborne Birmingham

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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: Miss C Bentley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: July 1996 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 15484 Mr M F Bucktin Registered inspector 19436 Mr M O’Malley Lay inspector 17203 Mrs D Shipstone Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Leicestershire County Council Advice and Inspection Service Education Department County Hall Glenfield Leicester LE3 8RF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School has 208 pupils on roll. This is almost exactly the same as at the time of the last inspection and the school remains about the same size as most other primary schools in the country.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The vast majority of pupils are white and come from the parish of St. Mary’s. This is in Harborne, a suburb about three miles from the centre of Birmingham. The immediate area is well established and most pupils come from secure family backgrounds. When they start school, pupils’ attainment is better than that normally expected of four-year-olds.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Close to five percent of pupils are eligible for a free school meal. This is below the national average. A similar proportion of pupils is on the school’s register of special educational needs. This is well below the national average and the majority have moderate learning difficulties. Two pupils have a statement of special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The headteacher is very new in post, the previous headteacher having retired at the end of the term immediately prior to the inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Mary’s is an excellent school and provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Since its last inspection, the school has sustained or improved its previously high performance. Standards of attainment in Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests have consistently been above or well above the national average and the average for schools with a similar intake of pupils. In Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests, results have also been sustained at an impressively high level. They are very high compared with the national average and well above the average achieved by similar schools.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The previous headteacher provided excellent leadership, inspiring a dedicated and skilled staff. Together they have worked hard to ensure that high performance in the core subjects is balanced by similarly high achievement in all other aspects. Teaching is consistently good with a high proportion of very good and excellent teaching. This enables pupils to become confident learners. The Catholic ethos of the school is very influential in achieving very high standards of personal development and pupils have positive attitudes to themselves and to others.

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What the school does well

 The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good progress through high quality teaching and excellent assessment procedures.  The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which staff readily contribute their skills and expertise for the common good.  The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards of behaviour.

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What could be improved

 The auditing of health and safety procedures The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection in July 1996 judged the school to be excellent and noted high standards in many aspects of its work. Since then the school has made very good progress, seeking to improve on already high standards. The 2000 test results at Key Stage 1 show at slight improvement on that achieved in 1996. Results at Key Stage 2 show significant improvement to the extent that trend in the school’s improvement since 1996 is above the national trend. To improve on already high standards and to do so over a sustained period is a notable achievement and a credit to all those involved.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The quality of teaching has also improved. At the last inspection, teaching was judged to be good overall. Now it is very good. All the lessons seen during the inspection were good or better. However, the proportion of teaching that is very good or excellent has significantly improved since the last inspection. In 1996 one lesson in four was so judged; now it is up to three lessons in four. Again, this is a significant and notable achievement and is the main reason why the school is able to improve on already high standards.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There were two areas for improvement identified in the last inspection. In design and technology, the school has successfully implemented a very intensive programme of development so that standards are now better than those expected nationally. Indeed, the school is frequently asked to provide samples of pupils’ work to exemplify good practice to other schools in the area. In health and safety, the school has improved two out of the four highlighted shortcomings. However, there is still a need to ensure that the policy and practice is regularly and routinely audited.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Note: A* indicates that standards are very high.

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Key

Upon starting school, pupils’ attainment is better than that normally expected. Pupils’ achievements systematically gather pace through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 until, as shown in the table above, 11 year olds leaving the school achieve standards that are well above the national average and the average for similar schools. Its performance in 1998 and 2000 in mathematics and in 1999 for English places it in the highest 5% of schools in the country. In science, it has consistently achieved some of the highest results in the country. These standards have been maintained over a sustained period which stretches back even further than indicated by the table above. In 2000, high proportions of pupils (two thirds in English and mathematics; three quarters in science) attained higher than St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 8 expected levels upon leaving the school. Indeed, in mathematics some pupils attained standards more

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Key

normally associated with brighter 14 year olds than 11 year olds.

