Other · Ofsted report

St Wilfrid's RC Primary School

Inspected — · published 13 Sept 2002 · URN 105539

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Full report text

St. Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

Dates of inspection: 10 th - 13 th June 2002

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St. Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

Full 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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St. Wilfrid's Catholic 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. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St. Wilfrid's Street Hulme Manchester Postcode: M15 5BJ

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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: Rev. Brian Keeley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd June 1997 St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr S. Evans Registered inspector Equal opportunities Special educational needs English Art and design Design and technology What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr L. Kuraishi Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mr P. Martin Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography Physical education Mrs T. Galvin Team inspector Foundation Stage English as an additional language Science History Music How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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 Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Wilfrid's is a Catholic Voluntary Aided primary school with a total of 190 pupils on roll aged from 4 to 11 years. There are 29 full-time and two part-time children in the nursery class. The school is broadly the same size as other primary schools found nationally. Fifty-eight per cent of the pupils are girls. Attainment on entry to the nursery class at the age of three years is well below that expected for children this age. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs - 24 per cent - is in line with the national average. One pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need, proportionately less than in most primary schools in the country. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is three times the national average. The school is in Hulme, near the city centre of Manchester. It serves a population of ethnic, religious, cultural and social diversity. Thirty-four per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

backgrounds. Twenty per cent speak English as an additional language and a significant number of pupils from overseas start or leave the school other than at the usual time of first admission or at the usual time of transfer to a secondary school. This is because their parents are in the country for short periods of time. There is no one large individual language group, but the main languages, other than English, spoken by pupils include Farsi, Arabic and French. The school receives extra funding from the Excellence in Cities initiative.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. Wilfrid's is a very good school that gives very good value for money. The headteacher, staff, governors and parents successfully promote racial harmony. The good quality teaching ensures all pupils learn well. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards that are in line with the national average in English and mathematics. The school provides a rich and broad curriculum that reflects the cultural diversity of the community within a strong Catholic ethos. There is a caring and supportive ethos in the school and pupils feel very valued. The headteacher provides high calibre leadership.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. Those identified as having special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language achieve very well. • There are significant amounts of good, very good and excellent teaching that positively affect pupils' learning, including the teaching of pupils identified as having special educational needs and of those who learn English as an additional language. • The pupils like school. Their behaviour and relationships with one another are very good. There is an absence of oppressive behaviour and pupils show much respect and understanding of the diverse cultures, languages and ethnic groups. • Teachers provide a broad and interesting range of work for pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language. This promotes the high achievement of all pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• Staff place a strong emphasis on provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As a result, pupils' personal development is very good. • The headteacher provides very good leadership. He, very ably supported by the senior teachers, staff and governors, creates an atmosphere in the school in which pupils are keen and able to learn.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in science by the end of Year 6 are not high enough. • In mathematics, the more able pupils do not achieve as highly as they should. • Pupils' speaking skills are underdeveloped. 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 June 1997. The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection and is well placed to build on this further. The standards achieved by pupils are higher. The quality of teaching is significantly better. For example, the amount of very good and excellent teaching is five times as great now when compared with the time of the last inspection. The quality of teaching was identified as a significant weakness in the last report. It is now a strength of the school. The leadership, management and efficiency of the school are significantly better, another weakness identified in the last report. The work teachers prepare for the pupils to do is planned more effectively. The quality of teaching and accommodation in the nursery is very much better, a key issue for improvement at the last inspection. The pupils' attendance rate has improved significantly, but is still below average.

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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 E E* C A well above average above average A B Mathematics E E D A average below average C D Science E E* D B well below average E

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STANDARDS

Inspection evidence indicates that standards of attainment in English and science are the same as those shown in the table above for 2001. Standards in mathematics are higher and are in line with the national average. By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 they achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. The school achieves very well in comparison with similar schools. Standards are significantly higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. The school analyses thoroughly the comparative attainment of different ethnic groups of pupils and this indicates that there is no underachievement of any group of pupils. Inspection evidence confirms this. For example, the proportion of ethnic minority pupils attaining at least the nationally expected level in English in the Year 6 national tests in 2001 was broadly the same as their classmates. It was higher in mathematics. Also, there is no significant difference in the

