St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr Jean-Pierre Kirkland

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SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 16 th October 2001

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SCHOOL

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

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Standishgate Wigan Postcode: WN1 1XL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Lynn Cottriall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1997 St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 2

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Team members

4483 Jean-Pierre Kirkland Registered inspector 19443 Nancy Walker Lay inspector 17710 Maureen Sillifant Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 12 -14

St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School is voluntary aided and has 195 pupils on roll, which is smaller than most primary schools. The school is situated close to the town centre of Wigan, but serves a wider area than that. Pupils come from a mixture of owner occupied homes or rented accommodation. Less than 5 per cent of pupils are currently known to be entitled to free school meals. The majority of the pupils have white ethnic backgrounds and there are no pupils with English as an additional language. Just over 20 per cent of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register, which is broadly average. There is less than 0.5 per cent of pupils with a statement of special educational need, which is well below the national average. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average, but with a wide spread of recorded ability when pupils are first assessed. The headteacher and chair of governors are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

new in post since the previous inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good and very effective school with many outstanding features. Pupils make excellent progress overall supported by teaching of a very high standard, a very good curriculum and excellent leadership and management. With slightly above average costs per pupil, the school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and music at the age of eleven. • Provides excellent teaching overall, leading to outstanding levels of learning. • Enables all its pupils to make excellent progress over their time in school. • Provides outstanding levels of leadership and management. • With the help of the parish and community, successfully develops the whole child spiritually, morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and excellent relationships. • Ensures through careful planning that all children in the school are fully included in all activities and events and that there is equal access to learning opportunities.

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What could be improved

• The inspection team found no areas of any significance for the school to develop as an action plan. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been very good improvement since the school was previously inspected in April 1997. A new headteacher and new chair of governors have been appointed since then and all the issues for improvement have been targeted and successfully accomplished. This has resulted in a steady and sustained improvement in standards in every area of the school, but especially for older pupils aged eleven in English, mathematics and science. Information and communication technology (ICT) has improved greatly and it is now a key feature of all lessons, affecting learning positively across the curriculum. The most significant improvements have taken place in teaching and in leadership and management. The way in which the work of the school is guided and directed is currently outstanding and, as a result, the school is in a very strong position to continue sustaining its high standards and to keep pace with any changes in the future.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 5

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A B A A well above average above average A B mathematics A* C A C average below average C D science A* B A* A well below average E

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Key

The 2000 national test results show pupils reaching well above average standards in English and mathematics, and very high standards, in the top five per cent nationally, in science. The more recently published 2001 results show a similar pattern, but with a slight decline in the proportion of pupils reaching the higher level in science. The current Year 6 pupils, however, are working at very high levels in all three subjects and making excellent progress in most lessons. The school has worked hard to overcome identified weaknesses in mathematics and standards have risen during the past 18 months. Compared to the performance of pupils in similar settings, the school is well above average. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher level 5 at age eleven is well above the national average overall. Over time, standards have been consistently well above the national average.

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Key

Children enter the school with levels of attainment that are broadly average, although there is a wide range of ability when they are first assessed. Progress in the early years is rapid and this is sustained up until the age of seven, where the year 2000 national tests showed pupils to be in the top five per cent of schools nationally in reading and writing, and well above average in mathematics and science. Pupils’ work shows that these impressive standards are sustained and built on in the junior section of the school, where a key feature of learning is the broadening of pupils’ education through very good links between subjects. Gifted and talented pupils make excellent progress and achieve very high standards as a result of being encouraged to develop their creativity and by being provided with appropriately challenging work. Pupils identified as having special educational needs make excellent progress over time and reach

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Key

levels that are outstanding for them personally.

