St Richard's Catholic Primary School

St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 1

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ST RICHARD’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 9 th May 2001

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ST RICHARD’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cawley Road Chichester West Sussex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, St Richards Catholic Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs K Hughes

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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 Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 3

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Team members

19227 Paul Missin Registered inspector 9446 Helen Griffiths Lay inspector 16942 Robert Lever Team inspector

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Team members

Phoenix Educational Consultants “Thule” 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT

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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 Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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 16

St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Richard’s Catholic Primary School is a school for boys and girls aged from four to 11 years. There are currently 201 pupils on roll, 110 boys and 91 girls. This is about the same size as most schools of the same type. Twelve pupils have English as an additional language (seven per cent), and three pupils require further language support. This proportion is higher than in most schools and is an increase since the last inspection. Three pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Fourteen pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals (5.4 per cent). This is below average. Forty-six pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register (22.9 per cent) and two pupils have statements of special educational need. These are broadly average. The 20 youngest children are in the Foundation Stage and are taught in a single class with six Year 1 pupils for some activities. During the last year,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

eight pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of admission, and 15 left other than at the usual time of transfer. Pupils are admitted to the school from a wide geographical area. Numbers in the school are rising and a major building extension was being carried out while this inspection was taking place. When children enter the school, most are attaining average standards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Richard’s is a good school, which has many very good features. The interesting and challenging curriculum and the consistently good teaching throughout the school ensure that the pupils attain good standards and make good progress. The headteacher’s leadership is very good and she is well supported by effective senior teachers and a knowledgeable and committed governing body. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are good across the school. • The quality of teaching and the quality of pupils’ learning across the school are good. • The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support given by the governing body are very good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The partnership with parents and the local community is very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved in information and communication technology at both key stages. • The monitoring of teaching and learning and procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • The physical development of children in the Foundation Stage. 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

Since it was last inspected in March 1997, the school has made good overall improvement. All the key issues identified in the report have been addressed and the response to some of them has been very good. The development of the role of the governing body in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work, and the introduction of schemes of work which help to raise teachers’ expectations of pupils’ attainment, have been very good. Good progress has also been made in rectifying the health and safety issues identified in the 1997 inspection and in the improvements made to the school development plan. Since the last inspection, standards have been at least maintained and in mathematics, they have been improved at both key stages. Good improvement has also been made in the quality of teaching across the school and the good provision for pupils with special educational needs has been maintained. The strength of the headteacher's leadership, the support provided by the governing body and the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

commitment of the whole staff mean that the school is very well placed for these improvements to continue. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 6

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

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Key

The standards attained by pupils in the 2000 national tests were above average for all and for similar schools in mathematics and well above average in English and science. The school exceeded its targets for attainment in English and mathematics in the 2000 tests, and is on course to achieve them in 2001. Since 1997 standards attained in English, mathematics and science have been consistently above or well above the national average. The school’s assessment of the likely achievement of the current Year 6 group in English is significantly lower than those of previous years. This is confirmed by the findings of the current inspection. This group is on course to achieve average standards in English. This change is due to the fact that this group has a much higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than other year groups and many of these have specific language difficulties. The Year 6 group is still on course to achieve above average standards in mathematics and science where

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Key

the impact of their language difficulties is less.

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Key

At Key Stage 1, pupils also achieve above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve good standards in all areas of learning except in their physical development where standards are satisfactory. Better standards in this area are limited by a lack of access to a separate outside play and activity area. At both key stages, pupils achieve average standards in information and communication technology. Higher standards are limited by the lack of access to sufficient hardware and software. The school recognises both these areas of deficiency and a new Foundation Stage classroom and play area and a new computer suite are being provided.

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Key

Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress and reach good standards according to their previous levels of attainment. Across the school, pupils achieve well and make good progress as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are interested in their work and they work hard. They are eager and responsive in their lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and they play constructively and co-operatively at playtimes. Pupils’ very good behaviour has a positive impact on the quality of their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school engenders a very strong sense of community. Positive relationships are promoted and pupils are encouraged well by the House system. Adults and pupils relate to each other very well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is above average and unauthorised absence is very low. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 7 Punctuality is very good.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching in the school, including English and literacy, and mathematics and numeracy, is good. Teaching is consistently good in lessons at both key stages and in the Foundation Stage. During the inspection, 19 per cent of the teaching observed was very good, and 81 per cent was good. No teaching was less than good. The main strength in the teaching is the positive relationship that all teachers establish with pupils in their class. Other strengths include the detailed lesson planning, the good range of interesting and challenging activities provided and the teachers’ good understanding of the subjects they teach and their knowledge of how pupils learn.

