Our Lady and St John's Catholic Primary School

Our Lady & St John Primary School

Dates of inspection: March 27 th -29 th 2000

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Our Lady & St John Primary School

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

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Our Lady & St John 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. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Boston Park Road Brentford Middlesex

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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: Father James Mallon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 7 th -10 th 1996 Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 4

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Team members

Tim Boyce Registered inspector Sarah McDermott Lay inspector Anna Smith Team inspector

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Team members

6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Our Lady & St John 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Our Lady & St John Roman Catholic Primary School is an average sized voluntary aided school which provides full time education for two hundred and twenty-nine pupils aged from 4 to 11 years and thirty part time pupils aged from 3 to 4 years. One hundred and eighty-four pupils have a white UK heritage, whilst the remaining seventy-five pupils come from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds. Twenty-seven pupils have English as an additional language. Of these, the majority speak Armenian, Farsi, Arabic or Amharic as their first language. Fifty-seven pupils are included on the school’s register of special educational needs. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. The social and economic circumstances of pupils and their attainment on entry cover the full range, with the majority achieving broadly average standards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many strengths. All pupils make good progress and achieve better than average standards in English, mathematics and science. Teaching is good throughout the school and effectively supports pupils learning. The management of the school is good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards in speaking and listening are a particular strength. • Pupils are making very good progress in information technology (IT), achieving sound standards. • The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards adults and each other. • Teaching is good throughout the school and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. • The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and are effective in their efforts to raise standards. • The ethos of the school is very effective. It promotes spiritual and moral development very effectively.

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What could be improved

• The range of teaching methods used needs to be widened so that pupils are given more frequent opportunities to think about and to take more responsibility for their own learning. • The provision for gifted and talented pupils should be improved by developing and implementing an appropriate policy for their teaching and learning. • The school’s provision for cultural development across the curriculum is weak. Some opportunities to develop aspects of social development are missed. • The quality of the school’s written communication with parents should be improved so that they have a better understanding of the progress their children are making and are better informed about the work and governance of the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in October 1996. It has maintained, and to some extent improved upon, the high quality of relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. The school has raised the previously unsatisfactory standards in design and technology (DT) and IT so that they are now satisfactory overall. The school has continued to develop policies and schemes of work for all National Curriculum subjects and has made significant improvements to the management and administration of special educational needs. The school has improved the link between the school development plan and financial planning and has continued to develop and implement the agreed monitoring and evaluation systems throughout the school, to generally good effect. Governors have improved their policies, organisation and practices in several of the areas mentioned above, but have failed to significantly

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

improve either their annual report to parents or the quality of individual written reports. In addition to those items identified as key issues, the school has also improved the overall quality of teaching and has Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 7 introduced formal assessment procedures in a wider range of subjects.

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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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schools

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high well above average A* A English A* A A A above average average B C Mathematics A A B B below average well below average D E Science A* A C C very low E*

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schools

The National Curriculum assessments administered in 1999 indicated that, when compared with the national average and the standards achieved in similar schools, results at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above average in English, above average in mathematics and average in science. Results in 1999 were not as good as those achieved in 1997, when standards were very high in English and science, (in the top 5% of all schools nationally), and well above average in mathematics. In 1998 standards were well above average in all three subjects. The school has provided statistical evidence which indicates that the 1997 cohort was a particularly strong one, whilst the 1999 cohort contained a significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs.

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schools

Inspection evidence indicates that standards are well above average in English, with pupils achieving very high standards in speaking and listening. Standards in mathematics and science are judged to be above average. Pupils are making very rapid progress in IT and the majority achieve standards that are in line with national expectations. Standards in all other national curriculum subjects are broadly in line with national expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show great interest in the life of the school and always try their hardest to achieve good work. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is excellent. There have been no exclusions. Pupils always work in an atmosphere that is free of bullying, or any other oppressive behaviour. Personal development and relationships Relationships are excellent and pupils show great respect towards adults and each other. They show initiative and are willing to take responsibility when suitable opportunities are presented. Attendance Levels of attendance are very good and are much higher than average.

