Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School

SACRED HEART R.C. PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th June - 14 th June 2000

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SACRED HEART R.C. PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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SACRED HEART R.C. PRIMARY 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. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Central Drive Westhoughton Bolton Greater Manchester Postcode: BL5 3DU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Conway

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th September 1996 Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 4

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Team members

Susan Walker Registered inspector Denise Shields Lay inspector John Wilkinson Team inspector Steve Hill Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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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 Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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 in English and mathematics are very good, and standards in science are good. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are all very good. The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The very good relationships are based on trust and respect. The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. The leadership and management of the school are good, with some very good features. The school is efficiently run.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

Not enough attention is paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2. The resources to support the National Literacy Strategy are insufficient. The quality of the libraries at both key stages requires improving.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School caters for boys and girls aged four to eleven. It is bigger than average with 296 pupils on roll. It is the only Catholic primary school in the area and the pupils come from all over Westhoughton. Pupils live in a mixture of privately owned housing and a variety of rented and housing association property. The vast majority of pupils have received nursery education, and attainment on entry is average overall. At the time of the inspection only five pupils were still under five years of age in the reception class. The school has well below the national average number of pupils who speak English as an additional language (one pupil), well below average pupils with special educational needs (11 per cent), and few pupils who are eligible for free school meals (two per cent). The school has a falling roll and consequently there are a number of mixed-age classes. At the time of the inspection, the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

deputy headteacher was on maternity leave. One Year 6 class had its third teacher in one academic year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is effective and provides a good quality of education overall. The strengths of the school far outweigh its minor areas for improvement. Standards are generally high and are very good in English and mathematics. In 1999, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Pupils behave very well and have very positive attitudes to school. They work very hard to achieve such good standards. This contributes very well to the school’s very positive ethos. Pupils are well taught and they make good progress in their learning. Teachers consistently consolidate and revise pupils’ learning and this is effective. The school is well led and managed by the headteacher, deputy headteacher and governing body. Both of the areas for improvement have already been identified in the school development plan. Taking all the above factors into account, the school provides good value for

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What the school does well

• Standards in English and mathematics are very good, and standards in science are good. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are all very good. • The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The very good relationships are based on trust and respect. • The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. • The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is efficiently run.

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What could be improved

• Not enough attention is paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2. • The resources to support the National Literacy Strategy are insufficient. The quality of the libraries at both key stages requires improving. 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

The school was last inspected in September 1996 when it was found to be a good school, with very good standards and a very good climate for learning. It has maintained its previous good and very good features. The school has successfully addressed the key issues, for instance the accommodation in Key Stage 1 has been rebuilt. Provision for information technology has been substantially improved. The school has written its policy for children in the Early Years. Overall, the school has made good improvement and is well placed to continue to build on its success. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 7

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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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schools

1997 1998 1999 1999 top five per cent nationally well above average A* A English A* B A* A above average average B C Mathematics A A A* A below average well below average D E Science A A A A very low E*

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schools

Standards for children under five are good. They almost all achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes and a few exceed them, particularly in reading. Since the last inspection, at both key stages, pupils’ results in the national assessment tests have always been above the national average and often well above. In 1999 pupils’ results were well above the national average at Key Stage 1 where large numbers of pupils achieved the higher Level 3 in reading and mathematics. Pupils’ results were very high in English and mathematics at Key Stage 2. Very high numbers of pupils achieved the higher Level 5 in the 1999 assessments in English and mathematics. In comparison with other schools, pupils’ results are well above the national average overall. Inspection findings confirm the very good standards in English and mathematics. Their literacy and numeracy skills support pupils’ work in other subjects very well. Pupils’ work is particularly

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schools

well presented. They attain high standards in science, and this is reflected in the very good results in national assessments at the end of each key stage. However, pupils’ understanding of scientific investigations is much less secure, and only just meets national expectations. Standards are generally high in other subjects. Learning is consistently good. Their learning is aided well by the fact that the vast majority of pupils attend the school from the reception class to Year 6. They work very hard and so benefit from the good quality of teaching provided.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very positive attitudes. They enjoy coming to school and they work very hard in lessons. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in and around the school is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good. Many examples were seen during the inspection of pupils being kind and helpful to each other, and to their teachers. Attendance Attendance is higher than the national average and lessons begin punctually. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 8

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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 Satisfactory 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

