Holy Family RC Primary School, New Springs, Wigan

HOLY FAMILY R C PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 28 th November 2001

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HOLY FAMILY R C PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HOLY FAMILY 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. Holy Family R C Primary School - 3

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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: Vigo Street New Springs Wigan

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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: Miss A Brown

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 Holy Family R C Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 1185 Mr G Nunn Registered inspector 9510 Mrs C Murray-Watson Lay inspector 1189 Mrs S Brown Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

H & G Associates 2 Mead Road Cranleigh Surrey GU6 7BG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Holy Family 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Holy Family R C Primary School is a smaller than average size primary school for children aged between four and eleven situated in the New Springs area between Wigan and Aspull. The school serves a wide catchment area which includes a mixture of housing types ranging from modern detached houses to older terraced houses. There are currently 126 pupils on roll organised into five classes. Children join the school at the age of four into the reception class. There are a slightly lower number of pupils on roll than at the time of the last inspection. When they start school, children’s attainment is about average overall but there is a significant proportion of lower-attaining children. There is an equal number of boys and girls. The five per cent figure of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average being notably lower this year than in previous years. No pupils have English as an

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

additional language or have ethnic minority backgrounds which is low when compared to all schools. Twenty per cent of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register which is similar to the national average. All pupils with special educational needs have varying degrees of learning difficulty. Two per cent of pupils have statements of special educational need which is above the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Holy Family R C Primary School is a good school providing a good quality of education for its pupils. It has made very good progress overall since the last inspection. Particularly good progress has been made in the education provided for children in the foundation stage. In addition, high standards are being maintained at Key Stage 1 and standards are rising again at Key Stage 2. The school is well led and managed by the headteacher and governors and the pupils receive a particularly rich curriculum that is both broad and balanced. There is a positive, caring ethos and, as a result, pupils have good relationships with one another as well as having very good attitudes to their work. To improve further the school needs to develop its plans for setting targets for pupils to achieve, particularly in mathematics and science. In addition, a more consistent approach is needed to the marking and presentation

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

of pupils’ work. Overall, the school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school maintains high standards. • Good leadership and management are provided by the headteacher and governors. • There is a rich curriculum that is broad and balanced. • The youngest pupils receive a very good start to their education. • The positive and caring ethos promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to their work and personal development.

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What could be improved

• The extension of target setting for pupils in mathematics and science in order to build on the existing good work in place in English. • A more consistent approach to the marking of pupils’ work and to the way pupils present their work.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the previous inspection in June 1997, good progress has been made by the school in the development of both the policy and practice in information and communication technology Holy Family R C Primary School - 7 (ICT). Teachers’ skills and confidence have improved and the subject is used well to support pupils’ learning in other areas of the curriculum. ICT is now also being used to assist the development of pupils’ independent learning skills. All pupils now receive good support to enable them to attain the highest standards. Good systems are in place to assess and record pupils’ progress and this information is used well by the school to plan future work for the pupils. Very good progress has also been made since the last inspection in providing a broad range of learning opportunities for the youngest children. Whilst some progress has been made in raising pupils’ standards of the presentation of their work, more remains to be

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

done to ensure that the highest levels of presentation are expected of all pupils in all classes.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The table shows that when compared to all schools, pupils’ standards are above average in English and about average in mathematics and science at the end of Year 6. When compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, this school’s results are well above average in English and similar to other schools’ results in mathematics and science. Over the last three years, there has been an apparent fall in standards, particularly in 2001. In interpreting such results, care must be taken. Firstly the cohort size in 2001 was very small. In addition, 20 per cent of pupils in that particular cohort had special educational needs related to difficulties they had in learning. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in the year 2001 were well above average in writing and mathematics and above average in reading.

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STANDARDS

Inspection findings show that high standards have been maintained in Key Stage 1 particularly in reading, writing, mathematics and science. In Key Stage 2, following their fall in 2001, standards are rising again. Indeed, nearly all pupils in the current Year 6 are likely to attain standards by the time they leave the school that are at least in line with national standards in English, mathematics and science with approximately a third likely to exceed the national standards. In other subjects, pupils’ levels of attainment are at least in line with nationally expected levels and in some subjects, such as art and design, they exceed the national levels.