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

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

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

The quality of the teaching and learning seen throughout the school was good overall. All of the teaching Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 8 seen was at least satisfactory, of which 52% was good, 22% was very good and 4% was excellent. Literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. The quality of teaching is good in both English and mathematics. The teaching of IT is very good overall and is having a very positive impact on the very rapid progress that is being achieved throughout the school.

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

Strengths of the teaching are the quality of planning, the management of pupils and the use of time and resources. Many of the better lessons seen proceeded at a very brisk pace and featured the very effective use of deadlines for the completion of work. However, in some lessons, which were judged to be good overall, although teachers had planned activities very carefully and were working very hard, the quality of the questioning and the teaching methods employed did not always sufficiently challenge pupils to think about and take full responsibility for their learning.

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

All pupils learn effectively irrespective of their age, gender ethnicity or social circumstance. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress, as do those pupils for whom English is an additional language. The provision for gifted and talented pupils whilst satisfactory, is variable, and spans the range from very good to satisfactory, from class to class and lesson to lesson. The school is aware of the need to adapt its teaching and learning policy to meet the needs of gifted and more able pupils more effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality, range and relevance of the curriculum are satisfactory overall and meet statutory requirements. The time allocated to IT, art and DT, for example, is below the recommended minimum. There is an appropriate range of extra-curricular activities available, mainly for older pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for special educational needs is good and supports pupils effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good. Pupils make as good progress as all others in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ moral development is excellent. The provision for spiritual development is at least very good. The provision for social development is satisfactory overall, but some important opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning are missed. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is unsatisfactory and teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to develop an awareness of other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has good procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are very good, whilst procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head- teacher and other key staff The leadership and management provided by the head teacher, the deputy and the senior staff are good. The head teachers’ management of pastoral issues is very good and is a particular strength. Strong management provides clear educational direction and ensures that the school’s aims and Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 9 values are implemented consistently in every class.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil most of their responsibilities appropriately. However, the governors’ annual report to parents omits several important details and the governors annual meeting does not provide parents with suitable opportunities to ask questions about the work and governance of the school. Governors play a key role in shaping the direction of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance is good overall. The school development plan is a useful document that identifies appropriate areas for improvement. The formal monitoring of quality and standards is good and is improving rapidly. The school makes effective use of a very useful self review exercise, where improvement is set against agreed criteria.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of the financial resources at its disposal, linking spending effectively to the targets identified in the school development plan. The school benefits from a hard working and dedicated staff, excellent accommodation and a wide range of good quality teaching and learning resources. The use of the accommodation and resources is generally good, but the school is aware that it is not currently taking full advantage of the significant investment made in the school library and the IT suite. The principles of best value are applied to a satisfactory degree.

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What pleases parents most What some parents would like to see improved

• The standards children achieve in English, mathematics and science. • The attitudes and values that the school promotes. • The help and guidance available to children. • The behaviour and attendance of children. • The quality of the teaching. • The way the school is managed by the head teacher and senior staff. • The way that the school expects children to work hard and do their best. • The amount of formal information the school provides for parents about their children’s progress. • The consistency with which homework is set in some classes. • The range of extra-curricular activities provided. • The lack of formal opportunities to question governors about the work of the school. • The amount of help offered by the school when parents are applying for secondary schools for their children.

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What pleases parents most What some parents would like to see improved

Parents have an accurate appreciation of those elements of the school that they identify as strengths. Of those items identified by some parents as areas requiring improvement, it is the view of the inspection team that, whilst the quality of the school’s partnership with parents is satisfactory overall, and informal arrangements are good, the school does not provide parents with sufficient written information about the progress that their children make. The team considers that homework is set regularly and that the amount given is in line with government recommendations. The range of extra-curricular opportunities provided by the school for older pupils is judged to be appropriate. The team agrees that the governing body does not provide parents with sufficient formal information in its annual written report, and fails to provide suitable opportunities for parents to ask questions about the way the school is run. The headteacher is aware that