Overall, teaching is good. Analysis of pupils’ previous work supports this judgement. In lessons seen during the inspection, teaching was never less than satisfactory. The impact of teaching over time is good and it promotes the good quality of pupils’ learning effectively. In the 24 lessons seen, satisfactory teaching was observed in 37 per cent of lessons, good teaching in 46 per cent of lessons, and very good teaching in 17 per cent. Teaching was consistently good for children under five and in Key Stage 1. The most consistent very good teaching was provided for the oldest pupils in Key Stage 2. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are very well taught, especially the skills of phonics and presentation. Teaching in English and mathematics is good overall and the national strategies have been effectively implemented. All lessons show the same positive features. Teachers plan together to a common format. Lessons have clear

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

introductions and the endings of lessons are generally used effectively to enable pupils to consolidate and revise what they have learnt. In the good and very good lessons seen, teachers made very effective use of skilful questioning, provided very good demonstrations in mathematics and planned a good range of interesting activities to motivate pupils to learn. The very good relationships that pupils have with their teachers gave them the confidence to show what they could do. They tried to give an answer or explain their thinking even when they weren’t sure they would get it right. Teachers plan the use of information technology effectively to support pupils’ learning in lessons. In the satisfactory lessons seen at Key Stage 2, many of the features of good teaching were present, but were not as well developed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the curriculum are good. Provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory overall and is good for the oldest pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs well. There are effective individual education plans in place. Although there are few extra adults in the classrooms, the teachers match the work to pupils’ learning needs effectively. They make good progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school makes appropriate provision, where necessary, to meet such pupils’ needs. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, and social development and good provision for their cultural development. How well the school cares for its

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Aspect Comment

pupils The school looks after its pupils very well on a day-to-day basis. There is good provision for child protection and health and safety.

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Aspect Comment

Parents are very supportive of the school and receive good quality information about what is to be taught. They value the school’s very strong commitment to learning. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led. High standards of work and behaviour have been maintained consistently. Effective teaching and learning are promoted well. The school has a very positive ethos. The headteacher provides very good pastoral support for both pupils and staff. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are well informed and effective in managing the school. They have a clear vision of where the school is heading. The school’s evaluation of its performance There are appropriate systems in place to monitor teaching and this information is used effectively for appraisal purposes. The school takes appropriate steps to monitor work in pupils’ books and to analyse the strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ performance in the standard assessment tests. Results have been used to modify and improve performance. The strategic use of

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Aspect Comment

resources The school makes prudent use of its resources. Further resources are required to support literacy and to improve the libraries throughout the school, but this is already identified in the school development plan. The relatively large sum held in reserve is clearly targeted to deal with an expected falling roll, to establish a suite for information technology and to provide a nursery.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The behaviour of the pupils is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The school expects pupils to work hard. • The school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. • The pupils enjoy school. • Some parents would like to see the range of extra-curricular activities improved, while others would like extra information about what is on offer.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the overwhelming majority of parents’ views. While the range of extra- curricular activities is satisfactory overall, it is good for the pupils in Years 5 and 6. The school has plans to provide suitable extra activities for younger pupils. However, parents are not sufficiently clear about the existing range of opportunities available to their children. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 10

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

1. Standards for children under five are good. They almost all achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes and a few exceed this, particularly in reading. They make good progress in their learning.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

2. In the 1999 national assessments the standards achieved by pupils aged seven were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. In the 1999 national assessments of pupils aged eleven, pupils achieved results which were in the top five per cent nationally in English and mathematics and well above the national average in science. Since the last inspection, at both key stages, pupils’ results in the national assessment tests have been consistently above the national average and often well above. When compared to similar schools, results are well above the national average at the end of both key stages.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

3. Standards in English are very good and they support pupils’ learning well in all other subjects. Pupils speak very clearly, they have a good vocabulary and are confident about performing to a large audience. This was well demonstrated by some of the youngest pupils in the school who performed a series of poems and small dramas in their assembly. Teachers use time at the end of lessons well to enable pupils to gain experience of presenting their work to others. Pupils listen well and consequently start work immediately.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

4. Standards in handwriting and presentation are high and pupils use information technology well to present their work. By the time they leave the school, pupils write in clear, joined up handwriting and this enables them to produce work efficiently in lessons. Pupils write well, using paragraphs to organise their work and a good range of punctuation. They have a good knowledge of grammar and identify main and sub clauses with ease. The standard in poetry is of particular note. For instance, in one Year 6 class pupils write poems using repetition, simile and metaphor, such as “ I am a fox weeping. Weeping as I feel my life go by… .”.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