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Key

The school’s targets for improvement have been met as a result of identifying and improving relatively weaker areas of learning, such as in science or mathematics.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent – pupils love the school and are really keen to do well; they enjoy learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in and out of the classroom, with very good levels of self- control. There have been no exclusions during the last decade.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent throughout the school and making a strong contribution to effective learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Well above the national average and a significant contribution to the outstanding progress made. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 6

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

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

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

Teaching is excellent overall. Inspectors recorded nothing less than good teaching during the inspection, with a very high proportion of excellent and very good teaching throughout the school, including in the Foundation Stage. All teachers have very good levels of knowledge and understanding of the subjects of the National Curriculum and they manage their classes in an excellent fashion. Support staff have meaningful and purposeful tasks to do and they give pupils’ learning a great boost whenever they are present. Teachers use resources very well and the challenge offered to pupils is outstandingly good. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught in an excellent way, enabling pupils to learn at a very rapid rate and make outstanding progress over time. Teachers make lessons very interesting by cross- referencing learning in one lesson to learning in another, on a frequent basis. This successfully broadens

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

pupils’ experiences and they learn the principles of transferring skills and understanding from one subject to another. Early identification of all pupils with special educational needs, including the gifted and talented, enables teachers to plan effectively, and for these pupils to receive challenging learning throughout the school. The way in which work is matched to the needs of each group of pupils in lessons is an outstanding feature of the success in planning and organisation.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good and fully in compliance with statutory requirements. The curriculum is made very attractive through strong links between subjects and by covering a wide range of interesting and stimulating topics. Extra- curricular activities are satisfactory and enhance the curriculum appropriately.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good, and leading to successful achievement for all these pupils by the age of eleven.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good in lessons and assemblies. The school’s provision in this area is embedded very well into its philosophy of broadening pupils’ education and developing the whole child fully.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall, but with outstanding features such as the use of assessment to help pupils make progress and the staff knowledge and understanding of the personal and academic needs of each individual pupil. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 7

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Outstanding teamwork, commitment to high standards, clarity of vision and very high standards of monitoring and evaluating progress and success contribute to this excellent feature of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have a very good understanding of the work of the school, including its strengths and areas for development. The strategic use of finances when planning, obtaining good value for money and support in the classroom are strong features of the work of governors.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school has realistic targets with open and shared management strategies, enabling all to participate fully and have some stake in the ownership of the education process.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school is very well resourced and any minor issues, such as extending sections of the teaching areas, are planned well and effectively carried out.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Standards and the progress pupils make. • The good attitudes promoted by the school in accordance with the stated Catholic aims. • Very good standards of behaviour. • Teaching is very good. • Leadership and management are very good. • A small minority of parents are unhappy with the range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors fully endorse the positive views of parents. The range and extent of extra-curricular activities was judged satisfactory by inspectors, bearing in mind that the school offers its pupils a very broad and wide ranging curriculum during lesson times. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 8

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

1. Standards of work seen during the inspection were very high for the oldest pupils in the school. In English, mathematics and science, the current Year 6 pupils were working at levels that place them in the top five per cent of pupils nationally. In all three subjects, pupils have very secure knowledge and understanding. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Over time, the school’s results have been well above the national average and have been rising at a greater rate than the national trend.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

2. Writing is of a very high standard. Letters are clearly formed and work is very well presented. Pupils use a wide range of vocabulary in their writing and their spelling is of an equally high standard. Pupils’ speech is articulate and clear, when answering questions, and when doing presentations in assemblies. Pupils are able to explain clearly why they are doing a specific task, or they can explain the strategies they are using when solving a problem or working on a task in groups. Pupils read avidly, freely and with enjoyment.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

3. In mathematics, standards are also very high. Pupils’ understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages and how to convert from one to the others is excellent. Pupils work very rapidly when calculating in their heads and they have very good knowledge and understanding of how to use calculators in other circumstances. All pupils have a firm grasp of ratio and proportion, they handle data with confidence and they have developed very good problem-solving strategies.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

4. In science, work is presented to a very high standard in terms of content, understanding, layout and illustrations. Work is linked very well to visits, such as a recent one to a local wildlife trust. Work on food chains and food webs and on photosynthesis is factually accurate and pupils’ understanding is very well developed.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

5. In music lessons and in hymn practice, pupils’ understanding of technical terms is excellent. They all know terms such as dynamic, rhythm, tempo and beat; they sing to a very high standard, applying the technical language in a real practical sense as they vary the volume and keep to rhythmic patterns very well. Diction when singing is very clear. Pupils are imaginative and creative in composition. They re-create evocative descriptive compositions to parody specific animals, having listened effectively to various portrayals from the Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens in Year 3.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

