St Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st May – 25 th May 2001

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SCHOOL

Full 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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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. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Oakland Road Moseley Birmingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr William Ozanne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th – 14 th March 1997 St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 19121 Mr D Walker Registered inspector Mathematics, geography 1. What sort of school is it?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

2.1 The school’s results and achievements.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

7. How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

8. What should the school do to improve further?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19436 Mr M O’Malley Lay inspector 2.2 Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6. How well does the school work in partnership with parents?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

12954 Mrs P Claxton Team inspector English, Information and communication technology,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

4. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

31327 Mrs A Johnson Team inspector Science, art, history, physical education 5. How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

 Special educational needs 28071 Mr A Williams Team inspector  English as an additional language St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr C Richards Leicestershire County Council Education Department County Hall Glenfield Leicester LE3 8RF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

Information about the school 7 How good the school is 7 What the school does well 7 What could be improved 7 How the school has improved since its last inspection 8 Standards 8 Pupils’ attitudes and values 9 Teaching and learning 9 Other aspects of the school 10 How well the school is led and managed 11 Parents’ and carers’ views of the school 11

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 28

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided school for pupils aged four to eleven. It serves the needs of the Roman Catholic community of the parish of Ss John and Martin in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. The school currently has 210 pupils on roll and is smaller than most primary schools. Pupils are admitted to the reception class in the September of the year in which they reach their fifth birthday. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above the national average. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is very high when compared to all schools, but this has dropped by a third since 1997. The pupils represent a wide range of ethnic groups. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs has also dropped significantly since 1997 and is now well below the national average. Three pupils have statements of special educational needs. The attainment of pupils on entry to

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the school has risen since the last inspection. The attainment of the pupils who joined the foundation stage class this year is generally above the national average. The school serves a diverse catchment where the socio-economic circumstances are below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Martin de Porres is a very good school with some outstanding features. Pupils attain high standards by the age of eleven in English and mathematics as a result of their positive attitudes to learning and the good teaching they receive. Relationships between all adults and pupils are excellent and the atmosphere within the school is one where all learners are valued and respected. This makes pupils proud to be part of the family of St Martin de Porres School. The headteacher provides effective leadership to the whole school community and she is well supported by an able deputy and dedicated staff team. The quality of care received by pupils is very good and they, in turn, respond very positively to this. Their behaviour and attitudes to school are very good. Pupils like their school and work hard because of the support and encouragement they receive. This is an effective school that parents and the wider community can be proud of. The school gives good value for

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What the school does well

 Pupils attain good standards in English and mathematics  Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent. This encourages the excellent behaviour of pupils who enjoy school and always try to do their best  The effective support for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language enables them to make at least good progress  A broad and balanced curriculum is enriched by a wide range of educational visits and activities  The personal example set by the headteacher has helped to create an ethos in the school where all are valued and respected  The spiritual and moral development of pupils is very good

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What could be improved

 Improve pupils’ attainment in design and technology and information and communication technology in Key Stage 2  Further develop the role of governors in the strategic management of the school  Further develop the role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning  Provide more opportunities for pupils to become involved in their own learning The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in March 1997. The key issues identified for improvement related to the maintenance of high standards, curriculum depth in the foundation subjects, the development of day-to-day planning for assessment and the effectiveness of monitoring and curriculum priorities. Attainment and progress in geography were identified as unsatisfactory but geography was not made a key issue. The school has made good progress in addressing these issues. Standards have been maintained at Key Stage 2 and improved at Key Stage 1. The school’s work on curriculum planning will need to be reviewed following the recent changes to the structure of the National Curriculum. Monitoring has been effective in a number of subjects but the school acknowledges the need to extend this to all subject co-ordinators. The use made of ongoing assessment information is enabling the school to group pupils effectively by prior attainment for work in literacy and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

numeracy in Key Stage 2. This is having a significant impact on the attainment of all pupils. The school has enhanced the quality of the accommodation since the last inspection. The school has not done enough to meet the revised National Curriculum requirements for information and communication technology. The school is well placed to improve upon its already high standards in English and mathematics and good quality of teaching.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A A* C A well above average above average A B

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Key

Mathematics A* A* B A Average Below average C D Science A* A* A A* Well below average E

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Key

In the 2000 National Curriculum tests, pupils aged eleven attained standards that were average in English, above average in mathematics and well above average in science. When compared to similar schools, the standards attained were well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science and in the top 5% of similar schools nationally. Pupils at St Martins de Porres are, on average, three terms in advance of where they might be expected to be at age eleven. Standards of attainment of the seven-year-olds in 2000 were above average in writing and mathematics and well above average in reading. They were average in the science teacher assessments. When compared to similar schools, they were well above average in writing and mathematics and very high in reading and in the top 5% of similar schools nationally. They were well above average in the science teacher assessments. The attainment of pupils who joined the school’s foundation stage

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Key

class this year is above that generally found. By the time pupils are ready to join Year 1, the majority will have attained the early learning goals in all areas of learning and a significant minority will have exceeded them. The standards of work in English, mathematics and St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 9 science of the current eleven year-olds reflect the above average standards attained in the 2000 National Curriculum tests. Standards of attainment in design and technology and information and communication technology at age eleven are below those expected for the age. Standards of attainment in art and design, geography, history, physical education and music are in line with national expectations for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. No judgement is possible for music due to the lack of evidence. The school has met its previous targets for eleven year-old pupils’ attainment and has set targets that reflect the high

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy learning and have very good attitudes to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of pupils is excellent in all situations around the school. They are courteous, trustworthy and show respect for their own and school property.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils are excellent. Pupils’ personal development is good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Punctuality is good and lessons start promptly but, overall, attendance is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils respond very positively to their work and they enjoy working hard. Their behaviour is so good because they are so interested in their work. This helps them make good progress in their learning. Pupils are confident in what they do and this reflects the trust that exists between them and adults. They know that adults care about them. Pupils show a mature attitude to the responsibilities they are given, as when leading assemblies and clearing toys away after playtime. Attendance has improved since the last inspection but, when compared to other primary schools, it is unsatisfactory. It is lower than about 70% of other primary schools.

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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

Ninety three percent of teaching is satisfactory or better. Two per cent is excellent, twenty four per cent is very good, forty per cent is good, twenty seven per cent is satisfactory and seven per cent is unsatisfactory. Teachers generally plan well and make clear to pupils what they are to learn. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and expect all of them to make good progress. The good support that pupils receive enables this to happen. Teaching effectively meets the needs of all pupils. Those with special educational needs and English as an additional language receive very good support that is well matched to their needs. Pupils respond very well to the teaching and they listen carefully and show real interest in their work. Teachers could give pupils more responsibility for their own learning. Teaching in English and mathematics is good across the school. This promotes very good attainment

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

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 10 by pupils in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The main weaknesses in teaching are in the foundation subjects. Teachers do not have sufficient subject knowledge in design and technology, art and design, physical education and information and communication technology. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work often fails to identify how pupils can further improve their work.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good range of learning opportunities and statutory requirements are met. The extra curricular provision is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils receive very good support and make very good progress. They achieve high standards in relation to their ability.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for pupils is good and they make good progress in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils clearly understand what is right and wrong and show respect for the feelings and beliefs of others. Adults provide effective role models for pupils. Provision is very good for pupils’ spiritual and moral education.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for its pupils. Staff know the pupils well and this allows them to give very good support and guidance to pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an effective partnership with parents who, in turn, make a good contribution to their children’s learning. The curriculum offers pupils a broad range of learning experiences and the school makes good use of educational visits to support learning across many subjects. It offers equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. The work of the school is underpinned by very effective support for the personal development of pupils. The school monitors pupils’ progress effectively in English, mathematics and science but this is not yet happening in the majority of the foundation subjects. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher offers effective leadership to the whole school community. All adults contribute to the positive ethos for learning.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are very supportive of the school but they do not do enough to shape the strategic direction of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes good use of assessment data to monitor its performance. Most subject co-ordinators do not monitor the teaching and learning in their subjects effectively enough.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of additional grants. Staff are well deployed to use their areas of expertise. The quality of accommodation has been improved since the last inspection. There is no long-term view of school priorities.