5. Standards in reading are very good. Pupils read accurately and fluently throughout the school. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use their skills effectively to read and understand a range of ‘silly sentences,’ for instance “Has a frog wings?” Older pupils in Key Stage 2 read dialogue expressively, for instance the exchanges between Cinderella and her electronic fairy godmother in a modern version of the fairytale. They understand how a fairy tale is constructed and recount parts of the text to support their points of view.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

6. However, pupils’ reading would be better supported by an improved range of books, particularly extended texts rather than excerpts from longer books, and by improved library provision.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

7. Pupils attain high standards in mathematics and they make very good progress. All areas of the curriculum are appropriately covered. The large majority of pupils in Year 2 are confident with numbers up to 100 and know their 2, 5 and 10 times tables well. The higher attaining pupils are familiar with reading quarter and half hours on a clock. They match three-dimensional shapes correctly and use a range of methods to calculate sums of money up to £1. In lessons seen during the inspection, pupils counted forwards in threes with confidence and over half could count forward in fours. They have a good understanding of positional vocabulary, such as ‘quarter turn’ and ‘anti-clockwise’ and higher attaining pupils are secure in giving directions.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

8. The large majority of pupils at Key Stage 2 cover a wide range of mathematics and use their skills well to support work in other subjects. They carry out long division and multiplication with confidence. They use tools such as a compass and a protractor well to assist them in geometry. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 11 They convert fractions into decimals with ease. In lessons seen during the inspection, most pupils understood and could explain their strategies for solving problems using ratios. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of mental strategies and they use these well to solve problems. Their work is consistently well presented.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

9. Pupils attain high standards in science, and this is reflected in the very good results in national assessments at the end of each key stage. At Key Stage 1, pupils study a wide range of scientific topics and gain a good understanding of these. They have suitable opportunities to do practical work that supports their understanding effectively. Their writing shows that they have undertaken work in depth on topics such as changing the shapes of objects, simple electric circuits, and seeing how the height of a ramp affects how far a toy car travels. By the end of the key stage, they make good use of tables and charts to record their findings. However, there is variation between classes in the extent to which pupils write in their own words, rather than closely follow a model given by the teacher. Where pupils do write in their own words, this is often of very good quality, and enables pupils to develop their literacy skills, as well as developing their scientific thinking.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

During a good lesson with Year 2, pupils showed a good understanding of the growth of plants, and of the life cycle of flowering plants.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

10. During Key Stage 2, pupils continue to make good progress in their scientific knowledge. Their written work, by the end of the key stage, shows high standards in a range of topics. Pupils are able to compare the different properties of metals and non-metals, such as electrical conductivity, suggest how different mixtures may be separated, and show a good understanding of the idea of balanced forces. In a very good lesson with Year 6, pupils showed a very good understanding of the functions of different parts of the body when discussing drugs, and made good connections between their scientific understanding and their knowledge of everyday life. However, the development of their understanding of investigative and experimental work is patchy across the key stage.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

11. The school has set challenging targets, for instance that 88 per cent of pupils will achieve Level 4 or better in English and 87 per cent of pupils will achieve Level 4 or better in mathematics. These targets are fractionally lower than in 1999 to reflect the differences in cohorts of pupils.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

12. Most pupils are working at or above their ability level and are achieving well in terms of their earlier attainment. They work very hard to achieve their high standards. They benefit from attending the school from the reception class to Year 6 and receiving the consistently good teaching provided as they move through the school.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are all very good.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

13. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school, which have been maintained well since the previous inspection. They enjoy coming to school and their attendance is good. Pupils clearly follow well established routines, settling to work quickly at the start of the school day. In lessons pupils are eager to answer questions and listen attentively to teachers’ explanations. They are keen to participate in new topics, such as Year 6 pupils using e-mail to communicate with a school in the Lake District, where the school has arranged an educational visit. Overall, pupils display very good attitudes to learning. They take a pride in their work and are prepared to take time in re- drafting pieces to ensure neat presentation.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

14. Pupils behave very well around the school. Staff have high expectations of good behaviour. Pupils are well mannered, kind and considerate to others. With visitors, for instance, they converse politely, often hold doors open and offer to clear away their plates at lunchtime. They move around the school sensibly, entering and leaving the building in an orderly manner. They treat accommodation and resources with respect and the whole site is free from litter and graffiti. In lessons the behaviour of the vast majority of pupils is also very good. On the very few occasions when behaviour is unsatisfactory, good procedures have been appropriately established to minimise disruption to the remainder of the class. Incidents of bullying and harassment are extremely rare Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 12 and are dealt with promptly, sensitively and effectively.