6. Pupils gain great benefit by having literacy and numeracy skills reinforced in many other areas of the curriculum. In history, for example, pupils in Year 4 are given plenty of opportunities to explore their imagination and develop their skills by writing as if they were characters in the Victorian era, such as a servant or governess at Haigh Hall. Year 6 work in literacy is linked very effectively to geography through an appreciation of languages in India. Science affords many opportunities for pupils to measure, calculate and interpret data, or to write up effective descriptions and evaluations of their experiments. This constant reinforcement of skills across the curriculum makes a very strong contribution to learning for all pupils throughout the school and leads to the high standards recorded in the national tests and seen in the work during the inspection.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

Provides excellent teaching overall, leading to outstanding levels of learning.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

7. Teaching throughout the school, including the Foundation Stage, is excellent with many very good features. This is a very significant improvement since the previous inspection. Lessons are thoroughly planned and aimed at ensuring that all pupils make equally good progress. This is achieved by matching the work precisely to the needs of each group of pupils. Using the wealth of helpers and assistants to the full, whole classes are often split into four or five separate groups, each with an adult helper, whether classroom assistant or voluntary helper. In Year 2 mathematics, St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 9 for example, this enabled the teacher to create four groups, each working at a slightly different level, but with each having its own set of challenges as pupils consolidated their learning and understanding of number patterns.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

8. Teachers have excellent understanding of how pupils learn and this is especially true of the reception age children. By careful planning and making excellent links across learning areas, the teacher ensures that basic literacy and numeracy skills become embedded into children’s thinking from a very early age. Learning mathematics is made fun for children who have just come into school, by using number rhymes; in sessions with an English language focus, the teacher uses humour and body movements very imaginatively in order to help children learn the names and sounds of letters of the alphabet.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

9. Teachers ensure that all pupils learn basic skills very well. There is very good attention paid to all the skills of literacy – speaking, listening, reading and writing – not just in English, but across other subject areas as well. For instance, in a Year 3 music lesson, pupils were expected to sit and listen as they heard a piece by one of the great composers and they were expected to be able to interpret its meaning. In science, there is a very high expectation that all work will be neatly presented and clearly laid out, which is successfully achieved by the majority of pupils. Pupils are given opportunities to act out roles in assemblies, to project their voices and to speak in a clear manner. There are specific sessions of extended writing given to pupils linked to other subjects such as history or geography. Numeracy skills are used extensively in weighing and measuring when making soup in food technology in the Infants section. Pupils learn to count rhythm and beat in

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

music, so, when singing in parts, they enter at an appropriate time. In ICT, pupils were encouraged to access specific information from a range of programs to enhance their work in history on the Victorian era. Pupils learn very effectively how to convert data into graphs in science lessons using ICT.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

10. Teachers manage their classes very well. There are very high expectations of good behaviour and quality of work. Pupils knuckle down to their studies with a minimum of fuss. They enjoy the high challenges and large numbers of hands fly up frequently when the teacher is questioning them in lessons, all eager to succeed and have a go. Even in assemblies, in front of much larger audiences, pupils are not afraid of having a shot at answering questions. Pupils are highly motivated by the interesting and dynamic way in which lessons are taught and they are very productive as they seek solutions to problems or in completing group tasks.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

11. Learning is greatly enhanced by the very effective use of resources. Rapid learning took place around the interactive white-board computer screen, as pupils learnt the skills of using spreadsheets in Year 5, and in Year 6 of how to import and paste a picture from a file in one program to a file in another. Using counting blocks, number squares and number lines, pupils rapidly consolidate their understanding of numbers up to twenty in Year 1, making excellent progress in acquiring the basic skills of counting on and backwards. In Year 3, pupils learn the art of composition by using a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, learning to be creative with sound and to work co-operatively in groups. In Year 5, pupils learn the art of making special effects when writing a play, with the teacher having prepared a very good introduction to outline the differences between a radio play and TV play.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

Enables all its pupils to make excellent progress over their time in school.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

12. On entry to the school, children’s attainment varies greatly, but it is broadly average. By the end of their time in school, standards are very high. This is excellent progress over time and a significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

