St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 5 th July 2000

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chelwood Avenue Childwall Liverpool Merseyside Postcode: L16 2LN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr P McLachlan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th November 1996

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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 Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 3

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Team members

Mr P Kemble Registered inspector Mr J Massey Lay inspector Ms H Sumner Team inspector Mr R Greenall Team inspector

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Team members

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Paschal Baylon 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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

• Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are above average and all pupils make good progress. • Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are excellent and contribute significantly to the good standards achieved. • The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations and relationships with pupils are very good. • Links with parents and the local community are excellent. • The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and provide a clear educational direction to the life and work of the school.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 16

• The use of literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. • The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for example by following up their own lines of enquiry. • The amount of time allocated to physical education. • The space and facilities for the children under five.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 19

St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is an above average sized primary school for boys and girls aged four to eleven years. It is situated in Childwall in Liverpool and serves the educational and spiritual needs of children in the parish of St Paschal Baylon. There are 331 pupils on roll, consisting of 181 boys and 150 girls. No pupils were under five at the time of the inspection. Pupils’ attainment on entry is similar to that found in primary schools nationally. The percentage of pupils (13.29 per cent) entitled to free school meals is similar to the national average. Nineteen pupils (5.74 per cent) have special educational needs, a figure which is well below the national average. Three pupils (0.9 per cent) have statements of special educational need, a figure which is below the national average. There are six pupils (1.8 per cent) from ethnic minority backgrounds. There are no pupils with English as an additional language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils are organised in eleven classes, five in Key Stage 1 and six in Key Stage 2. The average class size is 30.1.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School is a very effective school. Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average at the end of both key stages and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. The quality of teaching is good overall and, as a result, pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour are excellent and relationships are very good. Curriculum provision is good and extended effectively by a very good range of extra- curricular activities. The promotion of pupils’ personal development and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The school has excellent links with parents and the local community and cares for their children very well. The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and he provides a very clear educational direction to the life and work of the school. The headteacher is very well supported by teaching and non-teaching staff and

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

governors, who carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively. The school has an income which is slightly above the national average and provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are above average and all pupils make good progress. • Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are excellent and contribute significantly to the good standards achieved. • The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations and relationships with pupils are very good. • Links with parents and the local community are excellent. • The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and provide a clear educational direction to the life and work of the school.

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What could be improved

• The use of literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. • The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently and collaboratively, for example by following up their own lines of enquiry. • The amount of time allocated to physical education. • The space and facilities for the children under five.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1996. The headteacher and governors have responded well to the issues raised in the report and improvements have been good overall. The quality of teaching for the children under five was sometimes unsatisfactory but is now good. Provision for information technology was judged to be unsatisfactory but has improved significantly. Pupils’ standards of attainment are now above those expected of pupils of their age at the end of both key stages. The design and technology curriculum has been successfully reviewed and pupils now receive regular, structured opportunities to develop their skills. Standards of attainment in mathematics and science at the end of both key stages have improved since the last report. The quality of teaching has improved and there is now no unsatisfactory teaching. There has been very little improvement in the amount of time allocated to physical education.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high A* English A A* A A well above average above average A B mathematics A A A A average below average C D science B A B C well below average E

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Key

The table shows how standards that are above or well above the national average have been maintained since 1997. Standards in mathematics and science are an improvement on the average standards reported in 1996. Inspection evidence shows that standards of the current Year 6 pupils are similar to the 1999 results in English and mathematics. Standards in science are now also above average.

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Key

Standards in information technology are above those expected nationally at the end of both key stages.

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Key

Pupils do well in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 1.

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Key

Children under five make good progress and achieve well across the range of their work.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils, including the children under five, have excellent attitudes to their work and these make a significant contribution to the standards attained. Pupils show a mature approach to their studies from an early age and concentrate for extended periods of time during lessons. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 7 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils' behaviour in and around the school is excellent. Pupils show considerable respect for all adults in the school and treat resources and equipment with great care.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. Relationships between pupils and amongst pupils and all staff are very good and make a significant contribution to the excellent school ethos.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils arrive on time and lessons begin promptly each day.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is consistently good in literacy, numeracy and science at both key stages. It is often very good or better in literacy and numeracy. Excellent lessons were seen at both key stages in numeracy. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically and socially and, as a result, pupils make good progress. Teachers are particularly successful at planning activities that closely match the needs of pupils and this means that pupils are regularly challenged by their work. Teachers do not give pupils enough responsibility to apply their skills to independent and collaborative activities such as problem-solving tasks or following their own lines of enquiry. This reduces the quality of pupils’ learning, for example in some lessons in literacy, numeracy, science and history.