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Key

There are two main reasons why standards are so high. First, there are excellent procedures for assessing pupils’ abilities and ambitious targets are set for each pupil as they move through the school. Their progress towards these targets is then systematically tracked. Second, teachers have very high expectations and, through skilled and focused teaching, enable the vast majority of pupils to achieve these ambitious targets. In 1999 and 2000, the school has achieved the targets it set for itself and it continues to set challenging targets for 2001 and 2002.

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Key

Work seen in lessons confirms that the school is on course to meet these targets. At this, the mid point of the academic year, significant numbers of pupils are attaining better than expected standards and samples of pupils’ work in Year 6 indicate a wide and impressive range of work both in quantity and quality.

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Key

Since its last inspection, the school has very successfully improved standards in design and technology to the extent that pupils in Year 6 now attain better than expected standards. Art teaching continues to be a significant strength of the school. It is of the highest possible quality and enables pupils in both key stages to produce work that is significantly better than expected from similarly aged pupils.

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Key

Displays and other observations also indicate that standards are at least in line with, if not better, than, expected in subjects such as history, geography, music and information and communications technology.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and the life of the school. They take great pride in everything they do.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. In classrooms and around the school, pupils conduct themselves in an exemplary fashion.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils readily help and support one another, gain in confidence as they get older and respond well to their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

The very high standards noted in the last inspection have been continued. There are numerous examples of pupils’ positive attitudes. They immerse themselves in the lesson content, talk confidently about their work, expressing preferences and take obvious pride in their many and various achievements. These attitudes build up as pupils get older and show themselves in the care and support shown by older pupils for their younger counterparts and in increasing levels of responsibility and involvement in school routines. Attendance is well above the national average.

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

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 9 Lessons seen overall Good Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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

Twenty-two percent of teaching is excellent, 50% is very good and 28% is good. This represents a high standard of teaching quality. English and mathematics are taught particularly well. In English, letter sounds are taught in a systematic and structured way and, together with the implementation of the Literacy Hour, has had a positive impact on both reading and writing. The daily three-part mathematics lesson is organised well and taught confidently. All lessons are well planned and the skills of the teachers in assessing pupils’ abilities enables them to plan challenging work for all pupils. They also create the ethos in which mistakes are seen as natural and something to be learned from. The teaching of art is of the highest quality.

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

Pupils respond very well. They quickly become immersed in the content of the lesson, both ask and answer questions and are keen to make other contributions. Above all, they become confident in their own abilities, able to venture opinions and unafraid to make mistakes. When required, they can work studiously or with flair and imagination.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. There is a broad and balanced curriculum, which is enriched by many activities beyond the immediate school environment. Great emphasis is given to widening pupils’ experience as they progress through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Clear procedures for assessment and monitoring pupils’ progress ensure that pupils’ needs are fully met.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Excellent. The Catholic ethos of the school permeates throughout and provides a strong foundation for pupils to understand their place in the world and their responsibilities to themselves and others.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils There are excellent procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and then using the information to inform planning. Similarly, personal support and guidance is of a high order. However, the policy for health and safety is not routinely and regularly monitored.

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Aspect Comment

The school is committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum that is enriched by many opportunities and experiences within the school and beyond. High achievement in basic skills and core subjects is because of this wide experience. Subjects such as art, music and drama are given equal priority and valued because of the unique contribution they make to pupils’ personal development. The procedures for assessing pupils’ abilities and tracking their progress indicate a high level of concern for the care and well being of all its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 10 Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The recently retired headteacher has provided excellent leadership and has been very well supported by a dedicated and skilled staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is well organised and has a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and the challenges it faces. Some issues remain to be addressed with regard to health and safety requirements.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Assessment and other information is carefully considered and used to identify areas for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school has sensibly and wisely invested its resources to ensure that pupils achieve the best results possible.

