St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery

ST AUGUSTINE’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Anne Elizabeth Kounnou

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ST AUGUSTINE’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 - 13 February 2002

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ST AUGUSTINE’S RC 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 AUGUSTINE’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Dunfield Road Bellingham London Postcode: SE6 3RD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Paddy Roycroft

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 July 1996 St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 30810 Liz Kounnou Registered inspector 1165 Peter Dannheisser Lay inspector 30705 Graham Stephens Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Full Circle The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 Augustine’s RC 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 Augustine’s is a Roman Catholic primary school of an average size, situated in the parish of Our Lady of the Annunciation and St Augustine, in Bellingham in the borough of Lewisham. Pupils from other local parishes attend the school. St Augustine’s is a haven of order and calm for pupils and parents. The local area is predominantly old and new local authority housing; some houses are owner-occupied. The surrounding estate is daubed with a great deal of graffiti; abandoned and occasionally burned-out cars are a regular feature in the cul- de-sac outside the school. By contrast, there is no graffiti or vandalism on the school premises. Thirty-one per cent of pupils, 62, are entitled to free school meals; this is above the national average. The number of pupils with special educational needs has risen sharply in the last year and is now in broadly in line with the national average at about 22 per cent.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

More pupils speak English as an additional language than the national average, but the number has fallen from 23 per cent in the last academic year to 15 per cent this year. The main additional languages spoken are Ibo, Creole, French and Twi. There are 199 pupils on the school roll, 23 of these in the nursery. There are seven other classes. When children start school in the nursery the attainment of most is below that expected for their age. A few children are more able, achieving higher levels than expected. About the same proportion of pupils leave or join the school during each year as in most primary schools.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Augustine’s is a good school where pupils achieve higher standards in English and science than those in similar schools at the end of Year 6. In mathematics, standards are even higher. Standards are high because teaching is good overall. Strong leadership and management ensure that there is a commitment to raising standards even further. Governors are supportive and the deep-seated Catholic ethos pervades the work of the whole school. The school spends a higher than average amount on each child; nevertheless, it is an effective school that provides sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 due to very well-targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science in from Year 1 to Year 6. • Teaching is good from Year 1 to Year 6. • The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and; as a result, standards are rising. • Pupils behave well in and around the school and have good attitudes to work. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is good.

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What could be improved

• Curriculum planning does not set out in sufficient detail how pupils of all ages and abilities will systematically make progress throughout the school; as a result, opportunities to develop literacy skills in all the subjects of the curriculum are not planned well enough. • Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that are planned. • Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented are not sufficiently rigorous. • Attendance is below the national average. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 7 St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been good improvement since the school was last inspected in 1996. Standards at Key Stage 2 have improved since 1997, when compared to both national results and those achieved by similar schools. The school has improved provision for information and communication technology [ICT] considerably by opening a networked ICT suite and providing a skilled instructor to teach small groups and work alongside teachers. All classrooms are now linked to the Internet. There were six key issues identified for action in the last report and these have all been addressed. The positive school environment has been maintained and underpins improvement. The school development plan is now a longer- term and more detailed tool for governors and staff. It includes clear strategies for reviewing and evaluating improvement. Financial information in the plan is more comprehensive, but does not yet include detailed information about how all the additional grants available will be

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

used to raise standards. Management structures have been reviewed and new senior managers play a strong part in leading improvement in the school. A detailed cycle of monitoring teaching and learning has been established. This includes regular feedback, which has led to substantial improvement in assessment and planning. As a result, procedures for tracking pupils’ progress are now an established part of school self- evaluation. The curriculum has been reviewed and new longer-term plans have been introduced in addition to effective implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Nevertheless, termly planning still lacks detail and does not set out how pupils of all ages and abilities will make progress in each subject. Termly topic planning is not full enough and as a result opportunities to develop literacy skills through other subjects are limited. Statutory obligations identified in the last report were remedied immediately the

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

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

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schools

Pupils achieve well when compared to those in similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 at the end of Year 6 in 2001 was well above the average achieved in similar schools. In mathematics this was reflected in the very high percentage of pupils who achieved the higher Level 5. Fewer pupils than was typical in similar schools achieved this higher level in English. This is because standards in writing are not as high overall. The trend of improvement is broadly similar to the national trend. The school targets for the English and mathematics were easily exceeded in 2001. Targets for this year are appropriate but not challenging.