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Aspect Comment

The school is well staffed and makes good use of its available accommodation. The quality of this has been improved significantly in recent years. Resources are generally satisfactory with those for information and communication technology (ICT) significantly improved through the opening of the ICT suite. The monitoring of teaching is effective in some subjects but this is not the case in most of the foundation subjects. The governing body does not do enough to monitor the progress of the school against the targets they have set in the school development plan. This makes it difficult for them to influence the strategic direction of the school. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 The high standards attained by pupils  The values the school promotes  The school is well led and managed  The good teaching  The open and accessible nature of the school  The care given to pupils  The range of activities outside lessons

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team totally endorses parents’ positive views of the school. The school offers a satisfactory range of activities outside lessons over the course of the school year. Some of these are the traditional club activities that take place for pupils at the end of the school day. The school also provides a range of other activities, such as educational visits, residential trips and theatre visits, which extend the breadth of pupils’ experiences. Parents may not be aware of the full range of activities that take place outside lessons. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Trends since the last inspection show an overall improvement in the school’s results. The performance of pupils at the end of both key stages in 2000 did not fall below the national average and exceeded it for most subjects. The rate of improvement from 1998 to 2000 for seven year-olds’ attainment was above the national rate in all subjects. It was also above the national rate for all subjects for eleven year-olds.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2000 national tests, the standards attained by pupils aged seven were above the national average for writing and mathematics and well above average for reading. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. The standards attained by eleven year-olds in 1997 were very high in English, mathematics and science. In 2000, the standards were well above the national average in science, above the national average in mathematics and in line with the national average for English. The dip in performance for 2000 reflects the high percentage of pupils with special educational needs in that year group. Pupils at St Martins de Porres are, on average, three terms in advance of where they might be expected to be at age 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. When the school’s standards for seven year-olds in 2000 are judged against similar schools, they were well above average in writing and mathematics and very high in reading. Standards in reading were in the top 5% of all similar schools across the country. Standards in science, based on teachers’ assessments, were also well above average. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2, when judged against similar schools, were well above average in English and mathematics and very high for science. Standards in science were in the top 5% of all similar schools across the country.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The attainment of pupils who joined the school’s foundation stage class this year is mostly above that generally found. The only aspect below this is pupils’ early reading skills. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school has changed since the last inspection when it was judged to be low for many pupils. This change reflects the changing nature of the school population since the last inspection, with the school now admitting a much higher proportion of catholic children. By the time pupils are ready to join Key Stage 1, the majority have attained the early learning goals in all areas of learning and a significant number have exceeded them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils continue to make good progress in English, mathematics and science as they move through Key Stage 1. This is effectively built upon in Key Stage 2 where the strategy of grouping pupils by prior attainment is significantly improving their standards of attainment. The good progress made by all pupils is the result of a high proportion of good teaching across the school, the effective use of what teachers know about pupils’ prior learning when planning for future work and appropriately high expectations. The school has set targets that reflect the high standards expected of pupils. It is well on course to achieve these targets. Standards in literacy and numeracy are high.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The proportion of seven and eleven year-olds reaching higher standards is generally higher than the national average and shows that the school caters well for its higher attaining pupils. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 13 7. In English, the attainment in speaking and listening of the current seven year-olds is well above national expectations and they make very good progress. Teachers encourage pupils to listen carefully and offer many opportunities for them to explain their answers and ideas. At the end of Key Stage 2, attainment remains well above expectations and pupils make good progress. Pupils have a mature vocabulary and can construct complex arguments. Sometimes, however, teachers do not allow enough time for pupils to generate discussions or to explore their ideas and opinions. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support in all aspects of their work and make very good progress throughout the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make progress in their reading and most are working within the levels of attainment expected by the time they are seven. A significant minority is working beyond this level. The school’s group reading arrangements make a considerable contribution to the pupils’ good progress by allowing teachers to focus on specific reading skills. They know a good number of familiar words and are confident in correcting their own mistakes. Progress in reading continues to be good in Key Stage 2, with eleven year-olds working at a level above national expectations. Pupils read from a range of texts and understand character and plot very well. They can make plausible predictions as to the outcomes of stories and most can discuss and compare books they have read. Pupils enjoy their reading and teachers encourage them well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In writing, most seven and eleven year-olds are working within the levels expected for their age. A significant minority is working above these. Pupils’ progress in grammar, punctuation and handwriting is good in because teachers spend a lot of time working on these elements of writing. The further development of pupils’ independent writing has been identified as an area for improvement by the school. Pupils in Key Stage 2 now have more opportunities to develop their skills and understanding within their writing and the quality of pupils’ independent writing is improving.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In mathematics, seven and eleven year-old pupils are working at levels above those expected. They make consistently good progress. This is because the school gives the subject a high priority. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented well, teaching is generally good and individual pupils are supported effectively. Pupils’ handling of data in Key Stage 2 is not as well developed as other aspects of their work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make progress that is consistently good and often very good. The school has set targets for improvement, which reflect the high standards expected of all pupils in mathematics. The school is particularly keen to ensure that its most able pupils are appropriately challenged and has established teaching groups in English and mathematics that target their specific needs. For instance, a high attaining Year 3 pupil works with Year 5 pupils so that the work is challenging.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. In science, most seven year-olds are working at a level above that expected for their age. In the current Year 6, pupils are working at the level expected for their age group. All pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the good support they receive from teachers. During the inspection, pupils made generally satisfactory progress in lessons but some made good progress where the teaching was good. In Year 6, pupils do not undertake regular investigative work. Standards in this aspect of their science work are not as high as the other aspects. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 14 13. Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The school collects and analyses data on pupil progress and it uses it to identify those whose English language skills are less well developed. This ensures that they receive additional support from the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

bi-lingual assistants and it is improving the standards attained by these pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. In information and communication technology, standards of seven year-olds are in line with those expected for the age group and progress is satisfactory through the key stage. Standards of eleven year-olds are below those expected for the age group and progress is unsatisfactory. The school has not done enough work to match the increased expectations of what older pupils should know, understand and be able to do as part of the revised National Curriculum. Resources are now much improved and this is starting to improve the rate of all pupils’ progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

15. Standards of attainment in art and design, design and technology, history and music are in line with national expectations for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. Standards in geography are above those expected for the age group. No judgement is possible for physical education due to the lack of evidence. At the end of Key Stage 2, standards in art and design, geography, history and physical education are in line with national expectations. Standards in design and technology are below expectations. No judgement is made for music due to the lack of evidence.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

16. Developments in art and design and geography have improved pupils’ attainment since the last inspection. Standards in design and technology at the end of Key Stage 2 have slipped since then. This is because the school has not taken account in its planning of the increased expectations of the revised National Curriculum.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils enjoy learning and have very good attitudes to school. Their behaviour is excellent in lessons and around the school; their personal development is good and there are excellent relationships between pupils and staff. All these factors help pupils learn well and the high standards noted at the last inspection have been maintained.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils are keen to come to school. They are willing to learn and respond very well to good teaching. Pupils are very interested and fully involved in their lessons and other activities such as netball, cricket, and Irish dancing. They eagerly ask and answer questions. Pupils work very hard and are keen to improve. For example, having worked for a full hour on reading and comprehension, a Year 3 pupil was keen to finish his test on the computer before going out to play at break.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils’ excellent behaviour makes for a calm learning atmosphere. Pupils know what standard of behaviour is expected and respond well. There is no bullying or racism. Pupils are friendly and polite. They take good care of equipment, such as in mathematics and science, and when using the computers. They tidy away neatly and quickly at the end of lessons. There are no exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Relationships are excellent and this is a major factor in pupils’ learning progress. They respect one another’s views, co-operate and share ideas. For example, during the inspection pupils in Year 5 visited the park to study how plants grow in particular conditions. They worked very well in pairs discussing and recording their observations. Pupils respect the teachers and are keen to please. A Year 2 pupil was very clear about this. “We respect the teachers and the teachers respect us.” St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 15 21. Pupils’ personal development is good and they are sensitive to the needs of others. They regularly raise funds for charity and last year they funded a visit to Lourdes for a fellow pupil in the reception class. They reflect on how others feel and respect their points of view. During the inspection, for example, pupils in the reception class were discussing “how we feel when we get lost”. They listened sympathetically to each

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

other’s observations and thought about how their parents would feel if they “wandered off”. The last inspection noted that there were too few opportunities for pupils to take responsibility. This has improved. A school council has just been established, and those involved are keen to take responsibility for collecting views and discussing possible improvements. However, pupils still do not take sufficient responsibility for their own learning. There are not enough opportunities for them to apply and extend their learning in different subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Attendance has improved since the last inspection but it is unsatisfactory when compared to other primary schools. It is lower than about 70 per cent of other primary schools in England. Unauthorised absence is in line with the national average. Punctuality is good and lessons start promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching is satisfactory or better in ninety three per cent of lessons across the school. Of these, sixty seven per cent are good or better and twenty seven per cent are very good or better. Seven per cent are unsatisfactory. There is a higher proportion of very good or better teaching in Key Stage 1. Overall, this represents good improvement since the last inspection when only nine per cent of lessons were judged good or better. This is a major factor in pupils’ good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The main strength of teaching is that teachers make clear to pupils what they are to learn. Teachers generally have good subject knowledge in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and classrooms are well organised. Pupils are grouped in different ways to help improve learning. Teachers work well with support staff and this helps all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, to make good progress. Pupils respond very well to the teaching they receive. They listen carefully, show real interest in their work and concentrate well. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ standards of work. Pupils respond very well to these expectations and take pride in their work. Lessons are conducted at a good pace and this helps to maintain the pupils’ interest. The main teaching weaknesses are in the foundation subjects. Teachers do not have

