St Bernard's Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Inspection number 193164 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.

p.1

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 Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wake Green Road Moseley Birmingham

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Mary Cullen

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 April 1996 St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members John Lilly Registered inspector Juliet Baxter Lay inspector Aileen King Team inspector Roy Lund Team inspector

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks TN15 0EG

p.4

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:

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

REPORT CONTENTS

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

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for the school, and this guides very good leadership and management. Staff use monitoring and evaluation very successfully to raise standards. Teaching is good, and often very good or excellent. Standards in English, mathematics and science are very high. The pupil’s behaviour and personal development are very good, and relationships excellent. Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Standards of care and guidance for pupils are very high. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

The pupils’ ability to use their own initiative when learning. The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why Pupils succeed, why they meet problems and what they need to learn next. The partnership between home and school that supports the pupils’ learning. The planning and management for personal, health and social education. Opportunities to learn about the major cultures other than Christianity that are followed by many in modern society.

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 16 - 17

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18 - 21

p.5

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 6

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This much larger than average Catholic primary school serves an area of very diverse housing and social conditions. It is one of two Catholic primary schools serving a large parish, and the school furthest from the parish church. The immediate locality of the school is an area of private housing. A significant minority of the pupils come from this favoured area, but the majority come from communities some distance away. These communities live in local authority and low cost private housing, and are less socially and economically favoured than the national average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average, but very close to the top of this band. Although most pupils come from Catholic families, there is a higher than the national average number of pupils from families where English is not the first language of their parents, and most of these families have Muslim, Sikh or Hindu heritages. There are 407 girls and boys on roll between the ages of

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

four and eleven. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements, is well below the average for schools of this type. When children join the school their attainment is broadly average, but towards the lower end of that range. The school’s mission is to ‘be a Gospel-inspired living community’ and its aims support its Catholic status. Present priorities within improvement planning include literacy, numeracy, information technology and the development of pupils’ independent learning skills.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Bernard’s is a very good school because it does many things consistently well. Governors and senior management set an extremely strong direction for the school. It is very well led and managed, and staff work as a close-knit and very determined team. Teaching throughout the school and across all subjects is good and often very good. Expectations are very high and staff and pupils work hard to achieve them. Values are very strong, and pupils not only behave very well, but also develop very successfully as caring, thoughtful and responsible young people. As a consequence, attainment by seven years and eleven years old is well above the national average, and standards have steadily improved at this high level over recent years. The school offers very good value for money.

p.6

What the school does very well

 The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for the school, and this guides very good leadership and management.  Staff use monitoring and evaluation very successfully to raise standards.  Teaching is good, and often very good or excellent.  Standards in English, mathematics and science are very high.  The pupils’ behaviour and personal development are very good, and relationships excellent.  Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good.  Standards of care and guidance for pupils are very high.  Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 7

p.6

What could be improved

(These are not weaknesses, but areas of development that will enable even higher standards.)  Pupils’ ability to use their own initiative when they are learning.  Oral and written feedback that makes clear why pupils succeed, why they meet problems and what they need to learn next.  The partnership between home and school that supports the pupils’ learning.  The planning and management of personal, health and social education.  Opportunities to learn about the major religious cultures other than Christianity that are followed by many in modern society and by some pupils in the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school addressed key issues identified by the last OFSTED inspection (in April 1996) with businesslike determination. Provision for art and music is now good. Support teachers and class assistants are deployed very effectively. The school has implemented a detailed plan to help pupils take more responsibility and initiative for their learning, and supported this plan with additional resources. Pupils are already showing benefits, but there is some way still to go. The last inspection found very high standards. The school has not only maintained these very high standards but also continued to improve year by year. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall, and very good in some areas, for example improved attainment by the end of Key Stage 2.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

A* shows where the attainment is very high compared with other schools, namely in the top five per cent of results.