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

Taking into account all the lessons seen during the inspection, all were satisfactory or better. Of these, 40 per cent were good; 50 per cent were very good or better. There were instances of excellent teaching at both key stages.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum has good breadth and relevance for the children under five and at both key stages. Physical and social activities for children under five are restricted by limited accommodation. There is an imbalance in the amount of time allocated to physical education at both key stages. Pupils’ experiences are successfully extended by a very good range of extra-curricular activities, particularly at Key Stage 2.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is very good. The targets in pupils’ individual education plans are well matched to their needs and support in classrooms and, in lessons with the special needs co-ordinator, provide effective step-by- step development of pupils’ skills. As a result, pupils make good progress. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 8 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good. Assemblies make a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. Pupils have a very clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. Social development is promoted well through adherence to the school’s codes of behaviour. Cultural development is promoted well through geography, music and links with the local community. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ safety are very good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ academic and social achievements are good and are used well to identify specific skills requiring improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The links that have been established between the school, its parents and the local community are excellent and make a significant contribution to pupils’ standards of attainment.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher and governors are aware of the restrictions placed on the physical and social development of children under five by limited accommodation and have useful plans detailed in the school development plan to improve the provision by the end of the year.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher’s leadership and management are excellent. He is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and by co-ordinators. All staff work very hard and carry out their duties efficiently and effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors have a very good understanding of the school’s priorities over the next few years. They allocate the school budget effectively to support school improvement initiatives in the school development plan.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher, staff and governors are closely involved in analysing national and school data on a regular basis to assess how effective initiatives in the school development plan are in raising standards. Information gathered is used very effectively to make adjustments to future plans to help individuals and groups of pupils improve their performance.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of teaching and non-teaching staff and other adults to support learning in all classes. The school buildings, grounds and the local area are used effectively to extend pupils’ learning experiences. Resources are of good quality and quantity and used efficiently and effectively in all curriculum areas.

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Aspect Comment

Governors and staff work very well together as a team to promote school improvement. Governors have appointed a good number of suitably qualified teaching and non-teaching staff and give a high priority to their training requirements. A new classroom has recently been completed, and another is planned to be built in the near future, in order to reduce class sizes. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 9

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • Their children behave well and are encouraged to be mature and responsible. • The quality of teaching is good and parents feel comfortable about approaching the headteacher and staff with questions or problems. • Teachers have high expectations of their children’s academic and social attainments. • The school is well led and managed; the headteacher and governors have maintained the quality of the teaching staff as teachers have moved on to promotion. • There are very good links with the parish church. • Standards have improved for the children under five and in information technology. • Some parents would like more homework and some would like less for their children. • Some parents feel they are not kept well enough informed about their children’s progress, especially at Key Stage 1. • A small minority of parents considers that the school does not work closely enough

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

with them. • A small minority of parents feel that there is not a sufficiently wide range of activities provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence supports parents’ positive views. The amount of homework set is typical of most primary schools nationally. Formal and informal arrangements for parents to find out about their children’s progress are judged to be very good. Teaching staff are always available after school to consult with parents, if necessary. Inspectors judge links with parents, and parents’ involvement in their children’s education, to be excellent. The range of extra-curricular activities is judged to be very good, although lunch-time and after-school clubs benefit pupils at Key Stage 2 more than at Key Stage 1. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 10

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

above average and all pupils make good progress.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

1. At the time of the previous inspection, pupils’ standards at the end of both key stages were reported to be above the national average in English, and standards in mathematics and science were reported to be in line with the national average. Findings of the present inspection show that standards of attainment at the end of both key stages in all three subjects are at least above the national average. They are well above average in reading at the end of both key stages, and in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. This represents a good improvement overall in standards since the previous inspection.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