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

sufficient subject knowledge in design and technology, physical education, art and design and information and communication technology. In these subjects, they do not assess pupils’ progress in enough detail to remedy weaknesses. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught very well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching in the foundation stage is good or better in two lessons out of three. Lessons are well planned and encourage the development of pupils’ social skills as well as their learning. The staff work well as a team and the children benefit from the security and encouragement they provide. Staff have a good understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and learning is well balanced across all areas of learning. When the pupils are being taught as a whole class, the teacher uses questioning to extend pupils’ speaking and listening skills. The quality of the whole class teaching is a strength in the foundation stage. Best use is made of time to encourage concentration and persistence. When the pupils work in small groups, the adults sometimes do not direct and support their learning at the right time. All staff foster good links with parents and keep them informed of their children’s progress

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and needs. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 16 26. In Key Stage 1, teaching is good or better in nine lessons out of ten and there is no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers make the objectives of lessons clear to pupils. Lessons cover a lot of ground and this helps pupils to make good progress. Teachers expect a lot of their pupils and pupils respond well. The quality of discussion in lessons is very good and teachers’ questions are carefully targeted to include all pupils. This increases pupils’ confidence and encourages them to share their ideas. The teachers work well with support staff and make sure that they know the best way to help their group of pupils. The working atmosphere in all lessons is good and teachers’ relationships with pupils are excellent. Consequently, teachers spend very little time dealing with behaviour problems. Teachers do not always use marking to show pupils how to improve their work. Teachers set homework regularly

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and this helps improve pupils’ reading and spelling.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. In Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is good overall although two lessons were unsatisfactory. Teachers have good subject knowledge in the core subjects. They are clear about what they expect pupils to achieve. They have high expectations of pupils’ responses and behaviour. The organisation of classes into attainment groups for English and mathematics helps teachers to plan more effectively for the needs of all pupils. This helps all pupils make good progress in these subjects. A good pace is established in lessons and no time is wasted. Teachers and support staff are an effective team and additional support for lower attaining pupils helps them make good progress. Teachers have excellent relationships with pupils and there is a strong feeling of mutual respect.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The main weakness of teaching is that learning is over-directed in some lessons. Pupils are not able to take sufficient responsibility for their own learning. Marking, though positive and encouraging, does not always make clear how pupils can improve their work. Teachers’ use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is limited. The recently improved provision is improving teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge. Teaching of skills in the new computer suite is often good. Teachers set homework regularly and use it to consolidate mathematics and English skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers and support staff give good support to pupils learning English as an additional language. Class teachers plan work and share it with the assistants funded by the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant (EMAG). They support groups of pupils by preparing resources and introducing new words and phrases. The bi- lingual assistants make good use of their knowledge of the languages pupils speak at home to translate and interpret. The assistants support pupils’ learning by reinforcing teachers’ questioning and by explaining words and instructions. They have a good relationship with their pupils. The assistants work well with class teachers and they complement each other’s skills. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 17

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PUPILS?

30. The school provides a good range of learning opportunities that meet national requirements and are relevant to pupils’ needs. The balance of time allocated to a minority of the foundation subjects is less than that recommended. Since the last inspection, pupils’ progress in geography has improved across the school but progress in Key Stage 2 in information and communication technology and design and technology has become unsatisfactory. This is because the school has not kept pace with the development of these subjects in the revised National Curriculum. The school has recently improved the provision for information and communication technology. The quality of the foundation stage curriculum is good.

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PUPILS?

31. The school has adopted some of the national schemes of work, mainly in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and in information and communication technology. In the remaining subjects, the school has satisfactory schemes of work except for design and technology. The school prepares pupils well for the transfer to the wide range of secondary schools that pupils attend from age eleven.

p.17

PUPILS?

32. The school has very effective arrangements for teaching the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. Literacy skills are well taught and numeracy skills are taught very well. This is raising further the levels of pupil attainment and progress. The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language. Effective support helps pupils with special educational needs to make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. The school’s strategy of teaching specific skills in small groups, makes a good contribution to the standards achieved by both these groups of pupils.

p.17

PUPILS?

33. The school’s extra-curricular provision is very good and offers pupils many more learning opportunities. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have visited the Science Museum and older pupils have visited St Paul’s Venture to enhance their history work. Visitors to the school have included a science theatre group who performed “Destination Earth”, the West Midlands Theatre Group, Irish musicians and a storyteller. Pupils in the foundation stage and Key Stage 1 have visited the Life Caravan to learn about healthy living. During lunchtimes the school provides a good range of activities and equipment for pupils, including access to large frame adventure equipment. Activities at the end of the school day include a recorder/tin whistle club, choir, Irish dancing and netball. A weekly story club is also held for younger pupils at lunchtime.

p.17

PUPILS?

34. The school has good links with the community. The school builds very effective relationships with parents when their children start school. Pupils in Key Stage 2 regularly use the sports facilities at a local secondary school and teachers from the local sports college assist in the teaching of physical education in Key Stage 1. There are good links with Newman College, from where the school regularly hosts teacher-training students. A number of parents are regular helpers in the school and the school welcomes community members who wish to take part in the weekly mass. The school broadens the pupils’ experiences through a good range of dance, drama and music projects.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. There is satisfactory provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education, including citizenship. At present the school does not have a policy or scheme of work to guide practice. Learning in these areas is enhanced through work in subjects such as science and religious education. Sex education is not part of the school’s provision. The school takes good care to provide equal access and opportunity for all pupils. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 18 36. The provision for pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils’ spiritual and moral education is very good, their social development is good and their cultural development is satisfactory. Assemblies contribute well to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils have the opportunity to think about important aspects of life and are taught to value the achievements of others. During the inspection, pupils in Year 2 led mass. They prepared the readings and prayers, and acted out a role-play of the

p.17

PUPILS?

ascension of Jesus into heaven. The recent improvements made to the accommodation and the care taken to display pupils’ work show pupils that they are valued. Pupils respond positively to this and take good care of the school’s fabric.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. The school’s provision for moral education makes a good contribution to their social development. Pupils’ moral and social development influence every aspect of the school’s work. Teachers consistently reinforce and explain their high expectations by discussing issues of right and wrong as they arise. Teachers provide good role models in the way they behave towards pupils and other adults. The quality of relationships is excellent and there is a strong emphasis on respecting each other. Pupils learn to work well together and share resources without conflict. They support each other in their learning as, for example, when one pupil found a task in an information and communication technology lesson particularly difficult. Two pupils immediately offered help and talked him through the process. There are few opportunities, however, for pupils to make independent decisions in their learning.

p.18

PUPILS?

38. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. They have a range of opportunities to explore ancient cultures in history, such as in the work on Egypt and Greece. They learn about customs in other cultures as, for example, in cooking, art and design and dance. They learn about changes in their own culture when comparing their own lives to those of Victorian working children. The school has recently increased the range of musical instruments from other cultures to help pupils relate better to music from different ethnic backgrounds. Pupils regularly raise funds for charity to help improve the lives of others.

p.18

PUPILS?

39. The curriculum and learning opportunities offered to pupils learning English as an additional language are good. They enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum and they take full advantage of the provision for extra curricular activities. The school has recently invested heavily in culturally sensitive reading material showing cultural diversity and positive images of ethnic minority families. This enables all pupils to learn about each other.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school offers good support and guidance to its pupils and has effectively maintained this since the last inspection. The staff know the pupils very well, and provide a caring atmosphere that contributes greatly towards pupils’ learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The arrangements for health and safety are satisfactory. There is appropriate first aid coverage and staff ensure that lessons are conducted safely. However, health and safety inspections are not recorded and procedures are not audited. There are satisfactory procedures for child protection, but there has been no recent staff training. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 19 42. The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are unsatisfactory. The school has only limited strategies for supporting pupils’ good attendance. Parents are reminded about the importance of good attendance and pupils who attend regularly receive certificates. Unexplained absence is followed up, but unsatisfactory attendance is not closely monitored. Attendance figures are not regularly reported to governors.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are very effective measures to monitor and promote good behaviour. Staff expect high standards and reinforce good behaviour through positive praise and encouragement. The pupils know exactly what is expected of them because they know the code of conduct well, and the playground rules are well placed. Parents are well informed and support the behaviour policy. There are effective systems for monitoring unsatisfactory behaviour but these are rarely needed. There is no bullying or racism and minor disagreements between children are quickly resolved. The school monitors and promotes pupils’ personal development well through its care systems, good communication, and effective links with parents. These help staff monitor developments and identify concerns.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school has satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. The assessment co- ordinator now tracks each pupil’s progress in English and mathematics. This helps the school make regular checks on individual progress as well as monitoring year group progress towards its end of Key Stage 2 targets. The assessment co-ordinator also analyses other information on pupil performance and this is helping to identify areas for future development. This development uses computers well.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Teachers do not always use what they know about pupils’ prior learning when planning for the next lesson. They do this more successfully in English, mathematics and science than other subjects. Teachers keep detailed portfolios of pupils' work in the core subjects. These are used to record pupil attainment and to inform the next teacher. Teachers use a range of tests in the core subjects, including the optional national tests, to monitor pupils’ progress. The information from these tests is not yet being used to identify future curriculum targets for pupils or to evaluate the impact of teachers’ planning or the school’s schemes of work. The school is aware of the need to develop assessment and recording procedures for the foundation subjects. This is now beginning to happen for information and communication technology.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school effectively supports pupils with special educational needs through early identification and extra support. Pupils are supported within the classroom and through withdrawal groups. The success of this is reflected in the falling number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register. Pupils with the greatest need are given a high level of support and this makes a good contribution to improving their attainment and progress.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work but it often does not show how they can improve it. Where marking is good, teachers give clear guidance on what pupils need to do next in order to improve their work. Teachers do not encourage pupils enough to make corrections or make their own improvements. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 20