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

The quality of pupils’ learning across the school is also good. The positive way that pupils are managed ensures that they are interested and involved in their lessons and learn well. Pupils’ learning is positively encouraged by the way that teachers provide well planned and carefully timed opportunities for them to discuss what they know with a partner or in a small group before sharing it with others in the class. Other features that encourage good learning are the expertise and enthusiasm of the teachers and the sensitive use of skilled classroom assistants to support and encourage pupils in their work.

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

The quality of teaching and the quality of learning of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are also good. The school meets the needs of all its pupils well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is very good. The curriculum is well organised and the monitoring and evaluation through the annual curriculum audit are very effective. However, the monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons in subjects other than English, mathematics and science is underdeveloped The National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy are taught very well. Important strengths are the carefully planned cross- curricular approach, the very good range of extracurricular activities provided, and the good use of visitors and visits to enhance the curriculum. The full impact of the Foundation Stage curriculum is limited by the lack of access to a separate and appropriately resourced outdoor play area.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The special educational needs co-ordinator is efficient and effective and pupils’ individual learning plans are devised and reviewed well. Pupils are well supported by classroom assistants, volunteer parents and by outside agencies when necessary.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The needs of the three pupils requiring English language support are assessed well and their carefully targeted work is ensuring that they are quickly being enabled to have full access to the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural This is very good and is a significant strength of the school. Very good opportunity is provide for prayer and reflection and the school develops a very strong sense of community in which each pupil is clearly valued. Pupils learn well about their own cultural heritage and those of different St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 8 development times and places. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a very caring community where thoughtfulness, honesty and consideration for others are clearly promoted. Welfare provision is very good and all the health and safety issues identified at the last inspection have been fully addressed. Assessment procedures are good in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology, but less well developed in the other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s partnership with parents is very good. The school provides clear and regular information to parents about activities and the progress pupils are making. Parents support the school’s work well by their encouragement of work done at home and the help they give, for example, with the reading support programme.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher’s leadership and management of the school are very good. She ensures that the Christian ethos of the school is at the heart of all it does. She has developed a fully committed and enthusiastic staff team. The co-ordinators of English, mathematics and science are very effective and make important contributions to the good standards achieved in these subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body provides very good support to the school’s management. This has been very good improvement since the last inspection. Governors are provided with good information about the school’s work and evidence from their regular visits is enabling them to get a clearer view of the school’s effectiveness. A significant strength of the school is the commitment of the chair of governors and the supportive but challenging relationship, which she has with the headteacher.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its work very well. Thorough curriculum audits are undertaken annually and the results of national and internal tests are carefully analysed. Priorities for development are identified and carefully planned.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources well, and clear links are now made between developmental priorities and budget spending. Grants for specific funding, including those for special educational needs, are used well. Members of the governing body make sure they get best value as they oversee the new building work. The budget rollover, which is well above recommended levels, has been appropriately earmarked for the further resourcing of the new computer suite. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Standards achieved in the school. • The integration of all pupils. • The good behaviour of the pupils. • The very good provision for extracurricular activities. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The findings of the inspection confirm all the positive views of the school, but disagree with the only significant negative comment. The school provides a good range of opportunities for curriculum enhancement and very good extracurricular activities. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards in English, mathematics and science are high across the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Standards at Key Stage 1, and in Years 3, 4 and 5 are above average in English, mathematics and science. Since 1996, standards attained across the school have been good and this strength has been maintained well since the last inspection. The standards achieved by the current Year 6 are average. This is a significant drop in standards since 2000 and is a reflection of the much higher proportion of pupils in this group who have special educational needs. Evidence shows that the present Year 5 is on course to achieve above average standards in 2002.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Teachers across the school have worked hard to improve standards in English. Writing has been a main focus and evidence from pupils’ current work indicates that these initiatives are beginning to show good improvement. Pupils are now given good opportunity to write for a wide range of purposes and for different audiences. They are encouraged to consider the style of writing, for example, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils followed up a previous letter of complaint by considering a letter of persuasion. In another very good lesson, Year 6 pupils were skilfully taught the important elements in planning a story. They then went on to consider different genre and discuss styles of different authors. Standards in speaking and listening across the school are good. In Year 2, for example, pupils speak confidently and articulately when identifying similarities in stories about Katie Morag. They listen well and show that