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Aspect Comment

The contribution of the recently retired headteacher has been immense. The success of the school reflects her powerful and determined leadership based on the highest expectations of what the school could and should achieve. She has enabled staff to exercise leadership in key areas of the schools work. They have a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses and the school is well placed to maintain its high standards. The governing body has a good understanding of its responsibilities and the principles of best value are very well applied.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 Their children like school  Standards of behaviour  The quality of teaching  Approaching the school with questions or problems  The high expectations the school has  The partnership with parents  The way the school is led an managed  The way children are helped to become mature and responsible  The range of activities outside lessons. No significant concerns were raised through the questionnaire returns or at the meeting for parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The questionnaire and the meeting for parents revealed very high levels of approval for almost every aspect of the schools work. The inspection fully confirms these views. Parents have every right to be pleased with the way the school enables pupils to achieve very high standards of work and behaviour. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 11

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

progress through high quality teaching and excellent assessment procedures.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

1. The last inspection judged standards of attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science to be consistently high. Since then the school has successfully improved these further.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

2. In the 2000 Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests, results in reading, writing and mathematics were all ahead of where they were in 1996. All pupils attained at least the level expected of seven-year-olds. Over half exceeded the expected level in reading, a third did so in mathematics and a fifth in writing. Teachers’ assessments in science show that almost half of all pupils attained more highly than nationally expected. The 2000 results in writing and mathematics were well above the national average and that achieved by schools with similar intakes of pupils. In reading, they were very high against the national average and well above that of similar schools.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

3. In the 2000 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests, results in mathematics and science were very high against the national average and well above average in English. In all three subjects, results were well above the average achieved by schools with similar intakes of pupils. The trend in Key Stage 2 results since 1996 is better than the national trend which, given the high levels of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1, is a significant achievement. In each of the years since the last inspection, results in two out of the three core subjects have been in the highest 5% of schools across the country. This was the case for English in 1999, for mathematics in 1998 and 2000 and science results have been consistently so. The proportion of pupils exceeding expected standards is similarly high. In English and mathematics, two out every three pupils did so. In science it rose to three out of every four. Indeed, in the 2000 tests in mathematics, some pupils

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

attained at a level more normally associated with brighter 14 year olds than 11 year olds.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

4. Whilst the attainment of pupils when they enter the school is better than normally expected of four-year-olds, the school still enables pupils to make very good progress. Through setting ambitious targets, tracking pupils’ achievements carefully and high quality teaching, progress systematically increases as pupils move through the school. This is best illustrated by evidence from the most recent Key Stage 2 tests. This shows that St Mary’s pupils progressed at a rate well above other schools with similar Key Stage 1 results in 1996.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

5. Pupils in the current Year 6 reach levels of attainment that maintain these high standards. At this, the mid-point of the academic year, many pupils are working well beyond the levels expected of 11 year olds in English and mathematics.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

6. This sustained high performance is mainly due to high quality teaching and excellent assessment of pupils’ progress.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

7. Most teaching is very good, a quarter is excellent and the remainder is good. This quality of teaching is based on thorough subject knowledge, very good planning and assessment, continuing teacher comment and questioning and valuable support from classroom assistants.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

8. Teachers’ very good subject knowledge and understanding is especially noticeable in the teaching of letter sounds. All teachers have had specific training for this and throughout the school, pupils become skilled in identifying letter sounds. For example, pupils in the Reception class picked out sound patterns during the class reading of “Brown Bear Barney” whilst Year 5 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 12 pupils know that a quadrigraph is four letters combining to make a single sound and can identify a range of words that contain the sound. This also helps them to have a very analytical approach to spelling and standards are high. Subject knowledge is also strong in mathematics to the extent that that teachers can draw on work more usually attempted in secondary school to enable Year 6 pupils to attain well beyond nationally expected standards. The same is true in art and design and technology resulting in very high quality work being produced.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

9. Lessons are very well planned and organised. The Literacy Hour and daily three-part mathematics lesson provide pace and purpose to learning. Teachers give very clear introductions and explanations leaving pupils in no doubt as to what is required. Resources are well prepared, for example the teacher has collected samples of wood and objects made from wood to support Year 1 pupils in their study of materials. At the start of every lesson, the objectives for the lesson are shared with the class and pupils use them in judging their own learning and progress.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

10. Teachers assess pupils’ work very thoroughly to give them a clear picture of each pupils’ capabilities and to raise expectations. It also allows teachers to spot where understanding has not quite been achieved and to adjust subsequent lesson plans accordingly, as in a Year 5 lesson on multiplication.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