p.7

STANDARDS

The results in the table above show that the school consistently achieves overall the very high standards that are achieved by only the best five per cent of schools. The school has improved standards each year, even though this is very difficult to achieve. Children enter the school at four years old with attainment that is broadly in line with the national average but towards the lower end of that range, and leave to progress to secondary education with attainment overall that is very high. This means pupils make very good progress. A feature of the results is that almost all pupils attain the nationally expected Level 4, and well above the average proportion achieve the higher Level 5. At present, no pupils reach the very high Level 6; in some very effective and similar schools pupils do attain this higher level. The St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 8 school sets challenging targets for pupils to achieve, but inspectors found that teachers

p.7

STANDARDS

actually set pupils even higher targets, and usually enable pupils to attain them. Inspectors when observing lessons and looking at previous work found the same very high standards as shown by these results, although, for present pupils in Year 6, standards in English were not quite as high. Although on short inspections, inspectors do not make individual judgements on subjects other than English, mathematics and science, they found that attainment in other subjects was at least good.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very keen to come to school and work hard. They enjoy both work and play and, as one said, ‘I love this school’.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good. In 80 per cent of lessons it was very good or excellent.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils develop very well, becoming mature, sensitive and caring young people who set themselves high standards. Relationships between staff and pupils, and amongst pupils are excellent.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is average compared with similar schools. Family holidays in term-time are the main reason why attendance is not better.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The school works hard and very successfully to create a community with good relationships and strong values. The pupils say how they feel important members of this community, and that they share responsibility with adults for making certain it is equally positive for everyone; bullying is extremely rare. Pupils told inspectors that they believed the rules were sensible and applied fairly. Staff set very high expectations for behaviour and provide fine role models for pupils to follow. Older pupils realise they have a responsibility to provide role models for younger pupils, and take this responsibility very seriously. Although pupils take responsibility for their work and behaviour, teachers’ strong expectations sometimes restrict some pupils’ willingness to show personal initiative.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

In the lessons seen during the inspection, almost all teaching was good, and a third was very good or excellent. The strength of the teaching is its consistent high quality across subjects and in all classes, and this is borne out by looking at the pupils’ previous work. Teachers have very high expectations, firm class management, very detailed plans with clear objectives, and high subject knowledge and expertise. Their work is guided by accurate assessment and they make effective use of homework. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good. Teachers make satisfactory use of information technology, but the school recognises that the teaching is insufficiently systematic to ensure required coverage of computing and control technology. The school has agreed plans to increase this subject’s contribution once the information and communication technology room is operational. Teachers are trying new ways of encouraging pupils to work on their own and

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 9 this is bringing significant benefits, but it remains an area for development. Pupils work with speed and determination, and with considerable care to produce their best. At all levels of ability, pupils make very good progress in lessons and over time, and this is particularly true of the least able. Sometimes the more able pupils lack the confidence to show initiative, and this holds them back from attempting highly original work.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad, balanced and, in the main, relevant to pupils’ present and future lives.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is very well managed and delivered. A strength is the quality of classroom assistants and the effective way class teachers work closely with assistants and support teachers. The individual education plans are excellent.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Most classes have at least one pupil who speaks two languages, or who comes from a family where English is not the first language of their parents. They are skilfully supported and make equivalent progress to other pupils.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good, and for cultural development good. Personal, health and social education is effectively taught through other subjects, but there is no overall scheme of work to ensure that all areas are equally well covered, each part contributing to the others. Other faiths are respected and celebrated, but the pupils are given too few opportunities to gain a secure understanding of the values and beliefs of cultures other than Christianity.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for and guides pupils very well.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

There is a very positive relationship between home and school, and many productive partnership activities. The school recognises that the use of home-school books and reading diaries remains an area for development, and has plans to help these to become an even better basis for frequent communication between home and school, parents and teachers as equal partners in supporting the pupils’ learning. Although guidance for pupils is good, and teachers know their pupils extremely well, staff miss some opportunities to improve guidance further. For example, although teachers mark work very conscientiously, they sometimes miss the opportunity to add the comment that clarifies for pupils why they succeed, why they meet problems and what they need to learn next. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 10