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STANDARDS

attainment of girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language and those identified as gifted and talented make very good progress. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards in line with national expectations in all other subjects. However, they attain below national expectations in their speaking skills. By the end of the Foundation Stage, 1 children make good progress and attain standards in their personal and social, creative and physical development that are in line with national expectations. Despite good progress, they attain below nationally expected standards in literacy, language and communication, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. Pupils build on this progress well and by the end of Year 2, attain in line with national expectations in all subjects, except science, which is below the national average. The targets set for the 2001 national tests

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STANDARDS

for Year 6 were exceeded. Targets for the current Year 6 class are appropriate and challenging.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to their work. They are interested in school and willingly involve themselves in the range of activities the school provides.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well in and around the school. They are mainly courteous, trustworthy and show respect for property.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils have very good relationships with one another and with adults in the school. Pupils value other pupils' beliefs, cultures and backgrounds.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Although pupils' attendance rate is below the national average, there has been very significant improvement in the last year. Punctuality remains a problem since the last inspection.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

1 These are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They mainly refer to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning, for example, in language and literacy pupils should be able to write their own name and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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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 Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. The quality of teaching is good. Throughout the school, the teaching has many strengths and a few weaknesses. The strengths include: the teaching of basic skills, including literacy and numeracy; the very good management of pupils' behaviour; teachers' lesson planning; and the high expectations that teachers have for what they want pupils to achieve. Support staff make a positive contribution to pupils' learning. The teaching of English and mathematics is good. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is very good. Pupils identified as gifted and talented are taught very well. In a small minority of lessons, what pupils are expected to

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

learn in the lessons is not clear and this adversely affects their learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of pupils' learning is good. Pupils are very keen to learn and work hard. They show a real interest in what they learn, concentrate well and, from the earliest age, work independently. They work co- operatively and collaboratively when appropriate.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The well-planned curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage covers all the national early learning goals. 2 The school provides a broad range of work that is interesting and relevant to pupils in Years 1 to 6.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school's programme for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is very effectively organised to identify pupils, who need additional help. This ensures they make very good progress. Support given to pupils with statements of special educational need is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The ethnic minority achievement service teachers give very good additional support to pupils at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Through this very good provision the school ensures that pupils have equality of opportunity in order to take full advantage of the curriculum experiences that teachers give them.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This provision is a significant cornerstone on which the school's success is built. Provision is very good. The school successfully teaches pupils to appreciate their own cultural traditions and the diversities and richness of other cultures.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a caring, harmonious community where pupils feel secure. Members of staff treat the pupils with understanding and respect. Appropriate procedures for child protection are in place. The monitoring of pupils' academic performance and personal development is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2 These goals are based on the areas of learning during the Foundation Stage. They also help prepare children for future learning when they enter compulsory education at the age of five. The goals mainly refer to literacy and numeracy skills, and personal and social and emotional development. Most children should reach the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher demonstrates a very firm grasp of what the right priorities for development are for the school and puts pupils and their achievements first. There is a very good team spirit among staff and a definite shared commitment to succeed. Subject co-ordinators make a good contribution to the success of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are well organised and thorough in their approach. They have a firm grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They work closely with the staff in their efforts to achieve high standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school monitors closely and evaluates effectively its performance. It knows its strengths and areas that require improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources There is a clear link between school development planning and budget setting. The principles of best value are applied satisfactorily. The school uses very efficiently the funds provided from the Excellence in Cities initiative. The school is well staffed. The quality of accommodation is satisfactory and there are sufficient learning resources in all subjects.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Twenty-one questionnaires were returned. This was 10 per cent of those sent out. Two parents made a written response. Seven parents attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school. • The school enables their children to make good progress. • The teaching is good. • Their children behave well at school. • The school is very easy to approach with concerns. • Staff have high expectations for their children. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The provision for their children's personal development is good. • Some parents feel there are insufficient extra-curricular activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think this is a very good school and the inspection confirms this. Inspectors agree with the positive features identified by the parents. The programme for extra-curricular activities compares very favourably with schools similar to St. Wilfrid's. Although the school encourages parents to become involved in their children's learning, a significant number of parents do not. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the nursery with well below average levels of attainment across the range of their work. They make good progress so that, by the time they reach Year 1, most of them attain the Early Learning Goals in personal social and emotional development, physical, and creative development. Their attainment in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world is still below the expected level. This is mainly because a significant minority of reception children have a narrow range of everyday vocabulary for describing clearly and confidently their ideas and experiences, although staff give considerable time to this aspect of their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 2 compared with the time they leave the Foundation Stage. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in reading, writing and mathematics achieved by pupils by the end of Year 2 are satisfactory in comparison with all schools and very good when compared with those schools similar to St. Wilfrid's. Science standards are below the national average. The standards in English and science broadly reflect the results of the 2001 national tests. In mathematics, current standards are higher. In last year’s National Curriculum tests, results showed that attainment was well below the national average, largely due to the low percentage of pupils reaching the middle of Level 2 3 . However, mathematics teaching is good overall and very good in Year 2. This means that pupils’ quality of learning is also good and more pupils are on track this year to reach the expected levels.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain nationally expected standards in information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, geography, history and music. No work was seen in physical education and, therefore, it is not possible to make a judgement on standards in this subject. There is no significant difference between the attainment of girls and boys. Ethnic minority pupils, including those who learn English as an additional language, achieve at least as well as their classmates. In the 2001 national tests, they attained standards in reading broadly the same as the rest of the class and attained higher standards in writing and mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school and standards are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. By the end of Year 6, inspection evidence indicates that standards in English and mathematics are in line with the national average, but below it in science. The more able pupils in Year 6 do not attain as highly as they should in mathematics and science. Throughout the school, pupils attain standards in speaking skills that are below those expected for primary aged pupils. Standards achieved by the current Year 6 broadly reflect those achieved in the 2001 national tests. Standards are very good when compared with similar schools. Standards in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music and physical education are in line with national expectations. Standards of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum are satisfactory. This is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