13. Progress is very high in all the key areas of learning. Skills in literacy begin in the Foundation Stage from the very beginning. The teacher focuses very well on ensuring that pupils learn the correct sounds when saying names out loud and vocabulary is learnt as pupils begin to write in booklets on a theme of ‘myself’. In the rest of the school, pupils are encouraged to count whenever possible, often during registration periods when the teacher announces the number on roll, those absent and asks for the number present. Musical instruments such as the xylophone are used effectively to reinforce counting in Year 1. Pupils learn their tables rapidly and many have become very proficient at controlling the mouse when designing patterns on the computer. By Year 2, St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 10 standards have risen at a very rapid rate and, in 2000, standards of reading and writing were in the

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

top five per cent of schools nationally and well above average in mathematics and science. This is extraordinary progress over a relatively short time. 14. As pupils move on to the junior section of the school, these standards are sustained effectively. Standards are equally high by the age of eleven in English, mathematics and science, with a significant proportion of pupils each year achieving the higher levels in the national tests. Pupils learn to read quickly and effectively, digesting information rapidly and being able to recall aspects of the story, or the names of characters readily. Progress in number work is also excellent. Pupils consolidate their prior learning well and very good planning across the whole curriculum ensures that pupils apply this learning well. For example, pupils learn and apply the skills of data conversion to graphs in geography and history; they interpret census figures in history and use their very good

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

knowledge of measure to follow the beat in music and use their understanding of space when designing purses in design and technology.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

15. Progress in learning a new hymn for all the juniors was judged to be outstanding during a hymn practice. Within ten minutes, all the pupils had learnt the melody of a new hymn and could sing it very well in four parts. Such rapid progress was dependent upon clear instructions to follow the words as the piano was played, outstandingly good leadership by the two teachers when bringing the pupils in to sing their various parts and a determination by pupils to get it right from the start. Co-operation and concentration in this session, and in many other lessons seen during the inspection, are major factors in ensuring rapid learning and high standards.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

Provides outstanding levels of leadership and management.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

16. A very significant improvement since the previous inspection has been in the quality of leadership and management. Most of the issues raised in the last report were responsibilities strongly linked to management. These have been completely addressed through careful action planning. The school is excellently led by the headteacher. She is equally proficient in her role as teacher, leader and manager. She knows all her staff and pupils exceptionally well. She is often in the classrooms as a support to staff whenever management duties allow. Her style of management is one of corporate decision making. This has been extremely successful in establishing a family atmosphere within the school where all persons are treated with respect and their contributions valued. Staff share a corporate vision and are committed to sustaining the high standards and to ensuring that each pupil gets the best possible education. The senior management team is active in establishing clear

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

targets for future development; there is a high level of lesson observation and evaluation in order to improve techniques and teaching performance. Teachers share their areas for improvement and celebrate their successes in an atmosphere of mutual and professional understanding. Subject leaders monitor planning and have regular release time for work in their own areas of responsibility. This has resulted in the provision of a very good curriculum with strong links between subjects and a broad learning diet for pupils as they mature.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

17. Governors are now far more active in the school. All the outstanding financial and other issues raised by the previous audit report have been addressed successfully. Governors are aware of the strengths and relative weaknesses of the school and are as equally anxious as the senior management team to ensure that all strengths are built upon and all weaknesses are removed. These areas for improvement, which reflect the relatively lower standards in some areas of mathematics including investigation and problem solving, have become a sharp focus in the school development plan. Governors and management ensure that the aims of the school are reflected fully in the work of the school and, in this, they are extremely successful.

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Enables its pupils to achieve very high standards in English, mathematics, science and

18. There is a strong spirit of co-operation among staff and long term planning is of a very high quality. The new planning is following national guidelines, suitably amended to meet the needs of the pupils at the school. Strong links with the parish and community ensure additional help is on hand in classrooms, when pupils visit sites in the area, or to provide support for extra-curricular sporting activities. Inspectors noted that this aspect of the school was a substantial feature in promoting very good and often excellent learning in classrooms.

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morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and

excellent relationships. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 11 19. There is a very strong community feel to the school. There are very good links to the parishes where many of the pupils and parents live. Relationships are very positive throughout the school. Pupils work very well together, especially when composing music together, solving mathematical problems, or refining designs in design and technology. Pupils have great respect for their teachers and work very well for them on the tasks set. This is a most harmonious community dedicated to improving learning and achieving high standards. All visitors are made welcome and parents are regularly encouraged to become part of their children’s learning. Many are active in school on a regular basis.