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STANDARDS

Children start school with average levels of skills and knowledge, although there is a significant proportion whose skill levels are below average. All children have a good start in the reception class and make good progress during the Foundation Stage of their education so that by the age of five, most are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals for children of that age. Throughout, the school tracks pupils well. Most teachers have a detailed knowledge of all groups and provide challenging work for them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have a confident approach to learning and enjoy school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour both in classes and around the school is good and pupils of all ability levels have most positive attitudes to their work.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respect their teachers, other adults and each other. They have a mature and responsible approach to their work and play and this helps to maintain high standards. Harmonious relationships exist between all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above that found in primary schools nationally.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Satisfactory

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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 AND LEARNING

Teaching and learning are both good overall, being particularly strong in the foundation stage, Years 1 and 2 and in Year 6. In over one quarter of the lessons seen, the teaching was judged to be good, and in a further half, it was very good and, on occasions, excellent. There were, however, isolated examples of unsatisfactory teaching found in classes being taught by temporary staff. The overall quality of teaching, particularly in Years 1 and 2 and in the foundation stage has improved since the last inspection, largely through good developments in the planning and assessment procedures. Where teaching is good and very good, it has a direct impact on the good progress pupils make and, as a result, on the standards they attain. Lessons are well planned with a clear indication of what pupils are expected to learn. In most, but not all of the lessons seen, the tasks set for pupils were appropriately modified to

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

meet the needs of the different groups of pupils in the class. Individual pupils, with special educational needs for example, are well supported by their teachers and the classroom assistants. When teaching is not so good, it is characterised by a lack of pace to the lesson and clear instructions to the pupils and, as a result, one or two pupils, usually the higher attaining pupils, lose interest. The relationships between teachers and their pupils are very good and based on mutual respect. Most pupils, including those pupils who have special educational needs, respond very well to the interesting and challenging tasks that are set for them and concentrate on their work. As a result, they are learning effectively and making good progress. Holy Family R C Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is rich, broad and balanced. It provides exciting learning opportunities for pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is good and they are taught well and make good progress. Non-teaching staff support these pupils well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no pupils who have English as an additional language. However, the school has most appropriate strategies in hand should the need arise.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils are given every opportunity to develop as sensitive and caring individuals. Pupils are made aware of the values and beliefs of their own and other cultures. Indeed, the school works hard to promote a tolerance of different beliefs and cultures and this is addressed well throughout all aspects of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for all its pupils by using good systems which are embedded in the day-to-day life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher, staff and governors are committed to providing a rich and varied curriculum, and in this they are successful. Reading and writing, in particular, are well developed across a range of subjects. Art and design has a high profile and standards are high. The curriculum gives all pupils many good opportunities for learning successfully and attaining high standards. The pupils are well cared for. The school works well in partnership with its parents in order to provide the best possible learning environment for pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff This is good. The headteacher and acting deputy headteacher provide clear leadership and direction for the school. They are well supported by a committed team of teachers and support staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors work closely with the headteacher and carry out their responsibilities most effectively. They have a good grasp of the finances and understand well the principles of best value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. A wide range of information is analysed and acted upon. As a result, standards have improved.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of its available resources. Funds are carefully targetted at planned areas of school development. Holy Family R C Primary School - 10 The inadequacy of the Year 6 classroom in particular has been recognised and a new classroom site approved. Most other areas of the school’s building and site are good. However, it is not satisfactory for the headteacher and secretary to have to share an office. The need for private and confidential discussions between headteacher and parents means that, at such times, the secretary has to leave the room. This is an inefficient use of her time.