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents are very pleased with the school. They appreciate that their children are expected to work hard and that they make good progress. They think that the teaching is good and that the school is well led and managed. The inspection confirms these positive views of parents. A few parents think the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. The school provides a very good range of activities outside lessons and parents may not be aware of its full extent.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents that supports pupils’ learning. The school works closely with parents and encourages them to raise concerns and keep the school informed about their children. Teachers are readily accessible and when there are problems the school quickly involves parents. Staff translate for those parents whose first language is not English. The school has sought parents’ views through a questionnaire but has not consulted them about the provision for sex education.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The information provided for parents is satisfactory. There are regular newsletters. Parents are given guidance on homework and receive a termly statement on what is taught. The prospectus (handbook for parents) provides a satisfactory summary of the school’s provision but it has information missing, as has the governors’ annual report to parents. Neither of these documents fully meets statutory requirements. Parents are kept satisfactorily informed about their children’s progress. The end of year reports are satisfactory and parents of children with special educational needs are involved in the regular reviews. Parents meet with the teachers once a year to discuss their children’s progress and the school encourages parents to ask for progress information at any time.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The contribution of parents to their children’s learning is good. Some parents attend masses and class assemblies and many support their children at school productions, carol services, and sports days. There is a good attendance at parents’ evenings. Parents help their children at home by listening to them read, visiting the library, and helping with research. A hardworking Parents and Friends of St Martins Association organises social activities and raises funds. Parents look after the “book fair” and help with transport to sporting events and activities.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher offers very effective leadership to the whole school community. She has a clear vision for the future development of the school and shares this effectively with parents, governors, staff and pupils. The mission statement for the school talks of promoting “love and respect for one another.” The personal example of the headteacher has been instrumental in shaping this ethos. As a result, the pupils experience a quality of education that reflects the values of the school’s mission statement. These values are understood and shared by the governing body and all who work in the school. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 21 53. The leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher has a clear commitment to high standards and effective teaching and learning. This is reflected in the improvement in test results since the last inspection and the wide range of strategies used to support individual pupils’ learning. The deputy headteacher is beginning to

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

make good use of the school’s test information to monitor and evaluate the school’s performance. This has, for example, resulted in pupils being grouped by their prior attainment in Key Stage 2 to improve further their performance in English and mathematics. This analysis has also helped the school’s current initiative to improve standards in writing. The headteacher and deputy headteacher work effectively as a team but the role of the key stage co-ordinators in supporting the management of the school is limited. These co-ordinators have no clear role in relation to the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning within each key stage. This has resulted in, for example, an increased workload for the deputy headteacher in analysing pupil assessment information.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school has a monitoring programme that enables subject co-ordinators to review teaching and learning within their areas of responsibility. Systematic monitoring has taken place in a few subjects during this school year. Where this has happened, it has improved the quality of teaching and learning. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics, science, geography and religious education have observed lessons and discussed improvements with teachers. They have also looked at samples of pupils’ work and used the findings to improve teaching across the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Not all subject co-ordinators are involved yet in monitoring teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility. The school has undertaken only limited monitoring within the remaining subjects. This means that teaching and learning in these subjects has not had the support given to others. This is partly why standards in these subjects are, in general, not as high as those in English, mathematics and science.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. There is not enough involvement by the governing body in monitoring and evaluating the priorities for development identified in the school development plan. It is difficult to evaluate the progress because it does not make clear what information governors intend to collect. Overall, governors have too little involvement in shaping the future educational direction of the school. The school lacks a clear strategic plan that identifies future areas for development. The governing body is not systematic enough in evaluating the school’s strengths and weaknesses and then using the information to improve planning for future developments.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The governing body supports the school’s work and a number of governors make regular visits that link to their specific responsibilities. The governor with responsibility for numeracy has, for example, observed some lessons to look at the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. Few of the visits, however, are linked to the school development plan. There are some minor omissions in the governors’ annual report to parents and the school prospectus. The school makes good use of the funding allocated to support pupils with special educational needs. Support for these pupils is given a high priority. They receive effective individual support in literacy and numeracy through extra help in their classroom or through group work away from their classroom. Support for other subjects is provided in the classroom. The co-ordinator for special educational needs effectively leads this support. The co-ordinator, learning support assistants and class teachers work well

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

together to ensure that teaching is well matched to pupils’ needs. They make very good progress because of this effective support. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 22 58. The deputy headteacher manages well the provision and support for pupils who learn English as an additional language. This is done on the basis of language assessments that are carried out in the school and through discussions with class teachers. Regular assessments are then carried out to monitor pupils’ progress against their individual targets for improvement. This ensures that the funding improves the standards these pupils attain.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The funding for development of information and communication technology has been spent appropriately and this has improved the provision. Standards of attainment are rising as a result. New technologies are also used effectively for routine school administration and to track pupils’ progress.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily. The school makes a detailed analysis of the pupils’ test results and compares them with other schools both locally and nationally. The school also consults parents and responds to their opinions. Termly information provided for parents about the work planned for each class was the result of parents saying that they were unclear about it. The governing body applies best value principles when purchasing outside services but does do enough to evaluate the costs associated with priorities in the school development plan. There is no clear link in the school development plan between priorities for action and the school budget.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school makes good uses of its resources. The accommodation is well kept and pupils appreciate how much has been done to make their school bright and attractive. They particularly appreciate the work to improve the playground areas. This improves pupils’ behaviour. Staff use the accommodation very well for group teaching and small group work away from classrooms. The recently opened computer suite is a significant addition to the school’s accommodation and is already improving the quality of pupils’ information and communication technology work. The school has no playing field but pupils use the facilities at a local secondary school and this is improving their progress in physical education. The staff provide a wide range of educational visits to offer learning opportunities that are not available locally. Resources for subjects and areas of learning are generally adequate and subject co-

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

ordinators involve all staff in purchasing decisions.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school is very well staffed and teachers are effectively deployed. It has a pupil teacher ratio that is below the average of other primary schools. The high expenditure on teaching has enabled the school to create smaller teaching groups for a significant part of the week. This has helped to improve the rate of progress of all pupils. The expenditure per pupil is well above that of most primary schools. The school has an estimated carry forward this year of £42786. This reflects payments still to be made to support the new information and communication technology suite and funding built up over time to support the planned refurbishment of the school’s office accommodation. There is no strategic plan, however, to show how this money will be spent in future years. The induction programme for the newly qualified teacher is very good. The school has an effective strategy to support the introduction

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. This is a school where effective leadership ensures that all pupils have the opportunity to do their best. An environment has been created of trust and hard work and where the behaviour of pupils is always very good. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. (1) Improve pupils’ progress in design and technology and information and communication technology at Key Stage 2 by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Ensuring the schemes of work fully reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum;  Improving the subject knowledge of teachers;  Developing assessment procedures which will enable teachers to record pupils’ attainment, monitor progress and inform planning so that work matches the identified needs of pupils;  Improving the effectiveness of the arrangements for monitoring teaching and learning. Paragraphs 106, 107, 108, 109, 122, 124, 125, 126

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Further develop the role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring teaching and learning by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Building on the existing monitoring framework to enable all subject co- ordinators to monitor teaching and learning on a systematic basis;  Using the findings from monitoring activities to review the school’s schemes of work against current National Curriculum requirements;  Developing a greater use of assessment information to inform planning and monitor pupils’ progress. Paragraphs 45, 53, 55, 104, 105, 109, 119, 126, 130, 134

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Provide more opportunities for pupils to become involved in their own learning by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Identifying and sharing curriculum targets with pupils;  Using feedback to pupils to identify areas for improvement;  Identifying self-assessment strategies that will enable pupils to make judgements about how well they are doing and what they need to do next. Paragraphs 28, 37, 47, 76, 81, 94, 101, 103, 113, 132

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Further develop the role of governors in the strategic management of the school by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Identifying monitoring activities in the School Development Plan that will enable governors to make decisions about the progress being made towards their targets;  Improving the effectiveness of long-term financial planning. Paragraphs 56, 57, 62

p.23

considered for inclusion in the action plan:

Ensure that the prospectus and annual governors’ report to parents contain all the information they should: Paragraphs 50, 57.

p.23

considered for inclusion in the action plan:

Improve the procedures for monitoring and improving pupils’ attendance: Paragraph 42. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

2 24 40 27 7 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 210

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 86 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 19

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 83

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 94 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 25

p.24

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 2000 16 16 32

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 16

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 91 (94) 94 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 15 16

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94(94) 91(91) 94(84) at NC level 2 or above National 84(82) 88(86) 88(87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 13 15 28