exemplified in the subject paragraphs. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The very low results achieved in the 2000 national tests were due to the fact that the school admitted pupils into Year 6 at the start of the school year, from a neighbouring school that closed. All but one of these pupils was on the register for special educational

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 The N n ational Curriculum has been written on the basis that pupils, by the end of Year 2, are expected to reach Level 2. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School needs. Only one pupil had achieved the nationally expected level in the tests at the end of Year 2. This sudden influx of low-attaining pupils depressed the overall attainment for the school in the 2000 national tests.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils who learn English as an additional language make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment. For example, they work mainly in the higher-attaining and average groups in English, mathematics and science. In the 2001 national tests, ethnic minority pupils attained broadly the same standards in English and significantly higher standards in mathematics when compared with their classmates. This is because of the school’s very good provision for these pupils and its effective management of the variety of classroom and visiting specialist staff who work with them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school’s programme of support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is very well organised to identify pupils who need additional help in class. This ensures they make very good progress. Arrangements to support pupils who have statements of special educational needs are very good and ensure they attain standards that are very good compared with their prior achievements. Pupils who have individual education plans also make very good progress in meeting their targets. Therefore, their attainment in relation to these targets is very good. Pupils identified as gifted and talented make very good progress because of the very good specialist teaching they receive.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. In the main, children have good attitudes to their learning in the Foundation Stage. Nursery staff set a very good example for children to follow of care and consideration for others. Children show good levels of concentration, initiative and independence for this age, such as selecting resources independently. Reception children also have good attitudes to their work in the main. They are beginning to value what others say, by taking turns to speak and listening carefully, for example, when they discuss their thoughts and feelings whilst sitting in a circle (circle time).