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Aspect Comment

The school has suffered from the long-term illness of two teachers and the resultant need for supply staff. Good management and carefully targetted support has meant that pupils’ education has not suffered in the short-term, although a more permanent solution to these issues is needed as a matter of urgency. The quality of leadership is one of the main strengths of the school. Everyone works very well together, creating an effective and attractive learning environment in which all groups of pupils want to learn and do their best. This has a most positive impact on raising and maintaining all pupils’ standards and progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • Behaviour is good. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school expects their child to work hard and achieve his or her best results. • The range of out-of-school activities. • The way the school is led and managed. • The school does not work closely with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection findings support parents’ positive views. Inspectors feel that the range of out-of- school activities is sufficient, the school is well led and managed and that the school has close working relationships with its parents. Holy Family R C Primary School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 When children start school at Holy Family, their standards are about average overall but with a significant number of lower attaining children. During their time in the foundation stage and in Years 1 and 2, they make very good progress in their learning so that by the end of Year 2, pupils’ standards are well above average in writing and mathematics and above average in reading. When compared to the results of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, this school’s results are similar to those schools in reading and well above average in writing and mathematics. These high standards have been maintained over the last three years largely as a result of the high quality and very good teaching pupils receive in Years 1 and 2. Year 2 pupils are secure in their knowledge and understanding and they learn effectively because they have been well taught.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 The high standards being attained in English continue through Years 3 to 6 so that by the time pupils leave the school, their standards are above average in the subject when compared with primary schools nationally and well above average when compared with schools with pupils from similar backgrounds.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3 In English, the pupils in Year 6 are confident in all aspects of their work. They use a range of writing strategies and clearly understand the need for different styles of writing, depending on its purpose and audience. This was seen in a very good lesson focusing on newspaper reports where pupils were encouraged to use a journalistic style whilst considering the interest of the reader. They understood the difference between bias and fact and how this could be affected by the varied selection and presentation of information. All had a good knowledge and understanding of quite sophisticated punctuation.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4 In this lesson also, the teacher clearly used effective questioning to draw pupils’ attention to what makes a good headline and why a short, sharp headline has immediate impact and attracts the reader’s attention. All groups of pupils contributed to the discussions and worked co-operatively in groups. They listened carefully to each other’s views and expressed their own opinions confidently and concisely.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5 In Year 6 also, pupils, including those with special educational needs, can read a range of texts fluently and accurately at a level that is appropriate to their varying prior attainment levels. Such texts include reference books, novels, modern drama and poetry. Pupils are able to pick out the main points or themes in their reading material and they know how authors present their ideas and develop a plot.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6 The pupils’ results in mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 are more varied. Standards in these subjects in the 2001 National Curriculum tests were similar to those of other schools, both nationally and when compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Inspection findings, however, show that the standards of the current Year 6 in mathematics and science are above the national standard and that a higher proportion of pupils are likely to attain and exceed the national standard than the proportion that do so elsewhere in the country.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7 In mathematics, the higher-attaining pupils have a firm grasp of problem-solving strategies. They use a range of methods for successfully solving complex problems Holy Family R C Primary School - 12 and they competently use and convert fractions to percentages and vice versa. Average and lower attaining pupils cope competently with approximations as well as percentage increase and decrease. Most pupils have a good knowledge of place value and the four number operations to 1000 and above. All pupils confidently use their numeracy skills in other subjects such as in science when measuring their pulse rates, and in geography when recording temperature and creating a graph. Whatever level the pupils are working at, their understanding is secure. They check their results in different ways and willingly try out their own mathematical ideas. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when pupils were not given sufficient

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

opportunities to carry out this kind of activity.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8 In science, pupils’ standards are also rising largely as a result, as with the other two subjects, of some very good teaching. This is particularly so in Year 6 where the teacher has high expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving and, as a result, pupils are well motivated and keen to learn. Many of them make suggestions about how to set up their investigations; they fully understand all aspects of ‘fair testing’ and they know the importance of accurately recording their findings and interpreting them. This was particularly noticeable in a lesson on forces where pupils were measuring the length of an elastic band in relation to the number of marbles in the bag attached to it. The quality of discussion about how to make the test ‘fair’ and record the results accurately was of a very high standard.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9 Standards reached at the last inspection have been maintained and improved upon, especially at Key Stage 1 and in the foundation stage. Over the last three years, the school has improved at a faster rate than other schools in the country. Its targets are challenging but achievable, and most teachers are very skilled at making sure that all their pupils progress at a good pace in nearly all lessons.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Good leadership and management are provided by the headteacher and governors.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10 Governors, the headteacher and all the staff work closely to create a most effective school, which does its best for the pupils in its care. The team spirit is very good and everyone shares the headteacher’s clear vision of the way forward. High standards are achieved and standards continue to rise. Pupils’ behaviour is good, they want to learn and do their best, and the teachers have created a rich and stimulating learning environment in which all the pupils thrive. The good quality of the headteacher’s leadership is a key factor in the school’s success.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11 Management systems have been put in place and these enable everyone to work efficiently. Ideas are shared and new initiatives, such as the literacy and numeracy strategies, were taken on board and evaluated thoroughly. Effective monitoring of teaching and learning takes place so that weaknesses can be identified promptly and dealt with. Work is ongoing in this area and much progress is being made in developing teachers’ confidence and competence where it is needed. All of this ensures that the school is an effective working environment, with the positive and caring ethos being maintained in every class. Targets are set, particularly in English, and progress towards meeting these targets is carefully monitored by the headteacher and the senior management team. This helps all the boys and girls, whatever their prior attainment or background, to have a secure understanding of what they have to do. This process now needs to be extended to mathematics and