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The standards pupils reach in English and mathematics are very good and standards in science are

15. Relationships between the pupils themselves and with adults are very good. In many lessons observed pupils collaborated well and helped each other. For instance, when pupils took turns to write a story on the computer, each pupil picking up the plot where the previous pupil had left off. In most activities pupils share apparatus co-operatively. For example, in physical education lessons they distribute equipment about the hall quickly and quietly. Pupils respond well to the opportunities which are offered to take responsibility. Monitors carry out their duties conscientiously and unobtrusively, which supports the smooth running of the school. Pupils make very good progress in their personal development. They are encouraged to work independently in the library and work areas on different topics and do so in a mature and sensible way.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

very good relationships are based on trust and respect.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

16. All the adults provide very good role models. The day-to-day care of pupils is of very high quality. Relationships are very good; adults and pupils treat each other with courtesy and respect. As a result there is a relaxed and friendly atmosphere which encourages pupils to work very hard and try their best. The adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and most live up to these. Pupils clearly know right from wrong and are provided with opportunities, from an early age, to discuss and make choices relating to their behaviour and relationships with others. For example, during a Key Stage 1 numeracy lesson a pupil interrupted. When asked by the teacher what the class rule was regarding listening to others, the pupil was clearly aware of the rules and settled to listen with the rest of the class. Pupils respect the views of others and as a result volunteer opinions with confidence and without fear of ridicule from others in the class. Further development

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

of both moral and social development is encouraged through pupils’ consideration of the needs of others. They respond generously with donations to charities such as Catholic Aid for Overseas Development (CAFOD).

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

17. Pupils’ social development is catered for very well. From their earliest days in school, the ideas of sharing and co-operation are introduced in all aspects of school life. Pupils are confident when talking to each other and to adults. They are provided with good opportunities to co-operate in lessons and to take responsibility when working in groups and pairs. For example, without prompting, during an art lesson the youngest pupils helped each other fasten their aprons. When they were working in their groups pupils offered opinions on how paintings and models might be improved. All pupils are given responsibilities that increase in complexity as they grow older. Pupils willingly tidy away at the end of lessons and they are eager to carry out small tasks for their teachers. The provision for visitors and visits, especially the Year 6 residential visit to the Lake District, gives pupils many good opportunities to develop their social skills and to learn about their

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

18. The wide range of subjects and topics, such as art, music and literature, provides pupils with a good knowledge and understanding of their own and other cultures and traditions. The school makes good use of visiting specialists, such as potters and local artists, to enhance pupils’ experiences. For example, a local artist demonstrated techniques such as batik and provided a good range of examples of African art. In the shared area of Key Stage 1, teachers made effective use of a familiar story, exotic fruit and artefacts to develop young pupils’ knowledge of another culture. Older pupils have the opportunity to take part in the Samba Band, which they do with much enthusiasm.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

19. Pupils’ spiritual development is very good and is evident in all aspects of school life. Teachers make it clear that they value all the pupils’ ideas and respond sensitively to their needs. Assemblies provide meaningful opportunities for meditation and reflection. For example, during the Key Stage 1 assembly pupils reflected on the power of a smile through prayer and drama. During the school day pupils composed their own prayers. These show they are developing a sensitive understanding of the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. For example, they consider others who are Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 13 unwell. Regular time is set aside for pupils to reflect and give thanks to God.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

The quality of teaching is good throughout the school.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

20. Overall, teaching is good and promotes the good quality of pupils’ learning effectively. In the lessons seen during the inspection, teaching was never less than satisfactory. Of the 24 lessons seen, nearly half were good and 17 per cent were very good. Teaching was consistently good for children under five and in Key Stage 1. The most consistent very good teaching was provided for the oldest pupils in Key Stage 2.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

21. All lessons show the same positive features. For instance, teachers plan together to a common format. Lessons have clear introductions and the endings of lessons are generally used effectively to enable pupils to consolidate and revise what they have learnt. For instance, in Year 2, where the teacher commented on pupils’ use of words such as ‘lonely’ and ‘bravely’. Work is routinely marked, and in the best examples, good advice is given to pupils to show them how to improve their work. For instance, younger pupils were told “Put capital letters at the beginning of names.” Older pupils were advised to use “A wider range of adjectives to improve their work.”