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schools

In Key Stage 1, standards in 2001 were well below those in similar schools in all subjects. In mathematics, pupils achieved scores that were in the lowest five per cent nationally. About St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 9 half of these pupils had been identified as having special educational needs. Nevertheless, the school has quickly taken effective action to address this underachievement. Teaching has improved and assessment procedures are now rigorous. As a result, standards are beginning to rise. In the Foundation Stage, progress is limited because the curriculum is not planned well enough to meet all children’s needs and resources for teaching and learning are poor.

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schools

During the inspection it was evident that setting individual targets for pupils has been effective; as a result, they achieve standards in the core subjects that are as expected at the end of Year 6. This is a significant achievement for the school. In mathematics, setting pupils in Year 5 and 6 is effective for higher-attaining pupils, who are achieving well. In English, standards are as expected overall; however, standards in writing are not as high as they could be. This is because planning for writing in other subjects is not sufficiently detailed, and pupils’ handwriting skills do not match their overall ability.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to school, they enjoy lessons and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils move around the school sensibly when supervised or unsupervised. They behave well in most lessons and very well when playing outside.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships All relationships in the school are good, because all staff support pupils well treating them with trust and respect.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Despite the good procedures to encourage good attendance, it is below the national average; additionally unauthorised absence in the past year was significantly above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Playtime behaviour is very good; there is a lot of equipment, which is used sensibly. Pupils share with one another well, rules are well established and pupils of all ages play well together in both family groups and with friends of their own age. The school council makes a good contribution to personal development; for example, the councillors are elected by their peers and are well briefed by their own classes before they go into meetings. Prefects and house captains are selected by staff and take their duties very seriously.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good 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 in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

In the Foundation Stage the newly-qualified teacher has begun to work closely with a more experienced colleague who has just been appointed in the nursery. Many changes are planned and some have already been implemented. As a result the school is well placed to improve the overall quality of teaching for younger children. Teaching in Key Stages 1 and 2 St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 10 is good; literacy and numeracy are taught well. The quality of teachers’ marking, particularly in Key Stage 2, is a strength of the school. Pupils’ work is marked rigorously; teachers ensure that pupils know what they did well and how they could improve their work even further. More recently marking has begun to focus specifically on the targets that were set for the lesson. Other characteristics of the good teaching are:

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

• Teachers manage pupils well and as a result pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. • Teachers have good subject knowledge as a result of good opportunities for professional development. They use their new skills enthusiastically, sharing ideas and evaluating changes. • Teachers know their pupils well and make good assessments in the core subjects. • Teaching and non-teaching support staff work well in partnership with classroom teachers, helping pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. • Good use of specialist teaching in music results in pupils achieving very well. • An expert instructor in ICT supports classroom teachers and pupils well.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Aspects of teaching that could be improved are:

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

• Planning for different groups of pupils in most lessons lacks detail and does not explain what each group will learn in the lesson. • Teaching of handwriting skills in English and other subjects is not sufficiently rigorous because teachers’ expectations in this area are too low.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum An appropriate range of activities is provided throughout the school. However, activities are not systematically planned at the right level for all pupils and this limits the progress that pupils make, particularly in writing.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is good support for pupils with special educational needs from teachers and support staff.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported well in lessons and in small groups.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ personal development is good. There is an unmistakable sense of belonging. Pupils’ efforts are valued and their achievements celebrated. The strong Catholic ethos underpins the work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good systems to support individual pupil's learning, combined with good assessment procedures underpin high achievement. Procedures to ensure pupils’ health and safety are not sufficiently rigorous. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 11 Rigorous monitoring of pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science is followed by very well targeted support for individuals. This is particularly effective for pupils who are almost reaching average levels of attainment, helping them to achieve higher standards. In other subjects assessment procedures are limited and not as effective. The lack of detail in termly planning leads to missed opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy skills at the right level in all subjects and limits pupils’ progress, particularly in writing. No governor or member of staff has specific responsibility for carrying out regular formal health and safety checks that

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Aspect Comment

will identify potential hazards. As a result a number of minor health and safety issues have not been addressed.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The very experienced and long-serving headteacher continues to provide good leadership and is well supported by senior staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is supportive and well informed with a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Rigorous monitoring procedures in English, mathematics and science have led to an improvement in the quality of teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school development plan sets out how the money available to the school will be used to raise standards in Key Stage 1 and 2 over the long term. However, not all the individual action plans show how success will be measured. Learning resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor.