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

science. Some parents are concerned that the school’s leadership is not tackling the issue of the mixed-age classes to their satisfaction. Inspection findings show that the mixed-age classes make the best use of the financial and teaching resources that are Holy Family R C Primary School - 13 available to the school, although do agree that an early solution to the issues related to the appointment of a permanent deputy headteacher is needed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12 Issues raised at the last inspection have been tackled with rigour and good progress has been made. Foundation stage children have a broad curriculum. It is very well planned for them, based upon the nationally required Early Learning Goals. Very good progress has been made in the development of the policy and practice in ICT, both in the way the subject itself is taught as well as in the way it is used to support other subjects and develop pupils’ independent learning skills. Good systems are now in place to assess and record and track pupils’ progress and this information is now used well by the school to plan future work for the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

There is a rich curriculum that is broad and balanced.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13 The provision and maintenance of a rich and varied curriculum, which is broad and balanced, are of the utmost importance to the school. It is extremely successful in achieving this. The starting point is one of the school’s major aims, which is to enable each child to fulfil their potential. Great store is set on achieving high standards and the curriculum reflects this with due emphasis being placed on literacy and numeracy. These skills are developed in other curricular areas such as science, where, for example Year 2 pupils constructed block graphs related to the tastes of different foods and which were their particular favourites. In addition, the school works hard to promote a tolerance of different beliefs and cultures and in this it is successful.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14 Visits to places of educational interest such as Drumcroon Arts Centre and Hinning House take place at regular intervals. These visits develop pupils’ social skills, extend their knowledge and understanding about the topics covered and help to make learning more fun. The visit to ‘Ludas Dance’ for their performance of ‘Clash’ and the visit to the school by a Samba Band extended pupils’ musical and dramatic interpretation skills and understanding. As a result, the basic curriculum is enriched, and pupils use and apply their existing knowledge in a range of situations outside the classroom. This helps the already high standards to be improved even further.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15 Art and design has a high profile throughout the school, and is another strength. The standard of art work is very good, with some excellent displays. Pupils take a great deal of pride in their work, which covers two- and three-dimensional tasks, using a range of media. Work from different periods is studied and explored effectively. The work related to that of Andy Galsworthy carried out by Years 1 and 2 pupils, as well as that inspired by Paul Ryan’s ‘The Road to Catalonia’, is of a particularly high standard.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16 Sport is enjoyed by all, especially the after-school activities which include football, judo, hockey and rugby. Other out-of-school activities include recorder groups, choir, drama and ‘high 5’s’. No evidence was found to support parents’ views regarding the limited range of out-of-school activities, and those on offer cover a broad spectrum to suit all tastes.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

17 Teachers plan the curriculum and their lessons very well. They have a clear understanding of what they want their pupils to learn and what activities they wish each group of pupils to carry out. The resources they wish to use are clearly identified and, after lessons are complete, teachers use the assessment of their pupils’ work to plan further work for them. Holy Family R C Primary School - 14 The youngest children receive a very good start to their education.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

18 When children begin school, in the reception class, they enter a classroom that is stimulating and exciting. Staff work hard to promote children’s curiosity, spark their imaginations and challenge their thinking. The work children produce is celebrated and well displayed. Children talked about the fun they had with their self-portraits and how they enjoyed the ‘Pig in the Pond’ story box which, through role-play and discussion, helped them to make their own stories. Children were genuinely excited when their turn came to use the ‘Home Corner’ and confidently made ‘phone-calls’ and took messages inside their ‘home’. In all lessons observed, learning was fun, profitable and compelling.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

19 The school makes very good provision for the youngest children. Work is very well planned to take account of all children’s prior attainment levels. Such provision ensures that the children very quickly build on their average to below average starting levels of skills and knowledge. Children, for example want to talk, want to read and want to write because they hear, see, witness and participate in activities that catch their attention. Learning is very much a hands-on experience that is clearly successful. By the time children join Year 1, they are most likely to attain the Early Learning Goals and have a very secure platform to build skills and knowledge from then on.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

20 The teacher and support staff work very well as a team to plan, organise and manage the diverse activities that are all part of the day’s experience for these young children. Their skills and talents are used well in this work. The curriculum is exciting, motivating and rich. It is very good overall and very much a strength of the school. All ‘stepping stones’ are firmly in place and every adult involved in the reception class knows exactly their role and responsibility in moving children forward. Ways to check and evaluate that things are done properly are very good. The single most important factor which contributes to the very good progress these young children make in the early stages of their education is the high proportion of very good teaching they receive.