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Staff share an extremely strong commitment to the mission of the school and to achieving very high standards. The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very strong leadership and expert management, and subject co-ordinators follow their example. A strength is the way teachers plan together and use opportunities to see each other teach, suggesting areas for improvement.

p.10

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors work effectively and efficiently, fully involved in setting the direction of the school and improvement planning. They meet their statutory responsibilities.

p.10

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance This is a considerable strength of the school. Monitoring is systematic and evaluation rigorous. As a result, staff use the understanding this brings to improve their performance. At present, the school does not formally analyse results by ethnic background, although they do so by gender.

p.10

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources There is a very effective link between improvement planning and the way money is spent and resources deployed. Investment over time has significantly improved the accommodation.

p.10

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Highly effective leadership and management drive the high standards achieved by the school. Governors and management achieve very good value by comparing their performance with other effective schools, and by using outside experts to offer advice. Even in such a very reflective school as St Bernard’s, advisors are not used extensively to challenge present practice.

p.10

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.10

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

 The school expects their children to work hard and achieve high standards and, consequently, they achieve their best.  Teaching is very good.  Pupils’ behaviour and relationships are very good, and consequently their children develop well.  Leadership and management are very effective.  They can easily approach staff to discuss any problems, and are kept well informed.  The range of activities outside lessons.

p.10

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agree with the positive views of parents. Judging from letters received by the team and comments raised at the parents’ meeting, the concern about outside lesson activities seems to fall into two aspects. There is concern about clubs and activities. The team finds that there is a satisfactory range of clubs and activities, and each provides high quality experience. The provision is better at Key Stage 2 than for Key Stage 1. There is also concern over playtimes. The school has a legitimate concern for safety because the play surfaces are hard, and only just large enough for the numbers of pupils involved. However, there is insufficient play equipment, especially for the youngest pupils. The school St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 11 has begun to supply more play equipment, and inspectors saw staff working very positively to lead the pupils’ play.

p.10

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors followed up all other concerns raised by individual parents. In each case, right or wrong, they were unique to an individual event, and not characteristic of the school as a whole. The school recognises it cannot always get matters right, and sometimes there must be an agreement to disagree. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 12

p.11

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

the school, and this guides very good leadership and management.

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

1. It is the very good leadership provided by the headteacher and deputy headteacher that is fundamental to the school’s success. This leadership is based upon an extremely clear sense of mission and direction, and very strong values. These high standards are reflected in the work of other senior and more junior managers; management is both systematic and expert. This expertise not only involves careful improvement planning, but also detailed working out of the most effective ways and means to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. The school’s improvement plan is a comprehensive and focused plan of action, although some areas do not clearly specify what is to be achieved in ways that help to measure or test progress. Expectations of staff are very high, and aspirations are driven by very challenging targets. Self-evaluation is strong at a full-school level, and also at a subject and individual teacher level; this is a very reflective school. Policies are clear, understood

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

and useful. These policies gain from collaboration with partnership schools. Systematic monitoring of performance and rigorous evaluation, including skilled analysis of assessment data, inform planning that leads to increased attainment by pupils. Staff are helped to develop, and are perceptively guided when they meet problems. Their successes are recognised and celebrated. This effective management is based upon prudent yet expert financial management and the precise deployment of resources. St Bernard’s is a very effective and efficient school.

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

Staff use monitoring and evaluation very successfully to raise standards.

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

2. Management allows time for subject co-ordinators to work alongside colleagues, feeding back ideas for improvement of teaching and pupils’ learning. Similarly, the headteacher and deputy observe teaching, and help teachers in the same year to see each other teach and share expertise. This leads to more effective teaching. Teachers plan as a team, sharing good ideas, the solution to problems, and perceptions that come from observation of teaching checked against pupils’ achievements. This grows from a ethos of professional trust and respect amongst colleagues, and involves teaching as well as non-teaching staff. In the wider context, the caretaker and office staff are very much members of the team, and make a major contribution to the school’s success, providing fine role models for pupils.