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

22. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well. Phonic skills are particularly effectively taught to the younger pupils. In an effective lesson the teacher made good use of puppets to help pupils to discriminate between sounds that are commonly mixed up. Teachers provide good support for learning by teaching special sounds, words and actions and have high expectations that pupils will repeat sounds with a good degree of accuracy. Teachers in the reception class and Key Stage 1 make particularly effective use of ‘writing frames’ and small whiteboards to enable young pupils to practise spellings and number formation. This gives the pupils confidence to try out new skills.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

23. In the very good lessons seen, for example in a science lesson for the older pupils, very skilful questioning led to the pupils thinking carefully about drugs and led to very good progress in their learning about the human body. In a numeracy lesson for the same class, a very good demonstration of the relationship between percentages and ratio enabled pupils to explain the process in their own words. This demonstrated their enthusiasm for solving problems. In a very good lesson for Year 2 pupils, a similarly very well structured explanation and the use of motivating materials, such as a Buzz Lightyear model, showed pupils how to give effective directions. All these lessons moved pupils’ learning forward well because they had to work very hard to achieve their tasks.

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The school is a harmonious community in which all pupils are valued and cared for very well. The

24. In the range of good lesson seen, the very good relationships that pupils have with their teachers gave them the confidence to show what they could do. They tried to give an answer or explain their thinking even when they weren’t sure they would get it right. For example, in a literacy lesson for young pupils, when they were asked to explain their choice of words to fill in gaps in the story. In a science lesson in Year 2, the teacher provided a good range of activities, based on their observation of real plants, to develop pupils’ understanding and this was effective. In a Year 6 geography lesson good use was made of interesting activities, such as interviewing the headteacher or sending e-mail, to enable pupils to complete their tasks.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

25. The school is well led by the headteacher, deputy headteacher and governors. The headteacher provides very good pastoral support to both pupils and staff.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

26. The senior management team has undergone many changes in a relatively short period of time, and currently only two out of the three members are in post. Their roles are clearly defined in order to Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 14 raise standards. They each lead a key stage, which gives the senior management team an overview of standards throughout the school and this is effective. Similarly, they are allocated key subject responsibilities. For instance, English, science, assessment and the management of Early Years. This puts them in a good position to monitor the implementation of national strategies. 27. The school promotes teaching and learning well. Individual subject co-ordinators are knowledgeable about their subjects. They make good use of the local education authority’s Teacher Centres to gain advice on planning and resources and the school makes good use of co- ordinators’ expertise. All subject co-ordinators have identified appropriate areas for development

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

in their action plans. Both areas for improvement, identified in the report, are already in the school development plan. Teaching is appropriately monitored, for instance to see if teachers have sufficient knowledge and understanding of numeracy, and as part of the appraisal process.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

28. There are suitable systems in place to monitor the work in pupils’ books on a regular basis. The school analyses the strengths and relative weaknesses of pupils’ performance in the standard assessment tests. The results of such monitoring and analysis have been used appropriately to modify and improve the curriculum.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

29. The school has a very strong commitment to learning. This is seen in the very high standards of behaviour, relationships and pupils’ attitudes to work. The very positive ethos of the school is seen in assemblies, prayers, displays of pupils’ work and the way in which pupils readily help each other and their teachers. The teachers have high expectations and this can be seen in the way in which pupils present their work. Parents value highly all of these features.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

30. Although the governing body is relatively new to their responsibilities, they have taken steps to ensure that they are well informed about the school. They have a clear vision for the future. They make prudent use of the school’s resources. Although the school has a relatively large sum of money held in reserve, it is clearly targeted to deal with an expected falling roll, to establish a suite for information technology and to provide a nursery.