11. Teachers provide excellent commentaries on pupils’ progress during the lesson. For example in a Year 2 art lesson, the teacher gave careful coaching in pencil control and observation. This helped pupils to move from very stylised pictures of flowers to carefully studied representations of what was before them. Teachers use marking of pupils’ work very well to guide the next steps in learning. For example, in the English book of a Year 2 pupil, the teacher commented on her improving handwriting by drawing comparisons with her earlier work. Comments also identify the need for improvements such as noting where better punctuation was needed in the work of a Year 6 pupil with special educational needs. In making excellent oral and written comments, teachers actively promote the notion that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

12. Teachers also use high levels of questioning. For example, Year 4 pupils in a mathematics lesson were asked to explain how they worked out their answers. This encouraged them to use their powers of reasoning and share a variety of mental strategies. This keeps pupils alert and enables them to become immersed in the subject content of the lesson.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

13. Classroom assistants play a valuable role in supporting the work of teachers and pupils. For example, in the Reception class, the classroom assistant led a practical task which extended pupils’ vocabulary. In Year 1, the classroom assistant confidently led a science activity enabling pupils to observe more closely and to notice the texture of the bark of a tree in contrast to the sawn surface of the wood. In Key Stage 2, the classroom assistant works across all classes providing a high level of support. In addition, she ensures the library is kept well-organised and that teachers have the necessary resources, such as photocopies, available for lessons.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

14. Teachers are very skilled in making day to day assessments of pupils’ progress and are supported by excellent whole school procedures for recording and analysis. The information from assessments is used to guide teaching plans and to identify particular groups of pupils who might need greater support to reach nationally expected standards.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

15. Through a combination of teachers’ own assessments, the use of standardised tests and materials and support provided by the Local Education Authority, the school has a very clear picture of pupils’ standards of attainment and their progress. This enables them, at the end of each year, to set, for each pupil, ambitious targets for the following year. The teacher taking the class the following year, reviews these targets early in the Autumn Term, adjusts them if required and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 13 plans the teaching accordingly. Progress through the year is assessed, carefully recorded and reported to parents. A senior team of teachers oversees the process. Teachers are very clear about their contributions and how they build up to the statutory targets the school is required to set for attainment at the end of Year 6. Consequently, the school has been able to set and achieve

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

ambitious targets for pupils transferring to secondary education.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

16. At an early stage, staff identify pupils with particular needs, including those with special educational needs, and take positive steps to support their progress. On four mornings a week, the Key Stage 1 staff, work for the last half-hour of the session in Key Stage 2 whilst their classes are having lunch. This enables targetted support to be given to those pupils in Key Stage 2 with particular literacy needs. This is successful because all this group of pupils have, up to now, attained nationally expected standards or better at the end of Key Stage 2. Their Key Stage 1 results suggested that this might not have been the case for all of them.

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The school enables pupils to maintain high standards of attainment and make very good

17. This approach typifies the high level of commitment by the staff. The achievement of pupils leaving the school, particularly the high levels of attainment, is seen as something that all staff contribute to and take pride in.

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The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which

staff readily contribute their skills and expertise for the common good.

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The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which

18. The previous headteacher retired shortly before the inspection and her powerful vision and personal example has provided the basis for the sustained success of the school. All concerned - staff, governors, parents and pupils - speak warmly of her dedication and commitment to the school. She believed that high achievement and attainment was the result of patient work across a wide spectrum and built up in a cumulative and systematic way. Through ensuring that pupils had the right skills at the appropriate stage of their development, she confidently balanced the national drive for high and improving standards with concern for each individual child. She challenged staff to reach the highest levels of professional performance and created a strong, demanding partnership in which skills and expertise are shared and focused on achieving common aims.