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What pleases parents most What some parents would like to see improved

many parents are very anxious about current secondary transfer arrangements and will investigate how best the school can respond. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 10

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

in speaking and listening are a particular strength.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

1. Pupils make good, and often very good progress in English and the majority achieve very high standards by the time they leave the school, particularly in speaking and listening. The National Literacy Strategy has been introduced and resourced effectively and is having a positive impact on the standards achieved. Pupils throughout the school listen very attentively and this has a very positive impact on the way in which they learn in other curriculum subjects. They speak with admirable confidence from a very early age as, for example, when children in the nursery class identified the sounds different farm animals make. Older pupils are able to explain themselves very clearly when offering information or answering questions. Pupils in a Key Stage 2 class were able, for example, to explain how maps are drawn and the importance of scale, keys and symbols to map makers.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

2. Most pupils read fluently a wide range of different material for pleasure. They have good expression and are accurate in their decoding skills. Most use a variety of word building strategies and have a good understanding of phonic conventions. They are given many good opportunities to write for a wide range of different purposes and audiences as, for example when older pupils in Key Stage 2 understood the requirements for formal language when completing various application forms. Standards of handwriting are good and pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

3. Pupils are making good progress throughout the school in mathematics and standards are better than average. The school has introduced the National Numeracy Strategy very effectively and pupils are gaining very significantly from the higher proportion of practical mathematics, mental arithmetic and problem solving which is now being integrated into the school’s curriculum, which was previously formal. Pupils are very enthusiastic about their work in mathematics and many of the children we spoke to insisted that it was now their favourite subject. They have very well developed computation skills and understand the different operations required to complete complex calculations. However, many have had little experience of problem solving and some higher achieving pupils are unable to apply their very significant skills in meaningful situations. Older Key Stage 2 pupils have a good understanding of the differences between fractions, decimals and

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

percentages and can accurately calculate the area and perimeter of complex shapes. A higher than average proportion of pupils achieve good standards by the end of Year 6.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

4. Standards in science are better than average and pupils gain greatly from the “hands-on” approach to the subject adopted by most teachers. Pupils in the reception class have a very good knowledge and understanding of the ways in which bean plants and frogs grow and the differences between the different stages of their growth. Older Key Stage 1 pupils know the meaning of freezing and boiling, for example, and the majority have an appropriate understanding of the processes involved. Teachers generally provide pupils with very good opportunities to take part in practical work and to conduct experiments, and this has a very positive impact on the learning of older pupils. The school is aware of the need to give pupils opportunities to devise their own tests and to explore different ways or recording their results.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

Pupils are making very good progress in information technology (IT) and achieve sound standards.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

5. The school has recently put in place a number of very effective strategies that have resulted in a significant improvement in the provision of IT throughout the school. The school now has an appropriately experienced and enthusiastic co-ordinator to lead and manage the development of the subject. It has converted a good sized room from a previous purpose leased an adequate number of good quality computers and has arranged appropriate training for all teaching staff. As a result of these initiatives staff and pupils have responded very positively and have made enormous strides in Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 11 a very short time, achieving very good progress in the acquisition of IT skills. Many pupils have computers at home and this has a positive impact on their learning in the subject. Other pupils have had little experience of using computers in school and are starting from a low level.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

6. The quality of IT teaching seen during the inspection was very good overall and on one occasion was excellent. The consistency of this very good teaching results in very effective learning. It is characterised by secure subject knowledge, very thorough planning, which provides activities and tasks that are both exciting and challenging, very high expectations, and makes good use of all the human and physical resources available. Lessons have very clear objectives and proceed at a brisk pace, but on some occasions insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to consider all the implications and applications of the skills being taught.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

7. The school is aware that many older pupils have yet to complete all the required aspects of the programmes of study and that most have little experience of control technology, monitoring or modelling. Recognising that it faced such a significant skill deficit, the school has wisely concentrated on developing a good level of ability in a number of aspects, including word processing and data handling.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

8. Older Key Stage 1 pupils are developing a suitable knowledge and understanding of an appropriate range of word processing skills, including changing the size, colour and font of the print as required. Higher achieving pupils are also able to construct borders around their text and insert background shading to highlight their work. Older Key Stage 2 pupils have a good understanding of the main features of spreadsheets, can identify the contents of different cells and can devise simple, but appropriate formulae to calculate the four main mathematical operations.