2. The results of the 1999 national tests and teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 showed standards in reading were well above, and those in writing, mathematics and science above the national average and that of similar schools. The results of the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 showed standards of attainment in English and mathematics were well above the national average and that of similar schools. Standards of attainment in science were above the national average, and broadly in line with the average of similar schools. Although it is too early for national comparisons to be made, results of the 2000 national tests indicate similar standards to those of 1999 at the end of Key Stage 1. At the end of Key Stage 2, results indicate that the good standards in English and mathematics have been maintained, and that standards of attainment in science are now also above average.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

3. When considering trends over time between 1996 and 1999, as shown by the end of Key Stage 2 national test results, standards of attainment in English, mathematics and science have risen broadly in line with the national trend.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

4. Speaking and listening skills are above average at the end of both key stages. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils listen well to adults and to each other. They listen attentively to others, for example as they talk about what they have learned at the ends of lessons. By the end of Key Stage 2, the quality of pupils’ understanding of what they have heard is evident as they share their ideas in whole-class sessions. Pupils listen for long periods in literacy lessons in particular, and maintain good levels of concentration. Role-play makes an important contribution to the development of speaking skills. For example, some Year 6 pupils were observed pretending to be characters from a book, based on World War One, being studied during literacy hour. They answered questions from the rest of the class about life in the trenches and spoke clearly and dramatically about their experiences.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

5. Reading standards are well above average at the end of both key stages. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. At Key Stage 1, pupils learn a wide range of strategies for coping with difficult words. By the end of the key stage, pupils read texts with good understanding and levels of accuracy. They talk competently about their favourite authors and why they like some books and not others. At Key Stage 2, the good attitudes to reading developed at Key Stage 1 are maintained. By the end of the key stage, pupils read with good St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 11 expression and talk knowledgeably about characters and events. They discuss authors’ varying styles of writing and the effects created by their choice of words and phrases. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support in overcoming problems with reading, particularly when working out of the classroom

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

6. Standards in writing are above average at the end of both key stages and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. By the end of Key Stage 1, sentences are well formed. Higher attaining pupils use speech marks and apostrophes accurately. Handwriting is neat and legible. Pupils often use complex sentences and write to a good length. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils show a high standard of work in all aspects of writing. Work is presented neatly and carefully. Spelling and punctuation are mainly good. In all classes, pupils are given many opportunities to write in different ways, for example letters, poems, stories and factual accounts. This variety is helpful in developing in pupils an understanding of the impact that writing can have, for example in extending knowledge or expressing emotions. As a result, the quality of creative writing at both key stages is often high.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

The work of higher attaining pupils is occasionally outstanding.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

7. In mathematics, standards are above average at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above average at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. At Key Stage 1, Reception pupils competently count in twos up to 50. They add and subtract amounts of money to one pound. They apply their knowledge and understanding of money well to shopping activities and accurately calculate change from a five pound note. Pupils in Year 1 make good progress in learning their two, five and ten times tables and often recall these facts quickly. By the end of the key stage, pupils’ mental calculation skills are good. They are familiar with the word 'strategy' and look for different ways of tackling problems. At Key Stage 2, pupils continue to make good progress as they respond to well-paced, challenging lessons. They are regularly encouraged to explain their methods and this is successful in promoting their

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

confidence and sense of achievement. By the end of the key stage, attainment in numeracy is well above average for the vast majority of pupils. For example, some Year 6 pupils were set the task by their teacher of calculating how many squares they could find on a chess board. Pupils applied their mathematical knowledge and understanding very well to solve the problem in a systematic way.

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

8. In science, standards are above average at the end of both key stages. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. At Key Stage 1, pupils are developing good skills of scientific enquiry as they respond to regular opportunities to investigate and experiment. For example, pupils in a class of Years 1 and 2 pupils were observed exploring human variation by observation and comparison. They measured hand spans and carefully recorded their results. They made good progress in applying their previous learning to draw simple conclusions about the variations in their results and how the investigation might be extended. By the end of the key stage, pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of forces, for example through their work on the forces affecting shopping trolleys. They know that animals and plants favour particular habitats and give simple explanations as to why. They have a good awareness of why experiments and