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The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which

19. This is exemplified by the work of staff in leading specific areas of work. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics have ensured that the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been implemented in a way that best fits with the philosophy and practice of the school. They have observed lessons and led discussions about the best approaches to teaching these areas. The co-ordinator for assessment has led the development of clear processes that enable pupils’ progress to be clearly tracked. The co-ordinator for design and technology has worked hard to ensure that work in this area was improved following the last inspection. The fact it now is a strength of the school is testament to the staff’s shared determination. It also shows that the school uses the principles of best value because it targets resources to achieve improvements in its work. Other processes for management are similarly strong. For example, the thorough

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The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which

induction of teachers new to the school indicates a confident school, clear in its philosophy and practice.

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The recently retired headteacher provided excellent leadership and created an ethos in which

20. This shared ethos will be a key element in taking the school through the next stages of its development. The new headteacher, in post for only a week before the inspection, has a clear view of the task that faces her. She has drawn up a plan of action to take her through the immediate future and beyond. She has correctly identified where the existing good practice can be developed further, such as including a more strategic element to the school’s development planning. The governing body also recognises the significant challenges the school faces and its St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 14 role in the induction of the new headteacher. Though it is far too early to judge the impact of these intentions, it does suggest that the school has the capacity to sustain its high standards.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

21. The high standards achieved in the core subjects have not been at the expense of other subjects, indeed quite the reverse. The school’s philosophy and practice are that a wide curricular experience contributes to high achievement and provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and self-confidence.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

22. A major strength of the school is the provision made for art and design. Since its last inspection, the school has created a studio for the specialist teaching of art. This creates high expectations of what is possible and, coupled with the excellent teaching, helps to motivate pupils to achieve very high standards. Other touches, such as pupils “signing” their work also adds to the importance of their efforts. The work on display reflects these standards. In the school hall are examples from each class showing an aspect of art during the last millennium, for example, illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Also on display is work leading to the design and production of a mosaic in celebration of the new millennium. The finished piece provides an awe-inspiring and stunning centrepiece in the entrance foyer of the school.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

23. Since its last inspection, work in design and technology, as already noted, has been considerably improved. For example, Year 6 pupils produced working fairground models using reversing electric motors so raising their skills to a high standard. Work on display also suggests that pupils achieve at least appropriate standards in subjects such as history and geography.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

24. Pupils’ spiritual development is excellent and the school’s Catholic ethos is used very positively to promote pupils’ awareness of their place in the world and their responsibilities to themselves and others. For example, an assembly focused on how words communicate feelings. Art, music and literature all feature strongly in the curriculum and the wider life of the school. They also contribute to pupils’ understanding of human feeling and existence as do special events such as sleepovers for midnight masses and a bi-annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. Participation in Birmingham’s “Citizenship Week” and contribution to a wide range of charities also signal the widest provision for social and moral education. The school is acutely aware that it is largely made up of pupils from a single culture and faith. Consequently, it takes every opportunity to help pupils recognise and appreciate the diversity of faiths and cultures found locally.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

25. Extra-curricular activities are a popular feature and pupils have many opportunities to develop their musical, artistic and sporting interests. For example, a drama club held after school attracted over 60 pupils and expert teaching enabled them to express feelings and emotions in a mature and considered way. During a choir practice pupils tackled demanding work and sang tunefully.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

26. These examples reflect a commitment to education in its fullest sense and make a strong contribution to the pupils’ all round achievement and development.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

27. An important part of the school’s curriculum is the way literacy is used to develop pupils’ learning in all subjects. The school believes that literacy is the most important element in the primary curriculum. This vision has been actively promoted and provides an excellent foundation for work across all subjects. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 15 28. All teachers are expected to attend training and gain accreditation in a specific approach to teaching reading, handwriting and spelling skills. They use these teaching skills in a systematic and structured way throughout the school and enable pupils to become very proficient in the use of English across a wide spectrum. For example, Year 6 pupils read a full range of challenging material and higher attaining pupils sustain extended discussions about their reading choices and preferences. Each class has a dedicated library session and pupils use many reference sources,

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

including the internet, when researching particular topics or themes. This wide experience translates to their writing with pupils’ building up their ability to write for different audiences and in different styles. This results in pupils in Year 6 having a massive portfolio of writing, which is sophisticated, not only in technical requirements but also in content. For example, the Year 6 class produced well-reasoned arguments, mostly against capital punishment. The sample included a passionate piece by a pupil with a statement of special need, which very movingly conveyed the depth of her feelings on the issue.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