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Aspect Comment

Governors use the principles of best value effectively; for example, consulting formally with both parents and pupils to gain a clearer understanding of their views. They also regularly compare the school’s performance with that of similar schools and all schools.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school is approachable. • Children are expected to work hard. • More information about children’s progress. • The amount of homework. • Pupils’ behaviour.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with the positive views of parents. However, pupils behaved well in lessons during the inspection, and very well outside. The amount of homework and the number of opportunities for parents to meet with staff are typical of most primary schools. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 12

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science from Year 1 to Year 6.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

1. Pupils achieve high standards in English and science in Year 6, when compared to those in similar schools. In mathematics, the standards reached are even higher in comparison. Over the last few years, standards have been rising steadily, particularly in mathematics and science. In English, standards have been more variable. The school has recognised the need to improve the quality of pupils’ writing and has begun to do so effectively. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4, in Year 6, in all three subjects in 2001 was above the national average. When compared with the situation in similar schools the percentage achieving this level was well above average. Not as many pupils achieved the higher Level 5, which had the effect of lowering the overall comparison. Nevertheless, in English and science pupils in Year 6 achieved broadly similar levels to the national average; in mathematics,

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

pupils achieved above the national average. This is a significant achievement for the school and shows that pupils make consistently good progress from the time they start school.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

2. There are two main reasons for pupils’ overall good achievement: • the quality of teaching is good; • and pupils receive very well targeted support. Rigorous systems are in place to keep a tight check on the progress that all pupils make in each of these subjects from Year 1 to Year 6. Teachers continuously review the levels of attainment that pupils are expected to achieve. This effective system clearly identifies those pupils who need additional support to achieve the next level.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

3. Good additional literacy support and booster groups are provided where pupils receive effective extra support in small groups. Higher-attaining pupils in mathematics are achieving well due to effective setting arrangements in Years 5 and 6. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported well in lessons and in small groups. Regular assessments are made to ensure that pupils of all abilities are making progress.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

4. As a result of this effective intervention, most pupils are making good progress. In Key Stage 1, pupils in Year 2 are now achieving higher standards overall. In Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 6 have made good progress since they took the statutory tests in Year 2; when they were aged seven. Since that time they have achieved well.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

5. Standards of attainment are rising due to good teaching in both these key stages. There is a strong sense of professional commitment, which is reflected in the care taken with preparation for lessons. Teachers have good subject knowledge because they ensure that their skills are kept up to date through regular training opportunities. Teachers are open to advice and willingly seek to improve their expertise by working closely with colleagues in local Beacon schools. They support one another well in school, with more-experienced colleagues giving good support to newly-qualified teachers. They attend courses to improve their specialist subject knowledge and take St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 13 time in staff meetings to share new ideas with each other. Specialists and experts from the local education authority are welcomed, and their advice is put into practice. As a result of this strong commitment to professional development, the National

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

Literary and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented effectively and standards in these key subjects are rising steadily.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

6. Teachers manage their pupils well, and this leads to pupils behaving well in lessons. Lessons are well organised, so that little time is wasted and pupils have few opportunities to become bored. As a result, they work at a good rate, completing most work when they should. They know what they are expected to achieve because teachers share the lesson targets with pupils at the beginning of most lessons. In the very best lessons these targets are reviewed at the end of the lesson to gauge pupils’ understanding.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

7. The quality of teachers’ marking is a strength of the school. A great deal of care is taken when marking pupils’ work. Comments are positive, and explain to pupils what they did well and what could have been improved. The very best examples of marking refer to the lesson targets in these comments. In English and mathematics, teachers make regular assessments of pupils’ work. They know the levels that pupils are expected to achieve and are fully aware of their personal circumstances.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

8. Support staff are particularly effective. A few specially-trained assistants offer expert support throughout the school in literacy, numeracy and ICT. Support teachers work well in partnership with class teachers to care for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. In music, a skilled musician teaches the subject; as a result, pupils not only achieve well, but also have boundless enthusiasm for the subject. The fervent sound of trumpets, trombones and violins, to name but a few, are regularly heard coming from the school hall.