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

investigations have to be carried out systematically and results recorded carefully. At Key Stage 2, pupils are provided with a wide range of activities covering all aspects of the science National Curriculum. The enthusiasm for the subject developed at Key Stage 1 is successfully built upon and pupils make good progress St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 12 as a result. Interesting investigations and experiments stimulate thinking and extend skills. For example, Year 4 pupils were observed investigating whether woodlice preferred light or dark habitats. They showed a very good understanding that conditions for the test should be carefully controlled in order for the results to be valid. Pupils carried out the investigation methodically and patiently and handled the woodlice with great care. The quality of the discussion at the end of the lesson was of a high standard as pupils offered views and opinions to explain the variations in

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Standards at the end of both key stages in English, mathematics and science are

their results. By the end of the key stage, pupils have good observational skills, which they use effectively in writing and drawing about their experiments.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

excellent and contribute significantly to the good standards achieved.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

9. Children under five have good attitudes to their learning. They benefit from a well- planned induction programme and settle quickly into school routines. Children show very good levels of concentration for their age and take part enthusiastically in their tasks. Their behaviour is very good. Provision for their personal development is very good and is an important factor in the development of the children’s good attitudes and behaviour. They are encouraged to take turns and play fairly and respond well to opportunities to take responsibility for some of the day-to-day classroom routines.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

10. At Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ attitudes to their learning are excellent. In lessons, pupils settle quickly to their tasks and show good levels of concentration and perseverance from an early age. This is particularly evident in the literacy hour, where there are times when pupils are required to listen to their teachers’ explanations and teaching points for lengthy periods. During whole-class sessions, pupils take part keenly and the vast majority tries very hard to answer teachers’ questions or offer views and opinions. Pupils get on with their written work with the minimum of fuss. They work carefully and take pride in producing neat, tidy work. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils were observed working in pairs, carrying out measurements of the lengths of their legs, feet, hands and arms. Levels of co-operation were excellent as they shared equipment and discussed how best to measure accurately. They recorded their results on worksheets prepared by

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

their teacher and did so neatly and legibly. Pupils showed evident enjoyment of the activity, but maintained a focused interest on what they were doing, creating a busy working atmosphere throughout the lesson. The good progress pupils made as a result of their sustained motivation was evident in the quality of the whole-class session at the end of the lesson, as they drew conclusions from their results with their teacher.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

11. Pupils at both key stages enjoy investigations and experiments in science and using information technology equipment such as computers. They make very good use of books and dictionaries to gather information for projects or spell words accurately. Pupils at Key Stage 2 are particularly good at using thesauri to search for alternative words to use in their creative writing. At Key Stage 2, pupils develop a very mature attitude to their learning, which is particularly evident in discussions. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils worked on shopping activities in groups based on their prior attainment. In all groups, pupils shared ideas about how to solve their problems sensibly and quietly. They were prepared to listen to what each other had to say and pupils showed considerable respect for each other’s views. As a result, the quality of learning was excellent and pupils made very good progress in their

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Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in and around the school are

knowledge and understanding of different methods of problem-solving. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 13 12. The behaviour of pupils throughout the school is excellent and this has a positive impact on their attainment and progress. The standard of behaviour in lessons is consistently high. Pupils are very aware of their teachers’ high expectations of their behaviour and they respond well to these as a result of the very good relationships which exist between teachers and pupils. Teachers very rarely need to raise their voices or express displeasure in classrooms and this means that there are very few interruptions to the pace of learning. The school is an orderly community and pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors. They take good care of the school environment. Pupils are aware of the school’s anti-bullying policy and the procedures to follow. However, bullying is not an issue in the school and there have been no exclusions.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

and relationships with pupils are very good.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

13. The majority of lessons observed during the inspection were in literacy and numeracy, where teaching is consistently good at both key stages. Taking into account all the lessons seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching is a strength of the school and is good overall. About 90 per cent of the teaching was at least good, including about 40 per cent which was very good. About ten per cent was excellent. Instances of excellent teaching were observed at both key stages. The remaining lessons were satisfactory.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

14. Teaching for the children under five and at both key stages is characterised by high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers are successful in using assessment information well to plan activities for pupils that are closely matched to their needs, so that there is sufficient challenge for pupils of different prior attainment. This is partly helped by the school’s policy of placing pupils in classes based on their prior attainment. Within each class, teachers use their good knowledge and understanding of what pupils need to do to improve and this results in pupils’ learning moving at a good pace. The teaching of basic skills is very good in literacy and numeracy and, as a result, pupils at Key Stage 1 are provided with a secure foundation for their future learning at Key Stage 2.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