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Pupils achieve high standards throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. Standards

9. In the one excellent lesson observed pupils learned very rapidly when constructing storyboards in preparation for filming short animated sequences with the video camera. With the very good support of the class teacher a group of lower achieving pupils made a short film which was then shown to the rest of the class as part of the plenary at the end of the lesson. All pupils thoroughly enjoyed the work, showed a high level of skill and worked together very harmoniously to achieve group aims very effectively.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

10. Pupils are keen and eager to learn. The vast majority of parents report that their children are very happy to come to school. Attendance levels are very good, with a particularly low incidence of unauthorised absence. In lessons pupils get down to work quickly and quietly with the minimum of fuss. They know daily routines well and are always ready to listen and learn. Younger pupils are confident and well able to cope with new learning experiences. Younger Key Stage 1 pupils worked very effectively to make their own books describing the growth cycle of a bean. When teaching is particularly lively and challenging pupils respond extremely well. The oldest Key Stage 2 pupils were fully involved in an exciting lesson preparing a film. They worked maturely and responsibly with the computers and video camera.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

11. The behaviour of the pupils is exemplary. As soon as one enters the school there is a strong sense of productivity and orderliness. Pupils move about the school quietly and purposefully. They respond very well to the effective and consistent behaviour management procedures that are based upon the strong religious and moral ethos that underpins the work of the school. No lesson is ever disrupted by unruly behaviour. Pupils react swiftly to instructions from staff. All teachers ever need to do is to give a quiet reminder should pupils start to fidget or whisper. Pupils come in and out of assemblies, break times and classrooms in a very organised and calm way. It is a pleasure to sit with pupils at lunchtime, as they are polite, attentive and have very good manners. The high levels of discipline are unquestionably having a very beneficial effect on teaching and learning.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

12. The relationships in the school are excellent. Pupils are always polite and respectful to their peers and to adults. Pupils greet staff and visitors cheerily, whether all together in assembly, or Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 12 individually on stairways, for example. They speak confidently and are very proud to show their work, or explain how they have arrived at their answers. Children in the early years talked animatedly about the tadpoles developing in their fish tank. Pupils are not embarrassed or reticent in asking their teachers for help. In a mathematics lesson older Key Stage 2 pupils were happy to ask their teacher for clarification on a percentage question. Pupils collaborate very well in lessons. In an early years class pupils worked very well together in a PE lesson to mime the growing of a seed.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

Teaching is good throughout the school and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

13. The overall quality of teaching is good and results in a very consistent level of learning throughout the school. All of the teaching seen was at least satisfactory overall, of which 52% was good, 22% was very good and 4% was excellent. Teachers have worked very hard since the last inspection developing policy documents and schemes of work to support their planning in all curricular subjects. Planning is very detailed and thorough and members of staff take great pains to ensure that work is always well matched to the needs of pupils, particularly those with special educational needs. In one very good IT lesson the teacher had planned an appropriate main activity, with two extension activities available for higher attaining pupils once they had completed the main task. One pupil with significant special educational needs was very effectively supported on her own individual programme of work by a parent.

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The behaviour of pupils is excellent. They are keen to learn and show high levels of respect towards

14. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and academic attainment, and they respond by working very hard, constantly striving to do their very best. Discipline, which is based on the excellent relationships that exist between pupils and staff, is very secure and means that lessons get off to a prompt start, with a minimum amount of time being lost. Teachers effectively build on this good start, clearly explaining the learning objectives and, in better lessons, setting firm deadlines for the completion of tasks. Every effort is made to take advantage of available teaching and learning resources, including support staff, who are deployed very effectively. All pupils learn effectively irrespective of their age, gender ethnicity or social circumstance.

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The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and

are effective in their constant effort to raise standards.