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

Teaching is good, and often very good or excellent.

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

3. There is no unsatisfactory teaching, and most is at least good; a third is very good or excellent. This very effective teaching enables pupils to make very good progress and attain very high standards. The teachers have a considerable and warranted authority in the classrooms. This comes from high expertise and high expectations of pupils, rigorously applied. Lessons are very skilfully planned, both over time and also on each occasion. Lesson plans have clear objectives. These are written on the board for pupils, and the class checks they have been met by the end of the lesson. Teachers explain ideas very clearly, and use question and answer effectively, making good use of materials and resources. They make good use of homework, and work very closely with skilled support assistants and teachers. Staff know their pupils very St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 13 well. This is because they check how individuals are progressing, and assess

p.12

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

attainment regularly and accurately. Marking is conscientious and frequent, but misses opportunities to tell pupils why they have succeeded, why they have met problems, and what they need to learn next, although these areas are sometimes covered orally. The teachers are addressing the need to encourage the pupils to learn independently and show initiative, but sometimes this conflicts with teachers’ high expectations and strong direction. In some cases, this strong lead by the teacher causes pupils to miss the learning that comes from solving problems for themselves, finding their own ways to improve their answers and solutions. Even so, this very effective teaching helps pupils to gain the skills and attitudes necessary to learn effectively. They work hard and very fast, never allowing this pace to cause poor or careless work. Inspectors often saw pupils checking their work, and working until their final version was the best they could achieve.

p.13

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

Standards in English, mathematics and science are very high.

p.13

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

4. These high standards start at the beginning. In reception classes, expectations are very high and routines taught very effectively. Basic skills of writing, reading and number are taught very effectively, but even more significantly, so are the skills of speaking and listening. Teachers in each class and in each year build upon this good start. Consequently, girls and boys of all abilities make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very effectively and, consequently, most reach the nationally expected standards by the time they are eleven. More able pupils forge ahead and achieve the higher levels. Even so, the very able and talented pupils do not achieve the extremely high levels seen in similarly effective schools. This, in part, relates to teachers’ planning and, in part, to the stage in development of the school’s plans to support truly independent learning.

p.13

The headteacher and governors provide extremely clear and challenging direction for

These very high standards mean pupils speak effectively, listen intently for meaning, read for interest and enjoyment, and write powerfully and accurately for a variety of purposes. They are confident users of number and understand the importance of mathematics. They have good subject knowledge in science and a sophisticated and mature understanding of how scientists investigate the world.

p.13

The pupil’s behaviour and personal development are very good, and relationships

5. In lessons, behaviour is almost always very good, and good at all other times. This is also true before and after school, and at playtimes. Lunchtimes are very civilised occasions, with pupils conversing sensibly and ensuring that others enjoy their meal. Relationships are warm and extremely positive between pupils and adults, and amongst pupils. This is very evident in assemblies; there is a very strong impression that pupils believe that these events add meaning and purpose to their lives, as well as a sense of joy in the achievements of others.

p.13

Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good

6. This is a deeply spiritual school, perhaps most clearly observed in assemblies. Displays trigger spiritual response in pupils, and this becomes evident in their own writing. At times, the drive to achieve restricts opportunities to consider quietly the wonders of life and nature, for example in science. The school agrees rules, and pupils consider them fair and sensible. This sense of right and wrong is not only understood by pupils, but also becomes part of their own beliefs. The school operates as a well-ordered and caring community that values everyone equally and is clear as to what it must achieve. Pupils learn by playing their part in the community’s St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 14 success. Through work in such subjects as English and geography they deeply consider wider social issues, and question how the quality of life can be improved.

p.13

Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good

Standards of care and guidance for pupils are very high.