15. At Key Stage 1, in the best teaching, the pace of lessons is rapid. Teachers use questions very effectively to keep pupils highly motivated. Expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour are high and, because of the excellent relationships that exist in classrooms, these expectations are successfully transferred to pupils, who work hard and behave well. Introductions to lessons are stimulating and this helps pupils to tackle their practical work keenly. For example, in a Year 2 literacy lesson, at the beginning, the teacher involved pupils well in a whole-class session. She effectively linked pupils’ previous learning about the structure of information books to the study of a text about Florence Nightingale. The teacher talked enthusiastically about the text and this raised pupils’ interest in their work. She used a variety of questions skilfully to extract accurate answers from pupils, set them thinking or improve the

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

depth of their understanding. Teachers promote the correct subject terminology at all times, for example in information technology, which successfully extends pupils’ vocabulary. Lessons are well resourced with helpful materials and equipment. For example, in a Reception class numeracy lesson, the teacher made very good use of hoops, toy cars and number cards to demonstrate ways of making ten. She used a large card clock effectively to reinforce learning about time and then skilfully moved the activity into a time game which pupils enjoyed. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 14 16. At Key Stage 2, in the best lessons, what pupils have to say is greatly valued, successfully raising their self-esteem and confidence. This has a significant impact on the good progress made by pupils as they respond positively to challenges posed by teachers. For example, in a Year 6 numeracy lesson, the opening mental

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

activity session moved along at a swift pace as pupils responded eagerly to the questions posed by the teacher. Pupils’ confidence was such that they were not worried if they made errors and were prepared to talk with others about how errors could be corrected. Teachers often share the purpose of the lesson with pupils, often by writing it on a blackboard or a flipchart. This is helpful in focusing pupils’ attention through the course of the lesson on why they are doing their tasks and contributes to the quality of the learning experience. For example, in a Year 3 science lesson on the identification of organisms, the teacher used a flipchart at the start to emphasise the purpose of the lesson. The task was a difficult one but the teacher was able to refer pupils back to the objectives during the lesson and this helped many pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding. In lessons where there are shortcomings, but are otherwise satisfactory, teachers miss opportunities

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

for pupils to follow their own lines of enquiry or work collaboratively.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

17. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Individual education plans identify specific areas for improvement and pupils receive well- structured, step-by-step tuition which helps them make good progress towards targets in the plans. Communication between the special needs co-ordinator, teaching and non-teaching staff is very good. Some older pupils in Key Stage 2 have made substantial improvements in their standards of attainment in the end of key stage national tests as a result of very effective teaching by the special needs co-ordinator.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

Links with parents and the local community are excellent.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

18. The partnership the school has with its parents and the local community is excellent. Parents are very supportive of the work of the staff and governors and serve the school very well. Some parents are members of the governing body, and others provide valuable support in classrooms, on school visits and residential trips or in improvements to the accommodation. Substantial funds are raised through events organised by the parent/teacher association and the resources of the school are considerably enhanced by their efforts. Parents are very appreciative of the extensive range of extra-curricular activities provided by the school, including lunch- time and after-school clubs.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

19. The headteacher has largely been responsible for establishing effective links with parents. He believes strongly in the value of parents’ involvement in their children’s education because of its impact on academic and social development. As a result, he has worked hard to involve parents at every opportunity in their children’s education. He is very well supported by teachers and governors in this respect and all make themselves accessible to parents. Parents are made very welcome in the school and are able to visit at any time to discuss problems and concerns when they arise. They are kept very well informed about the progress their children make through formal parents’ meetings each term, as well as through informal contacts, often at the end of the day when teachers talk to parents and carers as they collect their children. Annual reports are very thorough and explain what pupils need to do to improve. Parents are provided with regular information about the life of the school

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 15 through newsletters and the prospectus. The school holds curriculum information evenings to help parents understand changes to their children’s education such as the implementation of the literacy and numeracy hours. Parents value these events. Many parents show an interest in their children’s school work and provide support at home, for example helping with reading and spelling. Parents are pleased with the link between themselves and their children’s class teachers provided by the Reading Record Book, in which helpful comments and observations are written. The interest parents take is shown by the request made by some parents for a similar record book to be established linked to mathematics homework.