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils' attitudes to the school are good. They enjoy coming to and being at school. They work hard in lessons and respond well to the quality of teaching. This has a positive impact on their learning. They sustain concentration and work very hard to complete their tasks. Year 1 pupils make good progress in singing because they listen attentively and try hard. Even in the few instances where they are not sure of what they should be doing, they try hard and remain on task, for example, when Year 6 pupils were learning about rotation of shapes. This is a good improvement since the previous inspection when a minority of pupils became restless and lost concentration. Pupils willingly take part in class discussions. In Year 2, all pupils were keen to contribute to a mental mathematics session during which the teacher asked questions carefully geared to individual pupils’ ability. They work well individually and in pairs. Pupils worked very well with their

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

partners in their first judo lesson. This ability to concentrate helps them to make good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The behaviour of pupils throughout the school is very good. They respond very well to the school's expectations of how they should behave in lessons and around the school, for example, in the dining area and when moving to and from lessons. This has a positive impact on their learning and helps to create a positive and welcoming school. Through consistent implementation of the behaviour policy, pupils are aware of the likely consequences of their own actions. They demonstrate a good degree of consideration for others, for example, when older pupils look after younger ones in the playground. The vast majority are polite and take good care of their own and the school’s property. There are very few instances of bullying, or of sexist, or racist behaviour. Those that do occur St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School are noted and swiftly dealt with in an appropriate way. There is an extremely low

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are very good. These have a significant impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and in developing their social and personal skills. However, pupils do not always have enough opportunities for demonstrating and acting on their own initiatives, a similar picture to that reported in the previous inspection. Pupils who have been identified as having potential behaviour problems usually behave in an appropriate way because of the support and encouragement they receive. Pupils show respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. This is a key factor in the creation and maintenance of a harmonious school atmosphere.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance has improved since the last inspection. It is now in line with similar schools locally, but remains below the national average. The school takes effective steps to follow up every absence with the result that unexplained absences are in line with the national average. Punctuality has not improved since the last inspection. Some pupils arrive late and this disrupts learning and is a bad example for other pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching is good for children in the Foundation Stage and for pupils in Years 1 to 6. In the school as a whole, the teaching is satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons. It is excellent in 7 per cent, very good in 20 per cent, good in 43 per cent and satisfactory in 28 per cent. It is unsatisfactory in 2 per cent of lessons. Teaching is a strength of the school and has a positive effect on pupils' attainment and progress. The quality of teaching is significantly better than at the time of the last inspection. For example, pupils' behaviour is now managed much more effectively, teachers match work to pupils' varying needs more accurately and, very importantly, teachers have higher expectations for what they want pupils to achieve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Staff work together very effectively as a team and are caring, supportive and very encouraging. They give children lots of praise and encouragement and this raises children’s self-esteem and gives them increasing confidence to learn. A strong feature in the teaching is that staff give a considerable amount of time to developing children’s technical vocabulary, for example 'lighter', 'heavier' and 'triangle' in mathematical development. They also develop very well children’s everyday vocabulary, for example in the imaginative play areas, such as the railway ticket office in the nursery. The nursery nurse asked ‘What platform is the train going from?’ and a child replied ‘Platform two’. Although this kind of approach has a very positive effect on children’s learning, they still have a narrow range of everyday vocabulary for describing clearly and confidently their ideas and experiences, despite

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

staff giving considerable time to this. Staff teach basic skills well, such as letter sounds in communication language and literacy.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching is sometimes very good in the nursery because staff challenge children’s thinking, imagination and use of vocabulary through interesting, practical and relevant activities. This creates a purposeful working atmosphere and promotes the very good concentration and learning of the children. Teaching is sometimes satisfactory in reception because the work that the teacher plans for literacy and numeracy lessons, under the direction of senior management, is not always sufficiently practical. On these occasions children often sit listening to the teacher for long periods and they are not sufficiently active, so the quality of their behaviour and learning decline. Staff give very good additional support to pupils with special educational needs. As a result, they make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment. For instance, reception children St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

with special educational needs write their names with increasing accuracy and confidence.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. In the teaching of pupils in Years 1 to 6, teachers' planning shows well what they want different groups of pupils to learn in each lesson. This ensures that pupils know what is expected of them in lessons and their learning is focused. Teachers use a range of appropriate teaching methods. They persist in trying out a range of approaches when pupils find something difficult to grasp. They use questioning skills well to help pupils learn and encourage them, particularly those who are reticent, to respond in ways that boost their self-esteem. These teaching approaches motivate the pupils to want to learn. For example, in an excellent Year 2 numeracy lesson, pupils, through skilled questioning by the teacher, gave clear and precise explanations of how they complete their calculations. In the same lesson, lower-attaining pupils calculated mentally problems involving multiples of ten. This was as a result of very good teaching of basic arithmetical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