p.14

Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good

7. The school makes the safety and welfare of pupils a very high priority, and supports this by effective policies and procedures. Pupils understand and value these procedures. Staff know their pupils very well and continually support their development, both personal and academic, with sensitivity and perception. The school recognises that pupils need to play a greater part in their own development, and are planning to introduce a ‘passport to success’ document and scheme, linked to a more developed home-school book.

p.14

Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

p.14

Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good

8. The provision for pupils with special needs is very well managed, and it is backed by precise assessment and diagnosis of problems. The school works effectively with outside agencies and parents. At the core of this provision are excellent individual education plans that guide the pupils’ learning, and the very effective teamwork between class teachers and skilled support staff. As a result, the school very quickly identifies when problems can be put right, and when pupils have significant learning problems that need additional expert support. The school is now beginning to look at the special educational needs of gifted and talented pupils.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

9. What follows are not weaknesses, but areas of development that will drive the achievement of even higher standards and further enrich the overall learning of the pupils. In many ways they are linked by a need for pupils to become more aware of the part they need to play in their own learning. Discussions with governors and staff suggest that these areas are already present in the longer-term strategic thinking of the school.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The pupils’ ability to use their own initiative when learning.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

10. The school has already implemented a range of strategies to help pupils to carry out independent research, and has provided resources to help this happen, for example the library, use of support staff and increased access to research software and the internet. This is bringing clear benefits. However, at this stage of development, planning is rather ‘bolt-on’ rather than an integral part of all learning and teaching. This situation relates to teaching that sets very high standards to be reached and, consequently, at times overly controls the way pupils will achieve these standards. Pupils sometimes produce very similar work, rather than original and innovative creativity. The planning for lessons ensures that most pupils achieve the required standard, and that extension work is available for the more able. However, these tasks do not always sufficiently enable the higher order learning skills this higher

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

attainment requires, for example analysis of data, setting and testing hypotheses, inference and deduction, and balancing evidence in support of an argument. These require giving pupils the confidence to learn by testing many possible solutions on the way to the right solution.

p.14

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

they meet problems and what they need to learn next. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 15 11. Teachers mark work conscientiously, but rarely add the comment that helps pupils understand why they succeed, why they have met problems, and what they need to learn next. Often such areas are covered by discussion with the pupils, but this misses opportunities for a pupil to keep a written record that they can then use to form their own action plan for improvement. Similarly, although teachers use question and answer very effectively to check understanding, they more rarely ask the open question that forces pupils to think through why they succeed and why they still find something difficult. This also relates to the pace of lessons. Although the pace of lessons drives intense concentration and endeavour, at times it restricts the opportunity to pause for a moment to think through a problem and design a

p.14

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

considered answer, or even suggest a possible answer that once examined proves to be wrong, but shows the way to a better solution.

p.15

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

The partnership between home and school that supports the pupils’ learning.

p.15

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

12. There is a very positive relationship between home and school, and most parents actively support the learning of their children. However, the school recognise this as an area for development, and are considering how the partnership can become more effective. The school is planning to introduce a homework diary. They are researching how similarly effective schools have designed home-school books, and how these books can be a vehicle for frequent communication between home and school, and can contain targets and lessons learned from the type of marking covered in the previous paragraph. The ‘passport to success’ being considered by the school is intended to enrich these initiatives by recognising and celebrating achievement, and is a positive strategy.

p.15

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

The planning and management for personal, health and social education.

p.15

The oral and written feedback to pupils that makes clear why pupils succeed, why

13. Sex education and health education topics, including the dangers of drugs, are well covered within other subjects, and education concerning the family within religious education. However, the school has yet to bring all these complementary areas together within a unified scheme of work. It is therefore difficult to assure that all necessary areas are covered and that topics are delivered in the right order so that each stage in learning builds upon what went before. Similarly, opportunities may be missed to help pupils see how, together, all these areas contribute to helping them deal with their future adult responsibilities. Staff recognise this and plan to review provision and planning in the light of forthcoming government guidance.