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The quality of teaching is good at both key stages; teachers have high expectations

20. Pupils’ learning is successfully extended through links with the parish church and the local community. People from the local area come into school to share their experiences with pupils, for example supporting themes in history. Very good use is made of the local area for fieldwork, for example when studying life in towns and cities in geography. Visits further afield, for example to Llandudno, effectively extend pupils’ experiences and enable them to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to practical situations. A significant aspect of the life of the school is the annual residential visit that takes place in the first two weeks of the summer holiday each year. This is well attended by both pupils, parents, staff and governors and makes a significant contribution to the quality of the relationships that exist between the school and its local community.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

provide a clear educational direction to the life and work of the school.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

21. The school ethos is excellent and its aims and values are successfully met. They are reflected in the excellent attitudes and behaviour of the pupils and the very effective procedures for promoting pupils’ well-being and safety. Parents are very supportive of the aims and values that the school promotes. The influence of the headteacher in developing and maintaining these strengths is considerable. He provides a clear educational direction to the life and work of the school and has made a significant contribution to the commitment shown by staff and governors to raise standards. His sensitive leadership and management strategies are very successful and, as a result, relationships are very good, teamwork is strong and pupils work hard in a secure, well-ordered environment. The deputy headteacher fulfils his role very effectively. Co-ordinators are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and carry them out efficiently.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

22. The headteacher has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the priorities facing the school and this makes an important contribution to his success in promoting school improvement. For example, he pays close attention to pupils’ standards of achievement by monitoring teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress. Co-ordinators make a significant contribution to this process by gathering information about standards in their subjects, leading reviews of the curriculum, sampling pupils’ work and discussing individuals and groups of pupils with colleagues. In addition, the headteacher, staff and governors closely analyse the results of national tests at the end of both key stages. As a result, school and national data are used very effectively to focus resources on improving standards where weaknesses have been identified. The special needs co-ordinator and non-teaching staff play an

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

important role in complementing the work of class teachers in following the action planned. The headteacher, in conjunction with the governors, continually assesses St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 16 the future needs of the school to determine how best to use the school budget and additional funding to raise standards. For example, a new classroom has recently been completed to relieve pressure on class sizes and another classroom is planned for the near future. Effective adjustments have been made to the accommodation for the installation of a computer suite. As a result, standards of attainment in information technology have improved at the end of both key stages.

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

23. Appropriate plans for school improvement are detailed in the school development plan. The plan is an effective working document to which the headteacher and governors regularly refer in order to monitor the success of initiatives. Success criteria are included, which relate to specific skills or groups of pupils where weaknesses have been identified and these are successful in helping staff and governors track the progress made. All governors and staff are involved in the annual review of the plan, and parents’ views are also sought. There are no procedures for formally gathering pupils’ views about the life and work of the school, for example through a school council, to take advantage of the mature and responsible attitudes of the vast majority of pupils in the school. Governors manage the school’s finances very efficiently. They allocate financial and other resources to priorities in the school development plan only after considerable debate and

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The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent and

discussion in order to ensure that standards will improve as a result.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The use of literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. The close attention paid by staff to the requirements of the national guidelines for the literacy hour has resulted in a very successful extension of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of grammar, parts of speech, punctuation and spelling at both key stages. This is evident in much of their written work. However, opportunities for pupils to practise and refine these writing skills have been mainly confined to literacy lessons. Writing in different styles and for particular reasons in other subjects of the curriculum has been given less emphasis in teachers’ planning and, as a result, has reduced the chances available to improve on the good standards of writing that already exist at both key stages. The subject co-ordinator is aware of this and has plans to promote formal links between writing and subjects such as science, history and geography from September 2000 onwards.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. The implementation of the literacy hour has resulted in some aspects of English receiving a smaller allocation of time in the curriculum. Pupils gain many ideas for their writing from reading and listening to a wide range of stories. A decision by the school, when the literacy hour was introduced, not to timetable story time has removed an important opportunity for pupils to broaden their experiences. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 17 26. Staff have worked hard to successfully implement the numeracy hour. They have made good use of the national guidelines and, as a result, pupils’ standards of attainment in some aspects of the subject, such as mental calculations and strategies for problem-solving, have improved. Lessons are well planned and teachers include interesting activities for pupils to apply their increasing knowledge and understanding. However, the strong focus on planning for good quality