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The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and

15. The head teacher, who is a popular and much respected figure in the community, provides the school with calm and purposeful leadership. With the support of his deputy his management of pastoral issues is a particular strength. The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance is good overall and is improving rapidly. The school development plan is a useful document that identifies appropriate areas for improvement. The school has developed an effective new policy for formal monitoring and senior staff regularly monitor teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. For example, the co-ordinator for DT regularly monitors quality, standards and curriculum coverage, amending the scheme of work, as required, to ensure that all pupils have their full curricular entitlement. This is a clear improvement from the previous inspection when both monitoring procedures and the curriculum for DT were judged to have weaknesses.

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The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and

16. The headteacher, deputy and senior managers undertake a thorough annual self review against a set of performance indicators and have a clear understanding of the action needed to move the school forward. For example, the quality of teachers’ planning was highlighted in the academic year 1998/1999 as an area for development and, as a result, short and mid-term planning has become a major strength of the school.

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The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and

17. The school generally makes good use of the financial resources at its disposal, linking spending effectively to targets identified in the school development plan. The school benefits from a hard working and dedicated staff, excellent accommodation and a wide range of good quality teaching and learning resources. Subject co-ordinators regularly conduct audits of resources and new purchases are made according to need. The accommodation is managed very effectively, allowing the full range of curricular subjects to be taught. The school makes good use of most of the facilities at its disposal, and is now aware that it is not currently getting a good return on the Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 13 significant investment made in either the library or the computer suite. The principles of best value are applied to a satisfactory degree.

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The management of the school is good. Senior managers and staff work together well as a team and

18. The governing body is effective in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities although there are some omissions in the their annual report to parents. The governing body and its various committees meet regularly, as required. The curriculum committee reviews policies and schemes of work and has, for example, recently discussed developments in literacy, numeracy and ICT. Members of this committee have observed lessons and express their admiration for the quality of teaching that they have seen. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and play a significant part in shaping its direction.

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The ethos of the school is very positive. It promotes spiritual and moral development very

19. The positive ethos of the school can be clearly seen in many aspects of school life. High priority is given to developing spirituality through daily worship, for example in a class assembly dealing with the theme of ‘growing inside.’ Spirituality is also developed very effectively throughout the curriculum as, for example, when children in an early years class share stories such as ‘Brewster- the Worlds Worst Dog’, and are asked to reflect on their feelings and thoughts about happiness, sadness and anger. Pupils are effectively encouraged to discuss special moments in their lives, such as performing in the school production of “A Midsummer’s Nights Dream” or making their First Holy Communion. Pupils are pleased to share the wonder of these magical moments with adults and describe their feelings confidently and articulately.

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The ethos of the school is very positive. It promotes spiritual and moral development very

20. Pupils are given many good opportunities to gain a clear understanding of what is right and wrong and their excellent behaviour in class, at play and during lunchtimes is testimony to this. They are very well behaved at all times and are aware of the school’s expectations of them. Pupils in an early years class learn to share and take turns whilst playing musical instruments, whilst older Key Stage 1 pupils are tolerant of each other when sorting themselves into alphabetical order as part of a plenary session in a literacy lesson. Older pupils, who act as school librarians, know that it is wrong to misuse books and are happy to assist younger pupils in the correct handling of books. Older Key Stage 2 pupils articulately debate the rights and wrongs of euthanasia.

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Further develop the range of teaching methods used by teachers so that pupils are given more

frequent opportunities to think about and to take more responsibility for their own learning.

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Further develop the range of teaching methods used by teachers so that pupils are given more

21. Teachers plan their lessons very carefully and make every effort to make them worthwhile learning experiences for all pupils. A notable strength of many of the better lessons seen is the quality of the teaching in the introductory section, when teachers establish and share the learning objectives, introduce the specialist vocabulary required and explain the content of the activity in great detail.