skills. In a very good Year 5 literacy lesson, pupils extended their knowledge and use of connectives. The work built very effectively on pupils' previous learning. The teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy is good. This is covered in greater detail in the subject paragraphs in Part D of the report.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, so they answer pupils' questions accurately and teach with confidence. This in turn extends pupils' knowledge and understanding of the work they complete. In a very good music lesson with Year 2 pupils, the teacher demonstrated high expectations and very good subject expertise. This was shown in the clear explanations and the way she challenged pupils. For example, pupils were expected to identify 'meter' in the songs they sang and to use the correct vocabulary. This they did successfully by the end of the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Pupils' behaviour is managed very effectively. As a result, little time is wasted in lessons and the pupils have more time to work hard. A strength of the teaching is the very good relationships between staff and pupils, which ensures that all pupils, whatever their backgrounds, are fully involved in lessons and feel valued. This greatly enhances the quality of pupils' learning. Teachers deploy support staff very effectively to support pupils' learning. Support staff contribute positively to pupils' progress. Teachers use time and resources efficiently. Their use of computers to support pupils' learning is satisfactory. The use of the computer suite provides frequent opportunities for the teaching of information and communication technology skills. Pupils respond by being attentive and keen learners.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers mainly use the results of the assessment of pupils effectively to match work to pupils' varying needs. However, in Year 6, work in mathematics and science is not always hard enough for the higher-attaining pupils. The marking of pupils' work is good. The feedback to pupils, spoken and written, enables pupils to improve their performance. In the high calibre marking, teachers provide very helpful comments to pupils to show why work is good or what needs to be done to improve it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Support in whole-class lessons for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is very effective in enabling pupils to participate fully and with confidence in all their work. Trained learning support staff are particularly effective and make a valuable contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers make good use of individual education plans to inform their planning and match the work they provide to the pupils’ individual needs. The quality of teaching of pupils identified as gifted and talented is very good. The teacher's enthusiasm for her work results in excitement among pupils and creates a great desire for them to want to learn. This was very apparent in a Year 3 literacy lesson. This enthusiasm, allied to very high expectations for what she wanted pupils to learn, ensured that pupils' learning was enjoyable as well as effective. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Throughout the school, the teaching is very good for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. This has a very positive effect on their learning in lessons and enables them to make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment. This is because the specialist teacher from the ethnic minority achievement service develops very successfully the pupils’ English skills in literacy lessons across the school. She has very good expertise and plans the work very carefully to develop pupils’ everyday vocabulary, as well as the specific subject vocabulary. The teacher links closely the work to that of their classmates. This was evident when she read ‘Getting to Grandad’s’ to the nursery children and used large and small teddy bears to illustrate the story. The children who learn English as an additional language were keen to join in with the story and their learning was very good. They joined in with repeated phrases, such

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

as ‘Are we nearly there?’ and began to use the vocabulary related to train journeys, such as ‘ticket’ and ‘passengers’.

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PUPILS?

22. The school provides a good range of learning experiences for its pupils and meets both their academic and personal needs. The curriculum is broad and meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum, except in music. In Years 1 to 6, the curriculum is good in English, art, information and communication technology and physical education. In Years 1 to 2, it is also good in science and history. The programme for personal, social and health education is taught mainly through subjects such as science and it includes coverage of sex education and drugs awareness. It provides pupils with regular opportunities to discuss a variety of issues that arise in their lives.

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PUPILS?

23. The strength in the curriculum is that the school’s Christian ethos permeates the whole curriculum and this leads to the very good inclusion of all pupils in the activities the school offers. This is evident in the very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, pupils who learn English as an additional language, minority ethnic pupils and gifted and talented pupils. Staff implement very well the National Literacy Strategy and they implement effectively the National Numeracy Strategy. Across the curriculum, classroom staff and visiting specialists plan the lessons together as a team and this is effective. It has good relationships with partner institutions. Improvement since the last inspection is very good, for example, in the nursery curriculum and in policies and curriculum guidance for subjects throughout the school.