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

they have understood the main points. When responding to the shared text, they show good skills and read accurately and fluently.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. In mathematics, the National Numeracy Strategy is being implemented well. Teachers have a good understanding of its organisation. The oral starter to lessons is managed well and pupils make good progress in their ability to do mental calculations and to explain their working. For example, Year 3 pupils were asked to work out mentally money totals that might have been missing from a purse, and to explain to others in the class the different methods they used. Year 4 pupils use their knowledge of addition well as they work out money problems. Across the school, work is well matched to pupils’ ability. Topics are organised well and good opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their understanding to higher than expected levels. For example, in Year 1, work is done on the value of digits in a number that contains thousands and addition done using numbers with three digits. At Year 6, pupils understand and use brackets in their work and do addition and multiplication calculations to two

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

decimal places. At both key stages, these aspects of the subject are above average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. In science, pupils undertake a good range of interesting and challenging experiments and investigations. For example, in Key Stage 1, pupils observe and record how plants grow under different conditions in the classroom and investigate which covering will keep a sandwich the freshest over a five- day period. At Key Stage 2, pupils investigate what happens when an object is weighed in the air and in water, and how the sound is changed as you blow across the top of containers filled with different amounts of water. Careful attention is paid, particularly as pupils get older, to the clearest way of recording and reporting their findings. A strength in the provision at Key Stage 1 is the way in which work in science is carefully integrated into wider cross-curricular work. A strength in the provision at Key Stage 2 is the focus given to revision in Year 6 and the support pupils receive in enabling them to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

appreciate the particular requirements of the national tests.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching and the quality of pupils’ learning across the school are good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The quality of teaching across the school is good, with several very good features. This has a direct impact on the quality of pupils’ learning. In the Reception Year, the teacher establishes a good relationship with pupils in the class. This enables them to feel safe and secure and gives them confidence to explore their surroundings and to learn effectively. Basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. A further strength is the way that a good range of interesting and challenging activities is provided which are cleverly linked together by an overall topic theme. This approach secures children’s interest and promotes their learning well. For example, during the inspection, the class’s work was based on the topic ‘Clothes’. Some children were sorting and classifying different materials into those St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 12 which they would and would not like to wear. Others were making colourful collages using different

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

materials, another group was operating a ‘shop’ selling a range of different socks and another was designing and making advertising posters for the shop.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Across the school, teachers’ planning is thorough and detailed. Clear reference is made to the learning intended in each lesson and this is shared with the pupils so that they are clear about what is expected of them and helps their learning. Planning also makes reference to homework, resources and assessment opportunities. The thorough planning ensures that the progression in pupils’ learning is carefully promoted. A strength in the teaching across the school is the positive way that pupils are managed. This ensures that pupils’ enthusiasm and commitment to their own learning are secured well and leads to effective learning. Teachers have good class control; they ensure that instructions are given clearly and that they are heard and understood by all pupils. A noticeable feature of the very good teaching is the way that pupils are given the opportunity to discuss issues with a partner or in a small

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

group. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson, pupils were given several short opportunities to discuss situations where different forces were at work. This opportunity developed pupils’ oral skills well and added significantly to their appreciation of forces. Other strengths of teaching at Key Stage 1 are where teachers set the context of the lessons well by linking it with what pupils had done before, and the effective use of classroom assistants. At Key Stage 2, other strengths include good, confident subject knowledge and the careful timing of activities, which encourages pupils’ concentration and motivation and improves their learning.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

7. The headteacher’s leadership of the school is very good. She has ensured that the aims and ethos of the school, particularly those relating to its religious affiliation, are securely at the centre of what the school does. The school combines effectively a concern for each pupil’s spiritual and moral development, sensitive provision for their care and welfare and a determination to secure the highest possible academic standards. These aims are achieved well. The headteacher has devised a comprehensive school development plan that contains an overview of the main developmental priorities, a termly timetable for work to be done, and very detailed subject action plans. Clear links are made between developmental priorities and budget allocations. This represents good improvement on a key issue identified at the last inspection.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

8. A further strength of the headteacher’s leadership is the way in which she has encouraged the professional development of senior staff and secured the commitment of the whole staff team. She has established an effective professional relationship with the deputy headteacher who is relatively new to the school. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science are very effective and make important contributions to the good standards achieved in their subjects across the school. These co- ordinators have a clear understanding of the work in their subjects; they monitor teachers’ planning and pupils’ work effectively and ensure that high standards are maintained.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