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morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and

20. Parents approve strongly of the moral values and attitudes promoted by the school. There is a strong commitment to learning the faith and its moral values. Assemblies build very well on the themes being discussed in personal and social education lessons, religious education or in literacy, such as friendship and Baptism. Pupils make regular collections for local and international charities, where the focus is on thinking of someone less fortunate than themselves. Pupils take part frequently in local musical and arts festivals and events, and the awards gained are on prominent display in an entrance foyer that declares that the school is about success and achievement. Older pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit greatly from residential experiences in this country and abroad, helping to broaden their social skills and cultural awareness effectively. In discussion, pupils said the school trips were one of their favourite activities, especially joint trips

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morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and

with other schools where they had opportunities to meet different pupils.

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morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and

21. The school provides frequent and regular opportunities for pupils to reflect, assess and evaluate what they are doing. In assemblies, pupils think about the theme of the session before saying a prayer; in lessons, they are encouraged to assess what they have written or said, but in a self- critical manner, with the emphasis on how might it be improved. Work on display in art and design and design and technology contains pupils’ own evaluations of their finished products. Pupils said they loved to see their work on display and that it made them feel proud to be part of the school.

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morally and socially in a caring atmosphere against a background of very good behaviour and

22. Behaviour is very good throughout the school and this makes a significant contribution to learning. Pupils come into registration in the morning prepared to learn. They are calm and orderly as they start the day. A very good tone for subsequent learning is set. Pupils move around the school to the hall for music or physical education or assemblies in a sensible and self-disciplined manner. They behave very well in the playground where older Year 6 pupils support younger ones extremely effectively. They mix and socialise very well. Pupils show great respect for the adults who work with them. The good behaviour and absence of any oppressive behaviour gives pupils great confidence in their school and an added determination to give of their best and succeed.

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Ensures, through careful planning, that all children in the school are fully included in all

activities and events and that there is equal access to learning opportunities.

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Ensures, through careful planning, that all children in the school are fully included in all

23. All pupils are valued equally in the school. Great care is taken to ensure that, through careful planning, each child has equality of opportunity and access to all areas of school life. Whenever teachers question pupils in lessons, they ensure that the appropriate level of question is directed to each pupil in order to challenge them effectively. Pupils are regularly assessed and teachers keep a careful record in order to ensure that any work set is suitable to the known level of each individual, or group of individuals. Early assessment of children in the reception class ensures that any specific needs are identified and planned for from an early age. Other information gathered through tests or observations by staff is used to the benefit of pupils. Those who are showing any signs of struggling to keep up with their work are given additional help through the register of special educational need if the problem persists. Pupils who are showing specific talents in any

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Ensures, through careful planning, that all children in the school are fully included in all

areas are quickly identified and given additional challenging material to work with so that they move forward at an appropriate pace. Staff know their pupils extremely well and are aware of a wide range of personal and academic problems and issues. Teachers ensure that all pupils learn well in lessons by moving around the room during groupwork and questioning pupils and their understanding of the tasks they are engaged upon.

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Ensures, through careful planning, that all children in the school are fully included in all

24. The school ensures that all pupils have equal access to residential trips, whether abroad to northern France, or more locally to the Lake District. If financial problems occur, funds have been provided from a range of sources so that no pupil is excluded. An LEA bursary is made available in similar St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 12 cases over specialist music tuition. Even though the school is built on a relatively steep slope, access to all areas is assured through exterior ramps and wide doors. Through close liaison with parents, with specialist external help and from within the shared expertise in school, there is appropriate help and support given to pupils at all times. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 13

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 41 41 18 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 195

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 14

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 13 23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 96 (96) 100 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (93) 100 (96) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 20 13 33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 18 17 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 12 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (83) 88 (79) 100 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 15 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 82 (59) 85 (59) 100 (90) 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 Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 15

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 358,488

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 352,612

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 95 Expenditure per pupil 1818

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 37,353

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 43,229

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Mary and St John Catholic Primary - 16

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 53 43 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 46 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 53 5 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 50 8 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 28 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 35 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 45 7 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 55 36 4 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 43 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 41 17 5 2

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents expressed concern at having to pay for instrumental music lessons.

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