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PUPILS?

24. There are a few weaknesses in curriculum planning. In science in Years 3 to 6, pupils do not always cover the curriculum in sufficient depth because of the below average amount of time that the school allocates to the subject. The school needs to increase the amount of time given to developing pupils’ speaking skills in English and in other subjects. The school gives a considerable amount of time to singing and playing music to accompany songs. However, there is not sufficient time allocated for pupils to create their own music, so their progress in this element of the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

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PUPILS?

25. The children in the Foundation Stage benefit from a good curriculum that develops their knowledge and understanding across all the recommended areas of learning. It is very good in the nursery because the work is practical and is based very securely on the curriculum for children of this age. As a result, children’s learning is good and often it is very good. The curriculum is less effective in the reception class. This is because the work that the teacher plans for literacy and numeracy lessons, under the direction of the senior management, is not always sufficiently practical. On these occasions it does not meet sufficiently the needs of these young children and their learning slows to satisfactory. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School 26. The school provides very good systems to ensure that all pupils are included fully in lessons and in all aspects of school life. Boys and girls have equal access to the

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PUPILS?

curriculum. The school provides very good opportunities for pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements to meet their needs, and it implements very well the Code of Practice 4 for these pupils.

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PUPILS?

27. The provision is very good for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language and for ethnic minority pupils. From the nursery to Year 6, the teacher from the ethnic minority achievement service gives very good additional support in literacy to pupils who learn English as an additional language. This is because she plans the work very carefully to develop their everyday vocabulary and the technical words for the subject. Another teacher from the service also plans effectively the work to raise the attainment of ethnic minority pupils in Year 6 who do not have English as an additional language. She focuses on promoting positive awareness of culture and identity through teaching African Studies, including history and drama. The needs of younger pupils are met very well through the gifted and talented project, the additional literacy strategy and learning mentors.

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PUPILS?

28. The experiences that the school provides for gifted and talented pupils are very good. The work that these pupils undertake with the specialist teacher funded through the Excellence in Cities Project is very good, for example in history. This is because the teacher plans the work very carefully so that it challenges them. Therefore, they make very good progress and reach high standards in this work.

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PUPILS?

29. The school provides a very good range of out of lesson activities and these enhance the curriculum for the considerable number of pupils who take part in them. There are, for example, clubs for choir, violin, information and communication technology, art, football and rounders. The school competes in local sports competitions, for example in football. It provides additional music tuition in recorder and violin. Teachers plan carefully visits into the local and wider community. These enhance the learning of pupils in subjects such as geography, history, music and science. For example, their visits include trips to the science and industry museum and to a nature reserve. Visitors to the school, such as a storyteller and jazz and Irish music groups, also make learning relevant and interesting. The pupils also benefit from work with Opera North, Manchester Camarata and at the Zion centre.

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PUPILS?

30. The school’s links with other education providers in the area are good. It has good links with the local secondary schools to which most pupils transfer. These help Year 6 pupils to settle quickly and smoothly into the next stage of their education.

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PUPILS?

31. The provision for the spiritual development of pupils is good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when provision was reported to be satisfactory. Pupils learn about Christianity and have good opportunities to learn about other faiths relevant to some of the pupils with different religious backgrounds. Pupils are given good opportunities in lessons to think about their own experiences and feelings as well as to reflect on how others might feel in a range of situations. Year 4 pupils are encouraged to think about what early childhood experiences mean to them as part of their work on Roald Dahl's autobiography 'Boy'. Year 4 pupils write sensitive letters as evacuees, expressing the feelings they might have had in that situation. When studying the Ancient Greeks, pupils compare life as a slave owner with life as a slave.

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PUPILS?

32. The school's provision for pupils' moral development is very good. There is a well- understood code of conduct and positively phrased rules to encourage good behaviour

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PUPILS?