p.15

Opportunities to learn about the major cultures other than Christianity that are

14. The school is rightly very committed to its mission as a Catholic school. It provides many opportunities for pupils to appreciate other cultures, for example by recognising the festivals of other religions and arranging for visits of dancers from other cultures. The school community includes pupils from other faiths and all pupils will and do live in communities that have a variety of values and beliefs. In this context, at present the curriculum provides too few opportunities to gain secure understanding of these cultures, for example Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam within geography topics, and Judaism within history topics. Therefore, opportunities are missed to build upon the many ways in which the school teaches pupils to respect other values and beliefs, and the way staff and pupils ‘enjoy’ festivals with pupils of other faiths.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 16 15. St Bernard’s is already a very effective school and standards are already very high. Therefore, what follows are areas that staff and governors should consider when seeking to raise standards further and to enrich even more the pupils’ learning.

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Increase opportunities for pupils to show initiative when learning independently by: (paragraphs 10 and 11)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 building into lesson planning more opportunities for pupils to form and test hypotheses;  building into planning more opportunities for pupils to analyse data in ways that use inference and deduction;  providing more opportunities in lessons for pupils to quietly reflect and think through problems and their solution;  adding to teachers’ effective use of question and answer, the type of question that drives pupils to think for themselves.

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Increase written and oral feedback to pupils that makes clear why they succeed, why they meet problems and what they need to learn next by: (paragraphs 11 and 10)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 ensuring that marking includes comments that show pupils why they have succeeded, why they have met problems, and what they need to learn next;  increasing the oral feedback to pupils that not only tells them when something is right or wrong, but helps them understand how they can improve;  increasing opportunities for pupils to investigate for themselves why they succeed or fail, perhaps encouraging them to help each other in these evaluations.

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the partnership between home and school that supports the pupils’ learning by: (paragraphs 12 and 11)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 building into the intended homework-book opportunities for effective and regular communication between home and school;  including opportunities in this book for communicating to parents their children’s learning targets and ways they can help them to be achieved;  ensuring productive coherence between the intended ‘Passport for success’ and the home-school book. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 17 (4) Make provision for personal, health and social education more systematic and structured by: (paragraph 13)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 designing a scheme of work that covers all required areas and that guides teachers as to how this learning can be integrated with other learning;  implementing monitoring, evaluating and auditing procedures to guide implementation.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Increase opportunities for pupils to learn about the major cultures other than Christianity that are followed by many in modern society and by some pupils in the school by: (paragraph 14)

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 identifying those religious cultures that are most relevant to life in a multi- faith society;  providing training for staff in knowledge and understanding of these cultures;  identifying opportunities in present planning when study of these cultures enriches learning, for example when studying other countries, or when studying historical periods when a religion has particular significance;  seeking even more ways of including the cultural contributions from these cultures, for example in music, art, drama and dance, but also in the areas of technology, mathematics and science. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 18

p.17

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

7 25 65 3 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 407

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 62

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 26

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 17

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.18

Attendance

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. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 19

p.18

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 27 31 58

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 24 23 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 31 31 31

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 (83) 90 (92) 95 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (85) 87 (86)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 25 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 31 31 31

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 97 (95) 91 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.19

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 26 29 55

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 25 26 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 29 29

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 98 (95) 100 (98) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 23 25 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 27 28

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 89 (92) 95 (91) 96 (95 ) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 20

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 19 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.

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.5 Financial year 1999-2000

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Average class size 29 £ FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 739438

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 744044

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 1824

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 119 Balance brought forward from previous year 45413

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 40807 St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School - 21

p.20

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 59 38 2 1 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 37 2 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 47 43 6 3 1

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 44 3 1 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 26 3 1 1

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 86 13 1 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 59 36 4 0 1

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 78 20 2 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 27 1 1 1

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 30 15 3 4

p.21

Other issues raised by parents

 The inspection received many letters from parents, most of which expressed very positive views of the school.  A few parents were concerned that sometimes pupils felt excluded from friendship groups.  Both in letters and at the parents’ meeting, a significant number of parents felt that play was too restricted at break times.

p.21