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due to very well targeted support; and effective procedures for assessing and

9. Nevertheless, there are some aspects of teaching, which could be improved. Although teachers plan their lessons with care, they do not identify what each group of pupils will be expected to learn in the lesson. More-able pupils are not always challenged to work at a high enough level. In too many lessons these pupils complete more work rather than more-challenging work. Handwriting skills are not taught as well as other aspects of English. Teachers do not have high enough expectations of their pupils in this area. As a result, by Year 6 many pupils still print their work when writing at speed, and many pupils say they do not need to join their writing except for ‘best’ work. Consequently pupils do not achieve as well as they could in this aspect of writing.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

10. The headteacher and deputy headteacher work in close partnership with one another and are well supported by other senior teachers. The school has formally consulted parents and pupils for a number of years about the school’s performance. Recently, more-rigorous systems of self-evaluation have been introduced.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

11. Monitoring the work of the school is the key factor behind school improvement. Regular monitoring of teaching, planning and pupils’ work takes place. Feedback is shared with all staff at staff meetings to ensure that good practice and high expectations are shared. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 14 12. Monitoring standards of achievement has also been rigorous. Detailed notes are kept of each child’s achievement to date and the potential attainment at the end of the next key stage. These detailed and regular assessments are supplemented by high- quality marking in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Good portfolios of work show examples of the levels expected in most subjects.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

13. Since the last inspection, subject coordinators have played a significant role in leading school improvement in their subjects. Each draws up an action plan to identify the key priorities for the subject, these are appropriately linked to the school development plan. As a result of this strong leadership, the school has improved standards of attainment steadily and is well placed to continue to improve the quality of education provided.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

Pupils behave well in and around the school and have good attitudes to work.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

14. The high standard of pupil management and very good relationships between pupils and staff result in high standards of behaviour being achieved. This is a key factor in the high standards of work that are achieved. Pupils are friendly and courteous. All adults treat them with trust and respect and, as a result, pupils want to please their teachers and behave well. They work hard in lessons and sustain concentration for long periods. In lessons, pupils make plenty of sensible contributions, ask questions and work well with one another. Most pupils present their work neatly in all subjects. Their attitudes to school and learning are good. For example, in a music lesson pupils glowed with pride as the teacher praised them for their efforts. As a result, they tried even harder and successfully learned how to read and play rhythm notation whilst having a great deal of fun. Pupils learned how to use an apostrophe, for both

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

omission and possession, in an English lesson that held the attention of them all. Pupils were fully involved, operating the projection equipment, reading together and competing with good humour to be the first to spot the next apostrophe. All pupils’ explanations were accepted and praised, their errors talked through respectfully with the whole class. Consequently no pupil was afraid to make a mistake, all wanted to take part and learning about apostrophes was an enjoyable experience.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

15. Pupils are trusted to move around the school responsibly and they do so sensibly, whether they are supervised or unsupervised. At playtime pupils’ behaviour outside is very good. There is a lot of equipment available, all of which is used sensibly. Pupils share well together and pupils of all ages play well together in both family groups and with others of their own age. Pupils often choose to play games that require them to cooperate with one another. Rules for playtime are well established. Pupils draw up classroom rules themselves, and take care not to break them.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

Provision for pupils’ personal development is good.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

16. The school is based on a deep-seated Catholic ethos. Spiritual development is good, there are ample opportunities for pupils to reflect on the wonders of the world and their faith in lessons and assemblies. In the school service for Ash Wednesday, pupils listened with great attention as the headteacher shared her own promise for the day. There was a strong sense of shared anticipation as pupils waited quietly to receive their ashes at the end of the service. The fact that everyone in the school wore this sign throughout the day created a special bond for both children and adults. The moral development of pupils is also good. They have a well-developed sense of right and wrong. All adults in the school are good role models for the pupils. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 15 17. Most pupils work well co-operatively or independently as required. As pupils progress through the school they are given more and more responsibilities. They respond

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

positively to this. The school council provides pupils with good opportunities to develop social and leadership skills. Representatives from each class are elected by their peers, which gives them high status in the school. House captains and prefects are chosen by staff. All pupils in Year 6 who exhibit a sense of personal responsibility are awarded prefect status, which can be gained at any time throughout the year. This is a particularly effective strategy for personal development. Throughout the school pupils are keen to win house points because special prizes are awarded to the winning house in assembly. Two new house captains are selected from Year 6 each term for setting a good example to younger pupils. Good behaviour at lunchtime; for example, good manners, is rewarded by a lottery ticket. The winning ticket can be exchanged for a treat for the winning pupil’s class. This might be a sticker for

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

everyone in the class or extra Golden Time. The winner chooses the treat.