4 Code of Practice – this gives advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School are displayed in each classroom. Pupils understand these rules and try hard to follow them. Teachers work hard, but unobtrusively, to ensure that they are followed. Pupils learn the difference between right and wrong during everyday school life through the good examples provided by all staff and the guidance provided in assemblies. During one assembly, the headteacher retold the story of the Good Samaritan in a way that made the moral of that story understandable by all pupils in the school.

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PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. They work together well in lessons when required. There is a wide range of activities outside lesson times that make a positive contribution to pupils’ social development. These activities make a good contribution to pupils’ awareness of their place in the school community. In a number of lessons, such as science and information and communication technology, pupils work well together in small groups. This also helps them to develop a range of social skills. All staff, including the learning mentor, make sure that a few pupils who experience difficulty behaving have the same opportunities and support to develop their social skills. Pupils have recently been consulted about what it is they like about school and what they would like to see changed. This encourages them to consider carefully relevant issues.

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PUPILS?

34. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. As well as learning about the Roman Catholic faith and Judaism in religious education lessons, pupils learn about some of the values and traditions of other faiths and cultures represented in the school through assemblies and other work. Pupils have had an insight into Islam through an explanation of Eid in assembly. The school recognises that the pupils come from a range of different backgrounds and displays around school celebrate this fact. The school used the approaching Commonwealth games in Manchester well as the basis for some good work on the culture of some of the countries involved. During lessons, pupils find out about the cultural background of this country as well as finding out about that of other countries. The work done in art week helped pupils to focus on the work of European artists as well as those from further afield. Pupils find out about the art of a range of

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PUPILS?

cultures during lessons and other special events. For example, pupils have used African art as a basis for their own work. Visits and visitors make a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. These include visits to nearby art galleries and opportunities to play on the Gamelan, a suite of musical instruments from Indonesia.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The care and support offered to the pupils whilst in school are very good. The school has a warm and loving atmosphere, where all teachers and support staff know the pupils well and are fully aware of their needs. The school has good procedures for welcoming new pupils to the school. The needs of pupils from the minority ethnic community and those who speak English as an additional language are properly met. As a result, pupils establish confident and trusting relationships and quickly settle down in the school routine.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Parents responding to the questionnaire strongly agree that their children like to come to school and that they are happy and safe there. Inspection evidence confirms that the office staff sympathetically care for pupils who arrive earlier than the normal school time. All staff make it a priority to settle new children into school well, with an established and successful pre-school meeting between teachers and the carers. The school pays very good attention to pupils' educational and emotional needs and provides very good help when necessary. Pupils from different communities are very well integrated and benefit from working alongside each other. Pupils learning English as an additional language receive very good language support from dedicated staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school has a firm commitment to working with outside school agencies and has developed a very good understanding of what can be contributed by other professionals. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School For example, very good working relationships with the education welfare officer ensure that the vulnerable pupils are promptly identified and effectively supported. Good use is made of other support and advice from a range of sources when children have medical problems or when they have emotional and social difficulties. For example, the local education authority behaviour support unit and a retired headteacher support pupils with behaviour and learning difficulties.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Satisfactory procedures are in place for child protection. The school works closely with the social services. Two members of the staff are suitably trained and the school is familiar with the procedures to follow when there are concerns about pupils' welfare. However, there is a need for the rest of the staff to be formally trained in child protection matters.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. There is very good attention at all times given to matters of health and safety. Pupils are aware of the need for hygiene and older pupils rarely need reminding to wash their hands before handling food. There is very good supervision when pupils do practical activities, such as in design and technology and science lessons. The very good level of supervision extends to all outdoor activities through the high number of adults, including the headteacher, who is always present during lunchtime play. The site manager/caretaker takes good care to ensure that the buildings, equipment and the school grounds are clean and free from health hazards. Some attention is needed to tidy up the perimeter fencing area, which traps waste papers and other debris.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. There are good arrangements for administering first aid and staff know what action to take in case of an emergency or if a pupil becomes ill whilst at school. All parents feel that their children are safe and secure in school. If a child is ill, the school contacts parents. The school sensitively cares for sick and vulnerable children. The inspectors observed some sick children being sympathetically cared for by the school while they waited for their parents to collect them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has very good procedures in place to improve attendance and punctuality. The office staff monitor the attendance registers daily and on the first day of absence, contact the families of children whose absence is unexplained. Regular visits from the education welfare services ensure a prompt follow up for persistent absence and support for families who have a record of regular non-attendance. The school has a very supportive relationship with families and helps them to deal with problems that may affect attendance and punctuality. For example, pupils can be collected later than usual or brought to the school earlier if this helps families to meet commitments without disturbing the children's education. The incentives offered for good attendance and punctuality are well received by pupils and, therefore, the attendance rates have improved very significantly since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school has very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. The 'white and yellow sheet' system means that the staff, including mid-day staff, monitor the progress of each child. The results are logged on the 'Attendance Project Behaviour Database'. Any concerns that arise are discussed during the staff briefing and shared with parents and carers. A solution is agreed upon and applied both at home and at school to help the child understand what kind of behaviour is expected.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Procedures for dealing with pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties are incorporated into the school's behaviour and discipline policy and these are well understood by the staff and pupils. All members of the staff, including mid-day supervisors, are very successful in promoting good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning because they are extremely skilled at on-the-spot assessment and effective intervention to help children move forward in their academic and personal development. This is complemented and enhanced by the excellent role models provided by staff. St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School 44. There are good procedures for finding out and recording pupils’ achievement throughout the school. These procedures are very good in English and mathematics and for measuring the progress of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. They are good in information and communication