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Further develop the range of teaching methods used by teachers so that pupils are given more

22. However, in many of these lessons, which are often judged to be good overall, there are weaknesses in the quality of some of the questions asked by teachers. Teachers have a very detailed plan of where they want the lesson to lead and often ask “closed” questions that are designed to help them achieve their goals in the shortest available time. An example of this was observed in an IT lesson that was judged to be very good overall. The teacher asked a quick succession of brisk, well focused questions about spreadsheets which revised prior knowledge very effectively, established the new technical vocabulary required and led pupils down pre-planned paths to the outcomes established by the teacher. Pupils willingly volunteered information, but at no time were they challenged to think deeply about the implications of what they had learnt or the possible applications of their new learning.

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Further develop the range of teaching methods used by teachers so that pupils are given more

23. In some other lessons teachers too readily accept simple one-word answers when pupils are capable of answering questions at great length and in far more detail. Teachers frequently seize upon the Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 14 first correct answer offered when much could be gained from encouraging pupils to think more deeply about a range of possible solutions. In many of the lessons seen teachers were working very hard, but are giving pupils too much assistance as they complete the tasks set and strive to achieve the agreed learning objectives. As a result many pupils in the class are not working hard enough themselves and are not being sufficiently challenged to think about and take full responsibility for what they are learning.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

24. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to create and implement an effective policy for special educational needs. There is however no appropriate policy to guide teachers in their planning for gifted and talented pupils.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

25. Whilst teachers plan lessons to include activities which are suitably matched to the needs of pupils of all abilities, what is planned for the more able pupils is often based on the complexity of task and not sufficiently on encouraging pupils to think for themselves. For example, in a numeracy lesson which involved the completion of problem solving activities, a group of more able pupils were required to use a greater number of mathematical operations than pupils in other groups, instead of being given opportunities to apply these operations by constructing problems for themselves. In some of the science lessons seen, more able pupils were asked to devise a fair test, but were given detailed instructions and guidance on how to complete the task, rather than being allowed to work it out for themselves.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

Improve the school’s provision for cultural and social development across the curriculum.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

26. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is unsatisfactory. Since the last inspection the school has effectively extended the religious education syllabus to include the study of religions other than Christianity, but opportunities are missed to visit different places of worship. The school deals sensitively with cultural issues as and when pupils ask questions. However, across the curriculum there is insufficient structured coverage of the cultural heritage and religions of other countries. A good music lesson that concentrated on Chinese composition and song provided a good example of how the appreciation of different cultures can be interwoven into effective teaching. However, in other lessons opportunities are missed to share and value the backgrounds of the school’s own pupils. In a DT lesson, for example, when children were learning about different sorts of food packaging the teacher did not take full advantage of the contribution made

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

by Indian and Italian pupils about the different types of bread found in their home countries. During the inspection displays around the school did not contribute sufficiently to the raising of pupils’ awareness of the rich diversity of backgrounds and origins of people not only from their part of London, but throughout the United Kingdom.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

27. The provision for social development is satisfactory overall, but there are some opportunities for the development of the pupils’ personal education that are missed. All pupils are very willing and keen to take on responsibility. They are mature and thoughtful, having a strong dedication to their school community. The school, however, does not provide, for example, opportunities for pupils to take part in either residential visits or any form of school council. Few structured opportunities are provided for pupils to offer their opinions about how the school is run.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

28. Pupils have a highly developed social conscience and raise significant sums of money for charity. However, they are not given sufficient opportunities to select appropriate charities, or to decide how they are going to raise the money since staff and governors make most decisions of this type for them.

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Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate

29. Pupils, particularly the gifted and talented, are not always encouraged to develop their own methods for researching, experimenting and extending their learning through independent study. This is especially important for older pupils as they develop their learning skills in preparation for secondary school. The pupils benefit well from being part of a structured and supportive Catholic Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 15 community but there are limited opportunities for them to become sufficiently involved in the wider local community or to develop the values of citizenship beyond the local parish.

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understanding of the progress their children are making, and are better informed about the work and

30. Parents are very supportive of the school. They contribute well to their children’s learning, whether at home or at school, and are very keen to see their children succeed. Although there is no formal parent teacher association, parents raise substantial sums of money to purchase resources, run several after school clubs and organise a rota to ease parking congestion at the main gates. In return, parents receive good quality information about developments in the curriculum and what their children are learning in class.