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The headteacher and senior staff lead school improvement well and as a result,

18. There are plenty of clubs for pupils to take part in, which also provide opportunities to develop personal responsibility. Games-club monitors help to prepare and look after equipment. Art club members help to prepare the scenery for whole-school productions. At the end of each year pupils evaluate their school work themselves writing a comment on their own report. Teachers set pupils appropriate targets for the next year. Overall personal development has a high priority in the school. This makes a good contribution towards developing the good standards of behaviour seen in the school, and the positive attitudes of pupils to their work.

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opportunities to develop literacy skills in all the subjects of the curriculum are not

19. Since the last inspection in 1996, the school has implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies effectively. Following the introduction of new statutory curriculum guidance in September 2000, the school adopted the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority guidance on longer-term planning for all other subjects. This has resulted in appropriate coverage of each aspect of the whole curriculum. However, termly curriculum planning is very brief and lacks sufficient detail. It does not set out what pupils of all ages and abilities will be expected to learn each term in each subject. Neither does it identify suitable links with literacy, numeracy or ICT. For example, it is not clear in termly plans which writing level different groups of pupils are expected to work at during other subjects. As a result, lesson planning does not set out precisely what pupils of different abilities are intended to learn in lessons.

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opportunities to develop literacy skills in all the subjects of the curriculum are not

20. In too many lessons, pupils of all abilities work at the same task; pupils who are more able often complete more work rather than more-challenging work. As a result, they are not making the progress they could and too few pupils achieve the higher levels, particularly in writing.

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opportunities to develop literacy skills in all the subjects of the curriculum are not

21. Pupils’ handwriting is not developed well enough because teachers’ expectations in this area of English are not high enough. This is a clear contrast to teachers’ high expectations in other aspects of English. By Year 6, too many pupils still print when writing quickly. This limits the speed of their writing and prevents pupils from making the progress they should. Teachers’ marking is not effective in this particular area of St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 16 the curriculum, and subsequent lessons are not planned to improve the quality of handwriting.

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opportunities to develop literacy skills in all the subjects of the curriculum are not

22. Literacy lessons are planned well, and teach pupils specific skills effectively. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to use these skills in longer pieces of writing, either in English lessons or in other subjects. This limits their overall achievement in writing.

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

23. There are not enough resources to adequately teach all of the areas of learning in the Foundation Stage in sufficient depth. As a result, children in this stage of the school are not making as much progress as they could.

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

24. Resources for teaching and learning in communication, language and literacy, are outdated in the reception class and in poor condition. There are too few high-quality resources to promote children’s interest in this key area of the curriculum. As a result, their progress is limited. For example, children playing in the writing corner struggled with an old typewriter. The keys constantly jammed and the carriage refused to shift along. The children soon became disheartened and gave up pretending to type words. In the café area there are not enough resources to encourage children to write. No menu boards or pads to take down customers’ orders are available. This limits children’s achievements, those playing in this area miss many opportunities to develop reading, writing and speaking skills.

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

25. Resources for teaching other areas of the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage fall short of those recommended in both the nursery and the reception class. In the reception class, the limited resources available are not easily accessible to young children, and this limits their personal and social development. For example, children in the reception class cannot easily find the resources they will need. The storage of many resources is unsuitable and difficult for children to reach by themselves. The new teacher in the nursery has drawn up an initial action plan to address the poor quality of resources. Appropriate reorganisation of the limited resources available in the nursery and some sharing of resources between the two classes have improved provision for the youngest children recently. Good systems have been introduced in the nursery to encourage children to manage the resources independently; they find

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

the tools and materials they will need and return them when they have completed their tasks; increasing their achievement in personal and social skills.