9. The governing body provides very good support to the school’s management. This has been very good improvement to a key issue identified at the previous inspection. Governors are well informed about school activities through the headteacher’s reports and issues are thoroughly discussed in the respective committees. Individual governors assume responsibility for overseeing particular aspects of the school’s work and subjects taught. The evidence gained from their visits is providing them with a clearer view of the work of the school and enabling more sharply focused discussions about the effectiveness of the school to be undertaken. A significant strength of the school is the commitment of the chair of governors and the supportive but challenging relationship, which she has with the headteacher.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

10. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. This has maintained a strength identified at the last inspection. Very good opportunities are provided to encourage pupils' spiritual development. Separate curricular time is identified for class prayers. This St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 13 provides opportunity for pupils to reflect on the day and to share concerns for themselves or other people in a spiritual context. Morning assemblies are important spiritual occasions. A sense of wonder and anticipation is created as music is played as pupils enter the hall and a small worship focus is created. Appropriate use is made of candles and pupils are encouraged to reflect on their part in the school community and to pray for those less fortunate than themselves. Provision for pupils’ moral development is also very good. All pupils have a clear appreciation of right and wrong and the need for rules. They

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

make an active contribution to the rules that are devised for each class. Pupils’ moral development is encouraged well by the fairness and the consistency with which all the adults in the school community treat them. Pupils have very good role models to follow.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

11. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school establishes a very strong sense of community and the pupils’ part in this is clearly valued. This is evident in the positive way that all adults relate to pupils and the way that pupils’ successes are celebrated and difficulties supported. Pupils co- operate in class and pupils of different ages and genders and from different ethnic groups play well together at playtimes. The school’s house system makes an important contribution to pupils’ personal development. Pupils’ wider social responsibility is developed well as they make collections for several national and local charities. Provision for their cultural development is good. They learn about the cultures of different places and times and visit some local places of interest such as Chichester Cathedral and city walls, and the Fishbourne Roman remains. They take part in a local dance festival

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

and carol concert. Pupils’ understanding of black culture is developed as they observe African dance and hear a Caribbean drummer and storyteller. Interest is also encouraged by cultural displays around the school, including the work of other artists and exhibitions of African art and sculptures.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

The partnership with parents and the local community is very good.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

12. The partnership, which the school establishes with its parents and the local community, is very good. Evidence from the parents’ pre-inspection meeting and the results of their response in the questionnaire showed that they are very supportive of the school and are pleased with most of what it provides. The range and quality of information about school activities and the progress pupils are making are very good. Regular newsletters and updates are provided, meetings are held to explain new curricular initiatives and expectations for homework, and the statutory information required to be given to parents is fully provided. Termly meetings are organised for parents to meet their child’s teacher and at this meeting the child’s learning targets are discussed and agreed. The school has devised a useful home/school agreement. Many parents support the school’s work as they encourage children to complete the regularly set homework and by helping in the classrooms. Particularly valuable is the

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

regular commitment, which several parents make, in supervising the regular ‘Toe-by-toe’ reading support programme throughout the school.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

13. The school develops very effective links with the local community. The school has an important place in the local Catholic parish. This was evident in the very good level of support provided by the parish in the recent campaign to provide a parish nursery on the school site. Pupils and staff attend several masses in the parish church and pupils take part in class liturgies which are held in the school. The school is involved in other community events, such as distributing harvest festival produce to the homeless, May Fete, Christmas bazaar, and participating in the European Plaque of Honour celebrations in Chichester.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

14. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The co-ordinator is efficient and effective and her work is very well organised. Pupils’ individual learning plans are clearly related to their area of need and most identify appropriately small steps for pupils to achieve. This means that learning targets are achievable and they are specific enough to ensure that accurate assessment of progress can be made. Learning targets are regularly reviewed and revised if necessary. Good use is made of assessment information including that provided by data from the assessment on entry to the school programme. Pupils are supported well by class teachers, classroom assistants and by the special educational needs teacher. Teachers ensure that appropriate work for pupils is clearly identified in their planning and classroom assistants work alongside pupils and give them advice, instruction and St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 14