29. This strong grounding promotes learning in other subjects. There are many examples of this in their writing, especially in religious education where stories, accounts and personal views show pupils’ growing awareness of the Catholic faith. Pupils use specialist and technical vocabulary in subjects such as mathematics. Oral work is used to emphasise understanding as in the Year 4 lesson on adding three digit numbers. In science, pupils write factual accounts of experiments and can say why they have reached a particular conclusion as in a Year 3 lesson on the absorbency of paper. In art, they use language to share ideas about their work and to explore feelings that art appreciation evokes.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

30. Pupils’ response to this rich and challenging provision is excellent. Their attitudes to learning, highly praised in the last inspection, continue as a school strength.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

31. They are interested in the content of lessons, take an active part and are keen to check their own learning against the objectives the teachers have set. As they move through the school they become confident learners. This shows in their readiness to learn from mistakes, recognising that they are an integral part of the learning process. The youngest pupils are willing to sound out words and to have a go at new or unknown words. They are very supportive of each other’s efforts. This continues throughout the school. For example, Year 4 pupils readily shared their ways of completing mental calculations with the rest of the class who were quick to pick these up and use them themselves. When required, pupils work independently and with great concentration, keen to produce high quality work. Art lessons are a good example of this. They can also work collaboratively and take great pleasure in joint endeavours such as Year 6 pupils

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

producing fairground models in design and technology.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

32. Consequently, the oldest pupils are mature learners who have a good understanding of their abilities, have a strong desire to improve and are an excellent example to others. For instance, two higher attaining Year 6 pupils talked knowledgeably about their reading, they knew the work of many authors and were able to reflect on what they had read.

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The school’s rich curriculum inspires pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and high standards

33. Pupils behave responsibly throughout the school. Behaviour is exemplary in lessons. Only rarely do teachers need to remind pupils of what is expected and, even then, only a quiet, discreet word is required. In the playground, pupils of all ages mix easily and older pupils provide a very good example for their younger counterparts. There are many instances of pupils helping with school routines. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils act as library monitors, using the computer database and bar coding to issue books and to shelve them on return.

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The auditing of health and safety procedures

34. The last inspection indicated a number of health and safety issues which needed improvement. The school has since taken steps to address two out of the four areas highlighted in the report. The procedure for recording lateness is in line with requirements and warning signs are displayed when cleaning is in progress.

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The auditing of health and safety procedures

35. The school is a safe environment for pupils. Teachers and support staff are aware of safe practice in subjects, for example a Year 1 lesson in design and technology emphasised the safe use of scissors. Day to day working practices ensure that all who work at the school, staff and pupils, are safe.

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The auditing of health and safety procedures

36. However, the policy for health and safety is not effectively audited to ensure that practice matches the policy. Consequently, those checks, which should be a matter of routine, are not administered regularly enough.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

To develop further the school’s effectiveness, the governing body should

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Ensure that the health and safety policy is regularly audited to ensure that practice in the school is in line with the policy. Particular attention should be given to those checks which should be regularly and routinely carried out. (para 36). St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 17

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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) N/A 207

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 10

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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 N/A 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 10

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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 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 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 Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 18

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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 2000 11 19 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 19 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (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 11 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 19 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (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 2000 13 17 30

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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 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 14 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 93 (97) 90 (90) 97 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (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 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 14 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 93 (97) 90 (93) 97 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (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 Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 19

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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 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 5 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) 10 Financial year 1999 -2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 446426

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2147

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 98 Balance brought forward from previous year 45071

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 13766

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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) N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 20

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 43 50 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 30 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 57 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 47 3 0 18

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 51 42 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 31 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 69 27 3 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 28 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 76 22 0 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 62 32 0 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

As indicated by the table above, there are strong levels of support for almost every aspect of the schools’ work. The inspection evidence supports the views of parents who have every right to be pleased with the way the school enables to reach high standards of achievement across a wide spectrum.

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