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

26. Teachers have too few resources to help them to plan a wide enough range of activities in each area of learning. For example, many teachers’ resource books are more appropriate for pupils in Key Stage 1. There are few books of stimulating ideas to promote learning in the Foundation Stage, showing how to develop children’s skills over time. As a result, planning for children in the Foundation Stage does not set out how they will make progress in each area of learning over each term. Currently, planning is time consuming for staff, repeating in longhand much of what is set out in the national guidance for planning a curriculum in the Foundation Stage. It does not set out clearly, precisely what children are intended learn each week, and how the activities planned will help them achieve these aims. There is not enough detail to show how children of different abilities will work through the stepping-stones to

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Resources for children in the Foundation Stage are poor and limit the activities that

achieve the Early Learning Goals over time. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 17 27. The secure outdoor area in the nursery is of a good size, and has an appropriate climbing frame. However, there are too few resources available to teach the whole curriculum in an outdoor environment. Children in the reception class do not have access to a safe, secure outdoor area with cover from the weather. There is no suitable outdoor learning environment to teach the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage in this class. This also limits children’s achievement in most areas of the curriculum. There are currently plans in progress to improve this vital resource.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

28. There is no governor or member of staff with delegated responsibility to carry out formal health and safety checks on a regular basis on behalf of the governing body. As a result, a number of minor health and safety issues around the school premises have been overlooked. A list of these issues has been formally presented to the headteacher and governors.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

29. There is an appropriate health and safety policy, but this is not put into practice punctiliously. No formal risk assessment is carried out. The governing body has not delegated a committee or working party, with particular responsibility for school premises, consequently this area of responsibility has not had a high enough priority at full meetings of the governing body. As a result, the governing body are not fully meeting their responsibilities in this area.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

Attendance is below the national average.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

30. The percentage of pupils absent from school over the last academic year is below that found nationally. The percentage of pupils who took unauthorised absence from school is much higher than usual due to the persistent absence of a very small minority of pupils during the last school year. The school made good use of the education social worker to resolve this persistent absence and; as a result, the figures available up to this point in the current year show significant improvement.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

31. The school has good procedures for encouraging regular attendance, including certificates for attendance and punctuality, which are awarded in assembly. Classes compete for the highest half-termly attendance rate. Gold medals are awarded at the end of each year to every pupil who has a 100 per cent attendance rate.

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Formal procedures to ensure that the health and safety policy is fully implemented

32. A recent review of attendance procedures, in partnership with the Education Action Zone, has resulted in better communication between parents and the school where the attendance or punctuality of pupils is a cause for concern. This has not yet had sufficient time to make a significant impact on attendance rates overall. However, there remain a significant number of pupils who take holidays during term time. The school does not discourage this practice actively enough. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

33. To maintain and further improve the quality of education and support in the school, the headteacher and governors should continue to use school evaluation procedures to identify areas of concern and:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) continue to raise standards, particularly for: children in the Foundation Stage; in the core subjects at Key Stage 1; and in writing throughout the school by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. improving medium-term planning so that it is clear what pupils of all ages and abilities will be expected to learn each term and how pupils will systematically increase their knowledge, understanding and skills in all subjects at Key Stages 1 and 2; and in all areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage; (paragraphs 19, 20, 21 & 26)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. improving planning for literacy in other subjects by setting out precisely the level of literacy skills that pupils will be expected to use in each topic; (paragraph 22)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii. improving the quality of resources for teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage; (paragraphs 23, 24, 25 & 27)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) review and improve health-and-safety policy and practice so that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. comprehensive procedures, for ensuring that there are no potential hazards in the school, are formally carried out at regular intervals; ii. minor health and safety issues are identified and addressed; (paragraphs 28 & 29)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) continue to implement the good procedures for improving the attendance of all pupils. (paragraphs 30, 31 & 32) St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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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) 23 176

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 62

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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 2 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 46

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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 31

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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 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

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Attendance

% % St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 20 School data 6.9 School data 3.1

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 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 Augustine’s RC Primary School - 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 14 13 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 8 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 10 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 67 (78) 70 (78) 81 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 9 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 11 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 78 (84) 78 (91) 89 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 13 15 28

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 11 12 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 11 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 86 (85) 82 (80) 96 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 11 12 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 12 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 82 (65) 86 (70) 100 (80) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 14 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 1

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 39 Black – African heritage 2 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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) 12 Financial year 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 626,049

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 615,006

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 159 Expenditure per pupil 3,099

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 13,495

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 24,538

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 25

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 23 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Augustine’s RC Primary School - 24

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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. 49 41 6 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 46 11 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 43 16 4 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 37 18 4 3

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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. 64 31 3 1 2

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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. 63 29 2 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 41 40 8 4 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 53 39 3 1 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 39 51 3 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 45 5 8 13

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