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 15

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 79(100) 79(100) 93(100) at NC level 4 or above National 75(70) 72(69) 85(78)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 10 9 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 15

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82(100) 79(100) 96(100) at NC level 4 or above National 70(68) 72(69) 79(75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 26 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 16 Other minority ethnic groups 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.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9 Financial year April ’99 – March 2000

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 423,835

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,981

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 79 Balance brought forward from previous year 28,544

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 53,462

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 27

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 77 21 0 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 70 30 0 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 59 34 6 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 60 32 7 1 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 78 22 0 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 76 21 3 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 57 34 8 0 1

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 82 16 2 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 26 0 0 1

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 33 11 2 7 St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 28 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Since the last inspection, the annual assessment of children on entry to the school shows that there has been a steady overall improvement in children’s skills, knowledge and understanding. This year’s assessments show that, with the exception of early writing skills, the current group had starting points higher than those generally found. Many have well-developed speaking and listening, mathematical, personal and social skills. There are good arrangements for introducing children to the school. Staff build good relationships with parents and this helps the children to settle in quickly. Staff make regular assessments to check children’s progress and plan for the next steps in learning. There are enough resources but their quality and range are unsatisfactory. Children make good progress because the teaching and level of support are good. By the time they are ready to join the Year 1 class, the majority of children attain the early learning goals

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

in all aspects of the foundation stage curriculum and a significant number exceed them.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

66, The school places good emphasis on this area of learning and the quality of teaching is very good. Good relationships between the children and the staff encourage the children to discuss and explore their behaviour and feelings. They begin to understand the effect these have on others. A very good example of this was when the teacher used a story as a starting point to develop children’s awareness of how their parents feel if they wander off in shops and get lost. In the discussion that followed, children said that parents might get angry because they are afraid for their child and, as one child said, “Because they love you”. Children make good progress in this area of learning. Staff are good role models and this helps children develop relationships confidently. Teachers organise activities and equipment well to encourage children to learn independently. They are developing the ability to work in

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

small groups and whole class activities. Two children, for example, who were working on the computer could work independently through a story reading programme. They confidently controlled the mouse to access the information on the pages. Staff effectively help children to behave considerately towards each other.

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

67. Most of the children start school with well-developed speech and language. Many have a good vocabulary and can express their ideas and feelings clearly and confidently. The school helps children to widen their vocabulary further and to extend their answers and explanations. This is a strong feature of good whole class teaching. It is less evident during small group activities when staff do not make the most of opportunities to talk. In one lesson, for example, there were six different group activities for the children. Staff had to supervise rather than teach and did not have enough time with each group. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 29 68. Children enjoy listening and responding to a range of stories, poems, rhymes and songs. The children’s listening skills are exceptionally good and their response is enthusiastic and considered. They learn how to handle and enjoy books, turning the

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

pages and pointing to pictures and print. Most recognise letters of the alphabet and read and write their own name. They talk about stories they know with confidence. All children make good progress in reading. Most can recognise common words and use letter sounds and shapes to help them to read new words. The teacher uses aspects of the national framework for literacy very effectively to teach letter sounds and names. Children, for example, made very good progress when the teacher asked one child to pretend to be “Jumping Jim” and the children had to think of questions to ask him which included a word beginning with “j”. “Jim’s” answer also had to include a “j” word. Children have reading books to take home and parents are encouraged to help. The staff give children many opportunities to write independently, as, for example, when writing appointments in the Animal Hospital role-play area.

p.29

Mathematical development

69. This area of learning is well taught and by the end of the reception year most children exceed the early learning goals for mathematics. All children can count to ten and many can count well beyond this. They use mathematical language confidently when relating addition to combining two or more groups of objects. All children are able to find one more or one less than a number from 1 to 10, and more able children can find up to ten more or less than a number from 1 to 10.

p.29

Mathematical development

70. Teachers plan activities well to develop children’s understanding in mathematics and to meet their individual needs. The activities have clear objectives and encourage children to become creative thinkers and problem solvers. Teaching makes effective use of parts of the national numeracy framework and children enjoy mathematics. They work with interest and enthusiasm and like asking questions. All staff manage the children well and behaviour is very good as a result. Good teaching, with effective support from additional adults, ensures that children make good progress in this area of their learning.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Children join the school with wide differences in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Staff plan a good range of activities, events and visits to develop the children’s skills, knowledge and understanding in this area of learning. They explore change in natural and man-made materials through work on autumn leaves or by dissolving materials such as jelly crystals. Children consider the change in the weather over time and they alter the clothes of the “weather bear” every day to reflect this. The children’s understanding of time and place has been developed through the topic on “Ourselves”. During this they explored the immediate vicinity of the school and the history of the area. They have had good opportunities to experiment and make decisions through lessons using toy cars to explore forces and when filtering dirty water to discover which material makes the most effective filter. The quality of

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

teaching in this area of learning is good. Children make good progress in using information and communication technology to support their learning. They confidently operate tape-recorders and computer programmes and many can use a mouse and a keyboard. They are interested in learning about other people’s lives, cultures and beliefs. For example, a local farmer talked about a day on his farm, children learn about cookery in other cultures and enjoy dancing from the Irish and Asian cultures. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 30

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Physical development

72. Children have their own separate outside area, which offers a range of well planned activities to develop their strength and stamina and the skills of running, jumping and balancing. Teaching is good and children make good progress in this area of learning. There is a satisfactory range of small equipment to develop children’s hand- eye co-ordination. The class also has access to a large hall area that the staff use to develop the children’s awareness of space. In a movement lesson in the hall, children moved confidently to music. They had good body control and awareness of the space around them and refined their movements to match the tempo of the music. There are regular opportunities to use small and large equipment safely. Children listen carefully and respond well to the teacher’s instructions and are interested and excited by the activities.

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Creative development

73. Staff provide a good range of activities to support children’s creative development. Children have the opportunity to work with clay, paint, printing materials, water and construction materials as well as a varied range of tools. Children make satisfactory progress overall. There are opportunities to make choices of materials within the range provided by the staff, but not to make independent choices outside that. Children creating a collage, for example, chose from the limited range on the table and those printing used only the sponge animal shapes provided. Teaching is satisfactory but when there are too many activities, staff do not work effectively enough with each group. Children respond well to music and sing with enthusiasm. They play untuned instruments to music from the tape-recorder but this activity is not taught well enough to ensure children make satisfactory progress.

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ENGLISH

74. Recent standards of attainment at the end of both key stages have been mostly good. The pupils now in Year 2 and Year 6 are generally working at levels above what is expected and they make good progress.

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ENGLISH

75. Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is very good in Key Stage 1 and they make very good progress. This is because teachers encourage pupils to listen carefully. Teachers use skilful questioning to get pupils to explain their answers and ideas. Pupils are given time to think through discussion points and to frame their answers in sentences. Many pupils can give extended replies and have a very good understanding of how debates are conducted. Pupils in Year 2, for example, listened carefully to each other’s ideas when discussing the meaning of words. They were then able to explain their thoughts in well-constructed sentences and agree on an opinion.

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ENGLISH

76. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is very good and they make good progress. Many pupils have a mature vocabulary and can make complex arguments. They express their ideas confidently and precisely. However, in a few lessons, pupils’ responses are restricted to brief replies because teachers concentrate on checking prior knowledge and immediate understanding. They do not allow pupils sufficient opportunity to discuss or explore their own and others’ ideas or opinions. This accounts for the difference in pupils’ progress between the key stages. When given the opportunity, as in the discussion in Year 6 on Seamus Heaney’s poem “Mid-Term Break”, pupils showed confidence in expressing their ideas at length, a very good vocabulary range and a sophisticated understanding of the poet’s feelings. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 31 77. In Key Stage 1, all pupils make good progress in reading. Most pupils are working

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ENGLISH

within the expected level of attainment with a significant minority exceeding it. The school’s system of group reading allows teachers to focus on specific reading skills. This makes a considerable contribution to good progress. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, the teaching focused on improving pupils’ fluency and presentation skills. The pupils discussed how a passage or sentence could be read for best effect and then went on to improve their performance. Pupils know many familiar words and use letter sounds to tackle unfamiliar ones. They recognise when they have made a mistake and are confident enough to correct themselves. Teachers give pupils regular opportunities to practise reading and this, together with help from parents, contributes to the good progress they make. The home-school reading record provides a good dialogue and keeps parents well informed.

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ENGLISH

78. Progress in reading is good in Key Stage 2. Pupils read a range of texts and understand character and plot very well. They can make plausible predictions about the outcomes of stories and most discuss, compare and contrast books they have read and their favourite authors. In Year 6, pupils read fluently and expressively. Lower attaining pupils are well supported in class and groups are taken out for extra support to help them achieve as highly as possible. Pupils recognise many words and confidently attempt unfamiliar ones by splitting up the sounds and using the clues in the passage to help them. Teachers encourage pupils to think about what they have read and discuss why the writer has used a particular word or sentence structure. A Year 5 class looking at adverts, identified persuasive words and phrases and commented on the length of text. “It’s sharp and not too much to read. It makes

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ENGLISH

you want to be there”, was one pupil’s comment on an advert for a summer fair. Pupils enjoy their reading because teachers encourage them to “read between the lines” to see the deeper meaning in some texts. Although the school does not have a library, there are sufficient books in classrooms to offer pupils a satisfactory choice of fiction. The range of non-fiction, however, is limited and pupils have little choice or opportunity to follow lines of independent enquiry. This affects adversely pupils’ abilities to do their own research.