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The leadership and management of the school are good with some very good features. The school is

31. There are sufficient staff to promote pupils’ learning effectively. The use of part time teachers to allow mixed-age classes to be taught in their own year groups is effective. The improved quality of the accommodation at Key Stage 1 allows younger pupils to take part in a greater range of practical activities. For example, building a castle with wooden bricks on top of a hill of sand and tunnelling away to break down the walls. This allowed pupils to experience for themselves what they had been learning about in their history lesson. Whilst overall resource provision is satisfactory, there is a need for more resources to support the National Literacy Strategies, to support experimental science at Key Stage 2.

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Not enough attention is paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2

32. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ scientific knowledge is generally very good. This is reflected in the very good results in national assessments in the subject. However, pupils’ understanding of scientific investigations is much less secure, and only just meets national expectations. This is because their opportunities to carry out practical work and to plan aspects of experiments themselves are not sufficient. Provision is patchy across the key stage. Some good work is done, particularly in some of the younger classes, when pupils have good opportunities to do practical work in small groups. This develops their understanding of scientific concepts well. In other classes, although practical work is done to help pupils’ understanding of a range of ideas, it is often very directed by the teacher. Too often it takes the form of a demonstration by the teacher, rather than giving pupils opportunities for doing experiments for themselves.

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Not enough attention is paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2

33. The provision of practical work in science is particularly weak at Year 6. Pupils’ books show very little writing done as a result of experimental work, and pupils themselves cannot remember any Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 15 experiments undertaken this year. They can recall experimental work that they did in Years 4 and 5, and do so with enthusiasm. They showed a weak understanding, in discussion, of how to plan an investigation, although they had a sound understanding of the idea of a fair test. They suggested that it might be a good idea to repeat measurements if results seemed odd, but could not suggest how the resulting data could be dealt with. Their ability to read scales on measuring instruments was weak. Their skills in these aspects of science do not match the very good standards of their scientific knowledge. The co-ordinator has identified experimental work as an area for

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Not enough attention is paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2

development in the subject. The school is aware of this relative weakness and has included it in the school development plan.

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The resources to support the National Literacy Strategy are insufficient. The quality of the libraries

34. Standards in reading are very good. Pupils read accurately and fluently throughout the school. However, the resources that are used to support lessons are not always as good as they should be. For instance, although the school has many resources, which contain excerpts from stories, poems, and plays, they have too few complete challenging texts to enable pupils to follow the development of the plot. Some resources to support pupils’ reading are now ‘well worn’, particularly those for home use.

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The resources to support the National Literacy Strategy are insufficient. The quality of the libraries

35. The school has been without a literacy co-ordinator for a term and during that time the libraries have become rather neglected. However, the literacy co-ordinator has appropriately involved the school librarian to audit the provision. This audit has identified there are too few books to support pupils' learning, and that the libraries require reorganising. This does not allow pupils to make the best use of their skills in using non-fiction books. The school already has good plans to involve Year 5 pupils in keeping the libraries tidy and to place the book stock on computer.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

36. In order to raise standards the headteacher and governors should

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the attention paid to experimental work in science at Key Stage 2 by: • Providing for more scientific enquiry (AT1) in Year 6 to broaden pupils’ understanding of investigative work. • Planning for greater consistency throughout the key stage. • Planning a greater amount of independence for pupils in carrying out experiments. • Providing sufficient resources for all pupils to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. (Paragraphs 10, 32,33)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the resources to support the National Literacy Strategy and the quality of the libraries at both key stages by: • Analysing the areas of shortage in order to support the third year of the literacy strategy most effectively. • Putting into place the recommendations of the audit undertaken by the school librarian. (Paragraphs 6, 34,35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* Both areas for improvement are already identified in the school’s development plan. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 24 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 17 46 37 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 YR– Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 296 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 29

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.7 School data 0.0 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. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 14 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 20 20 20 level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14 Total 34 34 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 100 (85) 100 (87) 100 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 20 19 18 level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14 Total 34 33 32

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 100 (90) 97 (97) 94 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 22 16 38

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 20 21 21 level 4 and above Girls 15 15 15 Total 35 36 36

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (74) 95 (76) 95 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 20 19 20 level 4 and above Girls 15 15 15 Total 35 34 35

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (76) 94 (81) 97 (82) Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 18 at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 294 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.5 Financial year 1999

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.5

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 27 £ Total income 450829

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 436835 Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1491

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 57.5 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 59422 FTE means full-time equivalent. Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School - 19

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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. 51 41 6 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 35 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 41 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 49 12 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 33 4 1 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 25 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 47 9 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 78 18 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 36 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25 37 23 5 10

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