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

numeracy lessons has meant that chances for pupils to use their skills in other subjects have not always been included in teachers’ planning. Pupils have opportunities, for example, to work with numbers in science, recording measures of length, weight and temperature during investigations, and using co-ordinates in geography map work, but formal identification of the regular use of numeracy skills across the curriculum is not common practice.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

example by following up their own lines of enquiry.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

27. The vast majority of activities are teacher-directed and led. This approach has several advantages. For example, it is successful in ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum and teachers can pay close attention to the progressive development of skills between year groups and key stages. The main disadvantage is that pupils are not given enough responsibility for their own learning, which comes from independent enquiry and collaborative group work. Pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning and opportunities are missed in mathematics, science, history and geography in particular, for pupils to use their skills working by themselves or with others following their own lines of enquiry, increasing the amount of challenge.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

28. Teachers are aware of the need to provide sufficient challenge for pupils of different prior attainment in lessons and often include in their lesson plans extra activities for pupils to move on to when they have completed the main task. There are occasions in lessons when some pupils, particularly the higher attaining pupils, could start with these tasks, rather than completing ones which consolidate what they know already. This is not the case in literacy and numeracy lessons, where pupils invariably start their group activities at suitably challenging levels.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

The amount of time allocated to physical education.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

29. No lessons were observed in physical education during the inspection so it is not possible to make a judgement about standards. However, the limited amount of time for physical education was reported as a key issue at the time of the previous inspection and the situation remains unchanged since then. The percentage of teaching time currently allocated to physical education in Key Stage 1 classes each year is four per cent and three per cent for Key Stage 2 classes. This equates to one session per week for each class. The length of sessions varies from thirty-five minutes, for example in Years 2 and 4, to seventy minutes in Year 1. The limited amount of time available affects pupils’ progress, since the development of skills in dance, gymnastics and games cannot be guaranteed because of breaks in the St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 18 continuity of learning. The wide range of sports and games on offer in the extra-

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

curricular activities programme extends the amount of time spent in physical activities for those pupils from Key Stage 2 who attend, but there are few opportunities available for pupils at Key Stage 1.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

The space and facilities for the children under five.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

30. The space and facilities available for the children under five do not match the requirements of the national guidelines and place restrictions on the progress pupils make in their physical and creative development. The classroom is small and this makes it difficult for teaching and non-teaching staff to leave out a full range of activities each day for children to use. Space for structured play is limited and, as a result, children spend more time working at their desks than is desirable. There is no secure outside play area for children to extend their skills, for example by using large play equipment. Staff are very aware of the limitations created by the accommodation and make complex planning arrangements to make good use of the school hall and the small spaces available outside the classroom.

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The range of opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively, for

31. The headteacher and governors have useful plans for September 2000 to continue the improvements made in the provision for children under five by relocating the class in a larger classroom, currently used by Year 5 and 6 pupils, and creating an enclosed outside play area.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

32. To raise standards further, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• make more effective use of other areas of the curriculum, such as science, history and geography, to promote pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• give pupils at both key stages greater responsibility for their own learning by including more opportunities for them to work independently and collaboratively;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increase the amount of time allocated each week at both key stages for physical education;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve the accommodation and facilities, as planned, for the children under five. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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

10.3 38.0 41.4 10.3 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 331

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 44 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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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 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 27 24 51

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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 25 27 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 24 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 100 (94) 94 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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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 24 25 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 23 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 94 (94) 96 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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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 the latest reporting year 1999 25 34 59

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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 18 18 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 29 32 29

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 80 (86) 85 (79) 83 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

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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 19 19 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 30 30 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 83 (83) 83 (82) 88 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (n/a) 69 (n/a) 75 (n/a) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 21

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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 5 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.2 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 605,667

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1,777

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 172 Balance brought forward from previous year 51,969

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 12,581

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary School - 22

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 61 35 3 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 28 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. 46 42 9 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 51 38 9 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 15 2 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. 86 13 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 62 30 7 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 80 20 0 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 78 21 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 57 37 3 1 2

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