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ENGLISH

79. In writing, most pupils in Key Stage 1 and 2 are working within the expected level and a significant minority are working above it. Pupils’ progress in grammar, punctuation and handwriting is good in both key stages because teachers spend a lot of time on these aspects of writing. The school has recently identified pupils’ independent writing as an area for improvement. Teaching is very good in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, pupils have more opportunities than those in Key Stage 2 to practise and develop skills within their independent work. Teachers and support staff offer a good level of support where needed but they also encourage pupils to try things through for themselves. In Key Stage 2, the school’s focus on improving independent writing has meant that pupils have had more opportunities to develop their skills and understanding within their own writing. The balance of work

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ENGLISH

between skills’ exercises and independent writing has improved during the year, giving pupils greater opportunity to develop their skills as writers. As a consequence, the quality of pupils’ recent independent writing has greatly improved. In a significant minority of lessons, however, very good introductory sessions are followed by over- directed comprehension exercises. These do not stimulate pupils’ interest or develop their writing skills. Independent group work is generally followed by good summary sessions that consolidate and extend pupils’ learning. In both key stages, there are good examples of sustained writing in other subjects. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 32 80. Teachers constantly encourage pupils to give of their best and have high expectations. Planning is effective and identifies what teachers want pupils to learn. These objectives are shared with pupils in a way they can understand. Teachers

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ENGLISH

show pupils how to develop character and setting through the use of good text examples and they model different types of writing well. They teach sentence structure, punctuation and grammar well and take every opportunity to widen pupils’ vocabulary. At Key Stage 2, the quality and purpose of independent tasks are unsatisfactory. Too often pupils spend time copying out sentences and words when they are capable of more challenging work. During regular handwriting lessons, teachers ensure that mistakes are quickly corrected

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ENGLISH

81. The use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning is unsatisfactory. There are few examples of pupils composing, editing and redrafting their work with the aid of computers. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have few opportunities to develop presentations of their written work. Teachers work with pupils to find out what they cannot do and help them to improve. Their marking of pupils’ work often fails to show them how to improve and this slows their rate of progress.

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ENGLISH

82. The subject co-ordinator has had the opportunity to monitor and evaluate teaching across the school. The assessment co-ordinator also analyses the information from the regular assessments made of pupils’ learning in English. This work has led the school to identify independent writing as an area for improvement. The co-ordinator also carries out a regular scrutiny of pupils’ work to determine the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. This leads to improvements in teaching and planning.

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MATHEMATICS

83. Although the previous inspection in 1997 identified standards in mathematics as good, the school has further improved standards at Key Stage 1 and maintained the high standards in Key Stage 2. Over the last three years the trend in test results for pupils aged seven and eleven has improved faster than the national rate. The school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and teachers make good use of this when planning their work. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection where teaching was unsatisfactory. In half of lessons it was very good or excellent. Overall, the school has made good progress in mathematics since the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

84. The standards achieved by pupils aged seven and eleven in the 2000 National Curriculum tests were above the national average. When compared to similar schools, the results for pupils aged seven were well above average and those for pupils aged eleven were above average. When compared to similar schools, the percentage attaining the higher level at aged seven was in line with the average and very high for pupils aged eleven. The results for pupils aged eleven places the school in the top 5% of similar schools across the country.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Pupils are, on average, three terms ahead of where they might typically be expected to be at age eleven. This very good progress reflects the high priority the school gives to the subject, the positive impact of the National Numeracy Strategy, the generally good teaching and a range of effective strategies for supporting individual pupils. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 33 86. Currently, pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make progress that is good and often very good. The attainment of pupils at the end of both key stages is above that expected for the age groups. The school has set targets for improvement that reflect the high standards expected of all pupils. The school is particularly keen to ensure that its most able pupils are appropriately challenged and has established teaching groups that target the specific needs of these pupils. These arrangements include a high

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MATHEMATICS

attaining Year 3 pupil working with Year 5 pupils to ensure that the work is suitably challenging.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Pupils in Year 2 are developing a good understanding of number and confidently use mental calculation strategies to solve problems. Less able pupils can identify right angles and measure accurately in centimetres. They can use standard units of time in a range of contexts. Higher attaining pupils are using simple fractions and can apply them to number problems. They can add and subtract numbers with three digits using written methods and classify two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Pupils use mental recall of addition and subtraction facts to 20 when solving problems involving one or more calculations.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Year 6 pupils use a wide range of their own strategies when solving problems. Many can multiply and divide whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000. They can identify all the symmetries of two-dimensional shapes and know the properties of quadrilaterals when classifying different types. High attaining pupils can use and interpret co- ordinates in all four quadrants and use simple formulae involving more than one operation. Less able pupils are working with co-ordinates in the first quadrant and can calculate the area and perimeter of simple shapes. Pupils’ handling of data is less well developed when compared to the other aspects of their work. They construct and interpret simple line graphs to compare the range of secondary schools that pupils transfer to at age eleven, and use pie charts to analyse the results of football teams.

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MATHEMATICS

89. The teaching of mathematics is generally good. In half of the lessons it was very good or excellent. Teaching in Key Stage 1 is always at least good and in Key Stage 2 it is generally good, but ranged from unsatisfactory to excellent. Teachers plan thoroughly for their lessons, making good use of the national framework, and they set work that is well matched to the needs of their pupils. This ensures that learning builds effectively on what pupils already know. Teachers are confident in their subject knowledge and use mental and oral sessions effectively at the beginning of lessons to develop a brisk pace to learning. Teachers are clear about what it is they want pupils to learn in a lesson and share this with them. This allows them to work at a good pace because they are very clear what they have to do. No time is wasted in lessons and so all pupils make good progress in their learning. At the end of a

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MATHEMATICS

lesson, teachers often give pupils the opportunity to talk about what they have learned during the lesson. As well as enabling pupils to make judgements about their own work, this allows teachers to assess pupils’ progress. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 34 90. Pupils use a wide range of resources. In some mental and oral sessions, they use small whiteboards to record their answers. This enables the teacher to assess quickly the accuracy of the responses. The school is beginning to make effective use of information and communication technology to support learning in mathematics. Pupils in Year 4, for example, worked out a series of instructions to control a screen device as part of their work on right angles and directions. However, too few teachers are making enough use of information and communication technology to support learning in this subject.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils learning English as an additional language receive very good support from a range of additional adults. This often involves pupils with special educational needs working with a teacher in small groups, away from the main class group. Effective liaison among teachers ensures that planning takes into account learning in the group sessions. This enables these pupils to make at least good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Where teaching was unsatisfactory, as it was in one lesson, the planning did not identify all the necessary elements of a mathematics lesson. The work did not have a clear objective and the activities did not reflect the range of pupils’ abilities. This lack of challenge resulted in many making little progress.

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MATHEMATICS

93. Pupils have a very good attitude to mathematics and they show real interest in their work. They work with sustained concentration and this enables them to cover a lot of work in each lesson. This positive attitude contributes to the good progress all pupils make in this subject. Behaviour in lessons is always good and relationships between pupils and adults are very good. The positive atmosphere in lessons is helping pupils to become very confident in their work. Teachers see errors and mistakes as something that pupils may make if learning is to take place. This gives pupils confidence to look for more than one solution to a problem. This shows itself in the variety of mental calculation strategies pupils use.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ progress to match work to their needs. These assessments are also used to predict the level of attainment expected at the end of each key stage. In Year 2 and Year 6 the deputy headteacher and the class teacher review the progress being made by individual pupils. This excellent practice does not happen in other age groups. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work but do not always make clear what they need to do next in order to improve their work. This makes it difficult for pupils to know how they can improve.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The school has identified mathematics as a continued area for development in the school development plan. The plan, however, does not make clear the level of improvement expected in mathematics and monitoring progress is difficult as a result. The subject is well managed by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who regularly monitors the standards of mathematics through lesson observations and reviews of pupils’ work. This is effectively helping to maintain the high standards across the school. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 35

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SCIENCE

96. The teacher assessments of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000 were above the national average. As a result of good teaching, most of the current Year 2 pupils are working just above the level expected of their age. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2, attainment was well above the national average and very high in comparison to similar schools. The majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are working within the level expected of their age. This difference in the attainment of the two groups of pupils is because those in Year 6 have not done enough investigative work. Standards of attainment have improved since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

97. Pupils make generally satisfactory progress in lessons. Some made good progress in those lessons where teaching was good. Pupils in both key stages have, over time, made satisfactory progress from their starting points. All pupils with special educational needs make good progress because teachers give good support.