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

encouragement as they work. The good provision of classroom assistants across the school has a positive impact on the good progress that these pupils make. Classroom assistants are also involved well in the further support of pupils with specific difficulties. For example, during the inspection, a classroom assistant was observed giving a small group of children in the Reception Year a series of hand and finger co-ordination exercise to improve their dexterity. This was well managed and there was clear evidence from useful assessments that were being made of the progress that children were making as a result of this input. The ‘Toe-by-toe’ reading support programme, managed by the special educational needs teacher and supported well by parents, is having a good impact on pupils’ progress in reading. Appropriate training is provided for classroom assistants and some are extending this to recognised qualifications.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior staff and the support provided by the

St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 15

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Standards achieved in information communication technology at both key stages

15. At both key stages, pupils achieve standards that are in line with those expected nationally. For example, at Key Stage 1, pupils use an art program to design a Christmas card. They plot their route to school using a mathematics programme and use a robotic toy to demonstrate how a sequence of commands can be given. At Key Stage 2, pupils combine text and graphics, use and interrogate spreadsheets and use word processing functions to record their scientific investigations. However, the main shortcoming in raising standards further is the lack of regular and extended access to sufficient hardware and software. The current provision of class computers is well below the national average but these are used well to allow average standards to be achieved. However, this does not provide sufficient opportunity for further development of work, for example, in the use of the Internet or e-mail, to allow

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Standards achieved in information communication technology at both key stages

pupils to reach higher standards. The shortcomings in resources are due to be rectified when the school’s new computer suite is installed. A further shortcoming is that important cross-curricular links, for example with mathematics, history and geography are not made sufficiently clearly in teachers’ medium and short term planning.

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The monitoring of teaching and learning and the introduction of procedures to assess and

record pupils’ attainment in the non-core subjects .

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The monitoring of teaching and learning and the introduction of procedures to assess and

16. A relative weakness in the school is that the very good procedures for monitoring teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science are not fully extended to cover work done in other subjects. This has been identified as an area of development by most of the respective co-ordinators in their yearly action plans and is part of the current school development plan. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and the progress they make in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are not sufficiently developed.

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The physical development of children in the Foundation Stage

17. The attainment of higher standards in children’s physical development in the Reception year is limited by lack of access to a separate outside play and activity area. Currently, the Reception class has a small outside patio area adjoining the classroom, which is used well, when weather permits, to provide extra space and some outdoor activities. For example, during the inspection, groups of children were managing the class shop, and taking part in sand and water play. Reception children have regular physical education lessons and they use, at agreed times, the outdoor facilities in the Nursery. However, these are not near to their classroom and children have to be taken there and specially supervised. This is good use of the facilities that are currently available. The main shortcoming in this arrangement is that children do not have sufficient constant and regular access to those facilities to

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The physical development of children in the Foundation Stage

reach higher standards in their physical development. This deficiency also limits opportunities for further social interaction and language development through these play activities. Children are not currently able to make their own choices about these physical activities because their use has to be carefully timetabled. The school has already recognised these shortcomings and the building programme that is being undertaken will provide a new Reception classroom and adjacent outdoor activity area, thus addressing this issue. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 16

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headteacher, governors and staff should:

(1) Ensure that standards are raised across the school in information communication technology following the introduction of the new computer suite. See Paragraph 15

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headteacher, governors and staff should:

(2) Improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning in subjects other than English, mathematics and science by: i) extending the very good procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science to these other subjects; ii) introducing agreed procedures for assessing and recording the attainment and progress that pupils make. See Paragraph 16

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headteacher, governors and staff should:

(3) Ensure the completion of a separate outdoor play area that is appropriately resourced for the Foundation Stage as identified in the school development plan. See Paragraph St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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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

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 201

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 14

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 12

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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 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for 2000 2000 17 9 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 17 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (93) 92 (90) 96 (93) 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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 17 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (93) 100 (93) 100 (97) 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

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for 2000 2000 17 8 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 16 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 96 (94 ) 76 (84) 92 (97) 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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (94) 80 (91) 92 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. * Data omitted because of small year group numbers. St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 8 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.3 Financial year 2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 329396

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8.0 Expenditure per pupil 1607

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 182 Balance brought forward from previous year 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 14772 St Richard’s Catholic Primary School - 20

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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. 63 32 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 37 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 41 12 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 40 12 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 32 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 28 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 47 43 6 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 68 32 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 25 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 17 51 23 5 4

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Other issues raised by parents

• Standards achieved in the school. • The integration of all pupils. • The good behaviour of the pupils. • The very good provision for extracurricular activities.

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