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understanding of the progress their children are making, and are better informed about the work and

31. A significant number of parents indicated at the pre-inspection meeting indicated that they feel, to some extent, that the governors of the school are keeping them at “arms length” and are not providing sufficient information on major school issues. The inspection team supports this view. The annual report from governors does not meet statutory requirements since it omits the address of the clerk to governors, the term of office for each governor and the agreed targets for Key Stage 2 assessments for the coming year. In addition, insufficient detail is provided in the financial statement, not enough information is given about the date of the next parent governor election and how the selection procedures work, and minutes of the meetings of the governing body are not always made available to parents. The school attracts a good number of parents to the governors’ annual meeting by combining it with the Year 6 leavers’ celebration. However, the prize giving

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understanding of the progress their children are making, and are better informed about the work and

tends to dominate the evening and many parents feel it is an inappropriate forum to raise concerns, or to ask questions about the management and organisation of the school.

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understanding of the progress their children are making, and are better informed about the work and

32. Information to parents does not give a consistently clear picture of their children’s progress. There are a satisfactory number of meetings where parents can meet their child’s teacher and can discuss progress. End of year written reports tell parents what has been covered in lessons and what their children know, understand and can do, but they do not all give sufficient indication of how the pupil has progressed since the last report. Too many reports contain identical information, particularly for the foundation subjects, and do not give a real flavour of the individual pupil. Several teachers finish the report with a useful section on “Recommendations for the Future”, which establishes clear and understandable targets for children and parents, but this good practice is not consistently applied across all classes. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Further develop the range of teaching methods used so that pupils are given more frequent opportunities to think about and to take more responsibility for their own learning by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Increasing the frequency of “open-ended” questions so that pupils are more effectively encouraged to think deeply about what they are learning;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b) Using a wider range of teaching methods including, for example, providing more opportunities for pupils to pose their own questions and conduct independent research.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the provision for gifted and talented pupils by developing and implementing an appropriate policy for their teaching and learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the school’s provision for cultural and social development across the curriculum by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Providing pupils with better opportunities to study the customs and cultural heritage of other peoples;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b) Making better use of displays around the school so that they make a greater contribution to the raising of pupils’ awareness of the rich diversity of backgrounds and origins of different people;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c) Provide a wider range of opportunities for pupils to increase their personal development by taking part in a wider range of activities that will develop independence, self-awareness and an appreciation of citizenship.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the quality of the school’s formal communication with parents so that they have a better understanding of the progress their children are making and are better informed about the work and governance of the school by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Improving the quality of written reports to parents so that they give a clearer picture of the progress being made;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b) Including all the required elements in the governors’ annual written report to parents;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c) Holding a governors’ annual meeting for parents that provides them with more appropriate opportunities to raise any concerns and ask any questions they wish about the management and organisation of the school. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 23 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 4 22 52 22 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 15 229 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 35 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 57

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.6 School data 0.1 Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 18 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 22 13 35

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 20 21 21 level 2 and above Girls 13 13 13 Total 33 34 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 94 97 97 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 21 21 22 level 2 and above Girls 13 13 13 Total 34 34 35

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 97 97 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 14 14 28

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 12 12 13 level 4 and above Girls 14 12 13 Total 26 24 26

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 93 86 93 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 9 12 12 level 4 and above Girls 12 12 13 Total 21 24 25

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 75 86 89 Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 20 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 7 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 10 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 3 Black – other 0 0 Indian 2 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 214 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 23 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 1998/99

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.9

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 32.7 £ Total income 452,209 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 455,188 Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1,858

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week ? Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 31273

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nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) Number of pupils per qualified teacher

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nursery

Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week ?

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nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 7.5 FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 22 Our Lady & St John RC Primary School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 69 28 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 73 25 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 53 38 7 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 59 37 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 40 0 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 80 20 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 44 8 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 65 35 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 32 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 36 9 3 11

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