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SCIENCE

98. In Year 6, pupils use science terminology to describe how muscles contract and understand materials and their properties. Pupils in Year 5 recognise the differences in plant environments. In Years 4 and 5, they consider ideas for creating a fair test and have a good understanding of methods of scientific enquiry. They describe the variables in a friction test and how to eliminate these. Pupils in Year 2 can make simple predictions about bulbs lighting up in a circuit and are beginning to work out why they do not if a circuit is incomplete.

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SCIENCE

99. All pupils are interested in their work and respond well. They work well in small groups, sharing ideas and taking turns to write up their work. They concentrate for extended periods of time and answer questions thoughtfully. They give detailed answers with confidence and demonstrate good speaking and listening skills.

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SCIENCE

100. Teachers use clear, open questions, such as those beginning with ‘why? what? and how?’, to promote detailed responses and clear explanations. They plan well for science lessons but do not always match work to the needs of all pupils, particularly the higher attainers. Teachers always share the purpose of the lesson with pupils and this enables them to make links with their previous learning. A good example of this was a lesson that began with the teacher asking ‘What do we know about electricity?’ The range of responses enabled the teacher to assess what pupils already knew. It also enabled future work to reflect pupils’ levels of understanding. Teachers give clear time limits for the completion of work and this helps pupils to work hard. In a minority of lessons, teachers’ explanations are too long and pupils lose interest. This happens when there are many activities in a lesson and pupils

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SCIENCE

have to listen to the explanations for all activities before beginning work. Most lessons are well structured and give enough time for pupils to experiment for themselves. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 36 101. The curriculum provides a range of interesting opportunities, which capture pupils’ interest. The co-ordinator for science has developed a scheme of work that covers the National Curriculum but does not provide enough detailed guidance for other teachers. The co-ordinator has a clear view of her role in developing the subject. She carries out effective monitoring and evaluation through looking at pupils’ work and carrying out classroom observations. The school has identified the use of assessment information to support the identification of curriculum targets as an area for development. Assessments in science are regular and the outcomes of these are being used to monitor pupils’ progress. The marking of pupils’ work is supportive but

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SCIENCE

only occasionally shows them how to improve.

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ART AND DESIGN

102. Although very little teaching of art and design was seen during the inspection, a range of evidence shows that pupils at the end of both key stages are working within expected levels. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use computer software to produce images, explore colour and lines and create patterns using bubble wrap prints. Key Stage 2 pupils use a range of media and materials. They experiment with watercolours, fabric printing and inks. They are beginning to develop their skills in observational drawing through reproducing a picture of flowers in a pot.

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ART AND DESIGN

103. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and teachers are now offering a variety of experiences and activities. This is an improvement since the last inspection. This enables pupils to develop and practise their skills. Pupils produce some good examples of work in the style of famous artists, such as Lowry. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are beginning to evaluate their work, but not in sufficient depth. Teachers’ short term planning is satisfactory but does not contain detailed teaching points for skills’ development. Sketchbooks are not systematically used in any age group. This makes it difficult for teachers to plan effectively for future work. Where they are used, they are effectively linked to other subjects as, for example, in a project on Egyptians. Pupils listen intently and answer questions when asked. They are always willing to share equipment without fuss and take pride in their work.

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ART AND DESIGN

104. Teachers do not make regular assessments of pupils’ progress in art and design. This means that skills are not developed and built on as pupils move through the school. The co-ordinator plans to develop a portfolio of pupils’ work for teachers to use when making judgements about the standards of work. Teachers encourage pupils to work together and provide support for each other. Displays of pupils’ work are a prominent feature both in classrooms and around the school. They help raise expectations and show the high standards that a few pupils are reaching.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. The co-ordinator for art and design has a clear view of her role in taking the subject forward, and is well placed to ensure staff training takes place. Art and design has not yet been a school priority for improvement and the co-ordinator does not carry out any monitoring and evaluation activities. The scheme of work, although updated since the last inspection, lacks clear learning objectives. This would help those teachers who lack expertise and confidence in the teaching of this subject. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 37

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. The attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations. At the end of Key Stage 2 attainment is below national expectations. Since the last inspection, when the subject was judged to be good overall, the school has not planned sufficiently to meet the increased expectations of the revised National Curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. Pupils in Year 2 have designed and made musical instruments. The process of design is emphasised and pupils have had the opportunity to evaluate what they have made. Pupils have worked in a range of materials as, for example, when making replica houses and teddy bear puppets. They can assemble, join and combine components in a variety of ways. Pupils use a range of commercial construction equipment to make models and to aid design. In Year 6, pupils’ design drawings lack precision and detail. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are below what is expected nationally for the age group. Too much importance has been given to the quality of a finished product. In a Year 6 class, pupils find it difficult to evaluate the musical instruments they had designed and made. They can only offer brief, superficial comments about changing the colours they had used. In a Year 5 class, pupils were sewing bags from material

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

they had made using the batik process. They had no opportunity to make decisions about the design and joining of the finished product as this was determined by the teacher. Pupils are enthusiastic and respond well to the teaching. They concentrate very well and listen carefully to their teacher and carry out instructions carefully.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and unsatisfactory in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 2, teachers are enthusiastic and clear about what they want pupils to achieve but their subject knowledge is unsatisfactory and expectations of pupils are too low. The school’s planning for this subject does not ensure that pupils make satisfactory progress. The scheme of work is unsatisfactory and does not provide adequate guidance for teachers on the skills, knowledge and understanding that need to be taught, or how to teach them. The subject is planned across the school to fit in with other subjects in a rudimentary way. In history, for example, the design and technology aspect of work for one age group of pupils is listed as “Making helmets”. The subject does not have an identity of its own. A list of projects to be completed is shown under subjects but there is little guidance on the skills to be taught.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Assessment is minimal and is not used to identify strengths and weakness in the subject. There is no recording of pupils’ attainment and progress and this makes it difficult for teachers to plan for future learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. The subject co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning. The co-ordinator provides informal advice to colleagues and is responsible for auditing and ordering resources. The amount of time devoted to design and technology at both key stages is below that recommended. This adds to the difficulties the school already has in meeting the demands of the National Curriculum for this subject. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 38

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GEOGRAPHY

110. The standards attained in geography by seven year-old pupils are above national expectations. Eleven year-old pupils are attaining standards in line with national expectations. This is a very good improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory. Teachers’ subject knowledge is now much better and the scheme of work is well matched to the National Curriculum. There are also a wide range of opportunities to encourage pupils to develop their geographical skills and fieldwork techniques.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have a good knowledge of local places. They have opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding through practical activities in the local area. Year 1 pupils, for example, study the use of local buildings and can talk about the different kinds of shops there. Pupils in Year 2 contrast their own locality with a village in India. They can talk about the differences in homes and food between Moseley and Chembakolli. Pupils are also able to offer their own observations on the environment in the course of their weather recording activities. More able pupils can explain the reasons for their observations about seasonal weather changes.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Eleven year-old pupils have an understanding of world climate and know about desert, forest and polar climates. They can analyse and interpret rainfall graphs for London and Delhi and suggest ways the two cities are influenced by their annual rainfalls. This theme links well with pupils’ mathematical work. A residential visit for older pupils to Stansfeld Residential Field Study Centre enables them to carry out geographical enquiry across a range of themes. Pupils can research the environmental issues around the siting of a sports centre and measure the speed, depth and width of a river.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers identify clear lesson objectives and share these effectively with pupils. They explain tasks carefully so that pupils settle quickly to their work. Pupils respond well to the interesting work that they are given. This enables teachers to support groups of pupils, resulting in all pupils making good progress. Teachers have good subject knowledge and they make sure that pupils use the correct geographical terms. Teachers use resources well with pupils studying the weather using maps, photographs, a video and information books. Information and communication technology is playing an increasing role in the teaching of this subject. Pupils in Year 2 use information and communication technology to support their weather work by using software to place the appropriate weather symbol on a map of the United Kingdom. Pupils in Year 4 use a CD-ROM to research information on river systems. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work but the

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GEOGRAPHY

marking often fails to identify what pupils need to do to improve. Too often the marking relates to effort and presentation rather than geographical content. As a result, pupils make slower progress than they could.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. Pupils enjoy geography and behave very well in lessons. They respond promptly to instructions and relate well to the adults involved in their learning. Many pupils have few opportunities beyond the school day to learn about life outside the local area. The richness of the geography curriculum offers pupils a range of opportunities to experience life beyond their immediate area. This is contributing to the pupils’ social and cultural development as they study life in this country and then contrast it to life in St Lucia, India and Egypt. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 39 115. Geography is effectively managed by the subject co-ordinator. He regularly monitors teaching, teachers’ planning and pupils’ work as part of the school’s overall monitoring programme. The findings from the monitoring are used to determine what the school does next to further improve teaching and learning in geography. This

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GEOGRAPHY

systematic monitoring is improving standards. The school does not record pupils’ progress in geography. The scheme of work identifies the area of geography to be covered but, without records of what pupils already know and can do, teachers cannot plan effectively. Teachers often set the same activity to all the pupils in a class. Higher attaining pupils do not always make the progress they should because of this. This has been identified by the school as an area for improvement.