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The positive and caring ethos promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to their work and

21 High standards in the pupils’ personal development are achieved in many ways. Most of these are embedded through all aspects of the curriculum and school life generally. The assemblies are linked to good citizenship, attitudes to work, independence, respect for others in the promotion of tolerance and an understanding of other beliefs and cultures. The way that Year 6 pupils support and look after younger children, and the way pupils are expected to take on responsibilities, contribute most successfully to the personal development of the boys and girls.

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The positive and caring ethos promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to their work and

22 The school balances well a businesslike working approach whilst retaining its ‘family’ atmosphere. The school is an effective organisation, which does well for its pupils. This in no way detracts from the positive and caring ethos, which permeates every aspect of the day-to-day life of the school, and promotes high standards and effective learning. The atmosphere within the school is orderly, calm and happy.

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The positive and caring ethos promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to their work and

23 Pupils are keen and eager to learn because most of the teaching is challenging and nearly all lessons are interesting and, as a result, standards are high. Most pupils listen carefully to their teachers and each other. In addition, question and answer sessions are responded to in a sensible and mature way. Pupils show a willingness Holy Family R C Primary School - 15 to apply themselves to the tasks in hand and they try hard to do their very best. The school day is enjoyed and pupils are happy to be there.

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The extension of target setting for pupils to mathematics and science in order to

build on the existing good work in place in English.

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The extension of target setting for pupils to mathematics and science in order to

24 The school analyses its pupils’ performance very well in National Curriculum tests at seven and eleven, when they begin school and at various other times during the seven years they spend at the school. As a result, work is modified to match all pupils’ needs in many subject areas. Whole-school targets are set which are challenging and realistic. A system has been introduced to set pupils’ individual targets, particularly in the writing aspect of English. This is most successful and appreciated by pupils in particular. Such good practice now needs to be extended to other subjects, most notably mathematics and science, so that pupils in those subjects can have a clear indication of the targets they need to achieve and, in the simple steps outlined, how they will achieve them.

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A more consistent approach to the marking of pupils’ work and to the way they

25 Pupils’ work is marked regularly by teachers, although there are one or two isolated examples where work is unmarked. Whilst most marking is satisfactory and in some instances very good, it does not always give pupils a clear indication of what they need to do to continue to improve. In addition, as a result of the inconsistency of marking across classes, pupils are not always clear about the quality of their work as they move from class to class. A commonly applied policy in this area is needed as well as closer monitoring of the marking practices.

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A more consistent approach to the marking of pupils’ work and to the way they

26 Most pupils’ work is neat and tidy. However, there are occasions when pupils’ standards of presentation in their work are not always as high as they might be. This is often where pupils are concentrating on the content of, for example their English work, rather than on the handwriting and correct spelling of words.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Extend the good practice it has in setting targets for pupils to achieve in English into other subject areas, notably mathematics and science.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) Develop a consistent approach to the marking of pupils’ work in order to give them a clearer understanding of what they need to do to continue to improve.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) Insist on high standards of presentation of work in all subject areas. Holy Family R C Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should also be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than six percentage points. It should also be noted that unsatisfactory teaching was confined to supply teachers.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 126

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 26

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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 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

School data 3.6 School data 0 Holy Family R C Primary School - 17 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holy Family R C Primary School - 18

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 10 12 22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 8 8 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (100) 91 (89) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 8 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (89) 100 (100) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 10 16

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 6 4 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 7 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (85) 69 (80) 100 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 4 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 8 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (75) 93 (75) 100 (75) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (70) 74 (72)) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Holy Family R C Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6 Financial year 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 297,148

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 292,540

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 94 Expenditure per pupil 2,321

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 25,544

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 17,073

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Holy Family R C Primary School - 20 FTE means full-time equivalent. Holy Family R C Primary School - 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 39 3 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 42 52 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 59 0 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 49 39 6 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 59 35 0 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 58 39 0 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 35 50 3 6 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 52 33 6 3 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 42 0 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 48 9 0 9

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