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HISTORY

116. The standards of attainment of pupils at the end of both key stages are in line with national expectations. All pupils make satisfactory progress and pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning because effective classroom support enables them to play a full part in lessons. Pupils in all years have satisfactory knowledge and understanding. Pupils in Year 6, for instance, when describing Victorian life, know that 'many families were so poor they sent their children to ragged schools’.

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HISTORY

117. Good quality teaching in history is based on clear planning. Older pupils, for example, explore the details and feelings of child workers in Victorian Britain and then apply this knowledge and understanding when writing an interview between themselves as a child worker and Lord Shaftesbury. This provides a real context for them to convey their knowledge and understanding of history. The purpose of lessons is clearly explained and this enables pupils to settle quickly to their work. Work is highly structured with the use of clear prompts. Occasionally, when work in books is independently done, it demonstrates good levels of knowledge and understanding. In Year 2, activities challenge higher attaining pupils to do well.

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HISTORY

118. Most pupils work quietly and with sustained concentration. A few work slowly and do not record enough work. When questioned, however, these pupils show a clear understanding of the knowledge being taught. Pupils present their work well. Teaching does not emphasise the development of the skills of historical enquiry and interpretation and pupils’ skills are not developed enough.

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HISTORY

119. The co-ordinator has a clear view of her role in developing the subject. Some monitoring and evaluation takes place through reviewing pupils’ work. This has identified the need for planning to take account of the needs of the higher attaining pupils. The scheme of work is out of date and offers little guidance on the teaching of historical skills. The national scheme of work for history is not used to inform the school’s own planning. There are no formal procedures for the assessment and recording of pupils’ progress in this subject. Marking by some teachers offers some useful next steps for pupils to consider, for example ‘Do you think Victoria was happy?’ and ‘Do you think you have a better life than orphan Mary?’

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HISTORY

120. Resources are now good, including relevant artefacts and a range of books and photographs. These are accessible to all staff and they use them well. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 40

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. At the end of Key Stage 1, standards of attainment match those expected nationally for the age group. Pupils make satisfactory progress. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards of attainment are below national expectations and the progress made by pupils over time is unsatisfactory. Since the last inspection, when both key stages were judged as satisfactory, the school has not sufficiently increased its expectations to match the revised National Curriculum for older pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. The rate of pupils’ progress at both key stages has, however, increased significantly over the last term since the opening of the school’s information and communication technology suite. All pupils are now taught regularly in the suite. Teaching is good in these lessons and pupils make good progress but the oldest pupils have a significant deficit in knowledge, skills and understanding to make up. Teachers’ give clear instructions, and use a master computer effectively to model tasks for pupils. This, together with high levels of support from both the teacher and support staff, helps all pupils make good progress during these lessons. All teachers, with the exception of Year 6, have a computer in their classroom. Year 6 have easy access to nearby computers. This means that pupils can continue with their work away from the computer suite.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. The main reason for the difference in attainment and progress between the two key stages is the better use made in Key Stage 1 of information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects. Two pupils, for example, in a Year 1 geography lesson used the computer to record their work. They could log on, select the correct software, and use the mouse to select images. After typing in their text, they could save and print their work. In addition, pupils have used digital photography in their survey of the area to provide images to enhance their work. Pupils have also worked with control technology through using programmable floor robots. Pupils in Year 2 programmed the floor robots to change direction and distance in order collect objects from a cafe. This was based on the story of “Mrs Wobble the Waitress”. In mathematics, pupils have recorded their findings by creating pie charts and graphs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Pupils can add clip art, patterns and colour to text.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. In Key Stage 2, not enough use has been made of information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects. There are examples of simple word processing and the oldest pupils can cut, copy and paste text but the keyboard and mouse control skills of many pupils is below that expected. There is no evidence of pupils using modelling technology, sensors or simulations. The oldest pupils have no experience of using scanners to import text or images, and very little use of the internet for research. Year 6 pupils have had no experience of using e-mail at school or creating multimedia presentations by, for example, adding sound or commentary to work. Commenting on the new suite, one pupil said, “Hardly anyone got on the computer before”. Recent improvements have started to improve matters. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 41 125. At both key stages pupils are enthusiastic and respond very positively to the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

teaching. All classes now include information and communication technology in their weekly timetables. Teachers use the time in the computer suite effectively to teach and consolidate new skills. Much, however, still relies on the confidence and competence of individual teachers and their subject knowledge is generally low. The special educational needs co-ordinator works effectively with her pupils using information and communication technology to improve their literacy skills. The school is now using the national scheme of work to introduce new learning and improve pupils’ progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. The subject co-ordinator has begun to collect samples of pupils’ work to show examples of what they can achieve. She has not yet had the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Individual assessment sheets have been introduced recently to monitor pupils’ progress. The school is not yet monitoring pupils’ access to information and communication technology other than time spent in the computer suite. The school has a strategic plan for the maintenance, replacement and improvement of resources but there is no indication of how it intends to improve access to technology outside of the computer suite. This is necessary if pupils are to make independent decisions about when to use information and communication technology to improve their learning. The school has wisely invested in employing a visiting technician to ensure that maximum use can be made of existing resources.

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MUSIC

127. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations and progress is good. No lessons were seen in Key Stage 2 during the inspection therefore no judgement is made about attainment and progress.

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MUSIC

128. Teaching in Key Stage 1 is good and pupils enjoy making music. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use technical language such as notation, pitch and tempo and encourage pupils to use them in their answers. Lessons are well organised with prepared resources ready for pupils to use. Teachers observe and assess pupils as they respond to activities and provide support through directed questioning and guidance. They use time effectively and work at a good pace. This holds the pupils’ interest and keeps them fully involved in their work. Teachers build confidence through praise and support and this encourages pupils to try new experiences and perform in front of others. Lessons are well planned and often linked with work in other subjects. In Year 2, for example, the theme of the lesson was weather sounds and this built on the pupils’ geography work on weather words. In addition, pupils were encouraged to explore and discuss the pitch and quality of

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MUSIC

sound produced by the untuned instruments provided. Teachers use questioning well to improve pupils’ listening skills as, for example, when a teacher played an instrument slowly and asked, “What sort of rain is this?” and “Does it make a difference when I make it faster?” Pupils can make satisfactory judgements on how music can be used to reflect mood.

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MUSIC

129. Teachers develop singing through weekly hymn practices. In a Year 1 lesson, pupils worked well with the teacher to improve their singing of high and low notes through repeated short patterns of sound. During the lesson, the teacher taught specific groups for short periods of time and this improved the performance of the whole class by the end of the lesson. Teachers work well as a team with support staff ensuring that all pupils take part. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School 42 130. The subject co-ordinator has produced a new policy and scheme of work, which gives satisfactory guidance to colleagues. There is no system for the co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in the subject. There are no assessment procedures to monitor pupils’ progress over time. Provision for the subject is good. Pupils have opportunities to take part in musical performances and to experience the

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MUSIC

performance of professional musicians, such as visiting Irish musicians. The school helps pupils learn the violin and musicianship through a visiting teacher from the local music service. Pupils can also join the recorder and tin whistle group and the choir. The school has a satisfactory range of instruments and has recently improved it by purchasing a collection of ethnic instruments.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Pupils’ standard of attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is in line with that found nationally. No teaching was seen during the inspection at Key Stage 1. It was not possible to see any gymnastics or dance during the inspection week. Most pupils in swimming demonstrate some control in their backstroke technique and make satisfactory progress. In games, the girls have co-ordination and control when stopping and passing the ball and are beginning to think about where they pass. The majority of the boys have a good level of skill and accuracy in fielding and throwing in the ball in rounders. They have a clear understanding of the tactics of the game when choosing which post to throw to.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but with some good features. It is hindered by teachers’ general lack of subject expertise. Where teaching is effective, teaching points are clearly given to help pupils to improve. Where teaching is satisfactory, teachers set up activities but then fail to help pupils’ skills development. Pupils are keen to support each other. Teaching ensures a high level of activity throughout the lessons. Pupils persevere even in difficult conditions and try very hard. They are very enthusiastic and observe safety procedures at all times. Pupils are courteous and pleasant to all adult helpers. All lessons have a satisfactory structure with opportunities for pupils to warm up and cool down after exercise. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to comment on their own progress or the performance of others.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. The range of curricular and other opportunities in physical education is excellent. The provision within lesson time includes; opportunities for judo sessions; the chance to take part in an outdoor and adventurous activities course; and the use of the artificial pitch at Moseley Secondary School. The time allocated for physical education is good, allowing for activity time to be maximised. The pupil teacher ratio at swimming sessions is very good, allowing for small groups and better teaching. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to pursue physical activity outside of lessons. They can access a variety of sporting clubs, orienteering and dry skiing.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Physical education has not been a recent school priority. There are no assessment and recording procedures in place. The co-ordinator has a clear view of the way forward for the subject, including the need to carry out some staff training. The scheme of work needs updating to support teachers who lack expertise. The co- ordinator has no view of standards in the subject and there are no monitoring and evaluation activities at present. The school has made improvements in the subject following the last inspection.

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