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

technology. The assessment procedures for children in the Foundation Stage are good. Staff have effective systems for assessing regularly children’s achievement and they use these well to plan the next step in children’s learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. In English and mathematics, teachers use a range of tests to gauge progress, including National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2. The results of the different tests are used effectively to analyse how well different groups of children are learning. They are also used well in setting individual and group targets for pupils’ learning in English and mathematics. Teachers keep a useful record of skills and understanding achieved in information and communication technology. These are intended to guide planning when similar skills are taught and practised in later lessons. The school also keeps records that provide a useful picture of pupils’ performance in other subjects. These are soundly used in planning lessons and series of lessons.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The assessment systems for pupils who are learning English as an additional language are very good. New arrivals to the school, who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language, have their needs assessed by the specialist teacher from the ethnic minority achievement service. She shares this information with classroom teachers and they plan together carefully the work to meet the pupils’ needs. The specialist teacher keeps detailed records of their progress in lessons and uses these very well to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning. The school analyses the performance of ethnic minority pupils. This information shows that they are mainly in the higher attaining and average groups and that they make better progress than their classmates.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents are extremely pleased with the quality of education provided for their children and with the standards they achieve. The response to the questionnaire, at 10 per cent, is low. However, those who responded were unanimous in agreeing that their children like school and that they are comfortable in approaching the school with questions or problems. The majority of parents agree that the school works closely with them. They are pleased that their children develop positive attitudes to school and make good progress. The inspection findings confirm that parents are right to hold these very positive views. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when the relationships were judged as good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents confirm that arrangements for settling their children in the school are flexible and very supportive. The pre-admission interviews with parents focus on promoting the partnership between home and school so that the school gets to know the new children quickly. A supportive partnership continues throughout the child's stay in the school. Parents feel that the school values them as partners in their children's learning. All parents are made to feel valued and enjoy the opportunities for joining celebration assemblies and accompany their children on educational trips. Inspectors observed many parents, including those from minority ethnic communities, present in the Thursday morning assembly talking confidently to the staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The quality of information provided for parents is sound. The school prospectus is easy to read, contains useful information and includes information required by law. The school has an appropriate number of parents' evenings, which are supported by some parents. Ninety-five per cent of the parents who responded in the pre-inspection questionnaire confirm that they are well informed about their children's progress. Pupils' annual St . Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School progress reports are sound. They give parents information about how well their children are doing and advise parents about how they can help their children improve. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when it was considered that the progress reports were too general and that they did not highlight what pupils have achieved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The communication with parents of children who learn English as an additional language is satisfactory. Classroom staff and the teacher from the ethnic minority achievement service communicate informally with parents at the beginning and end of the school day, for instance in the nursery. Staff provide written translations for labels and information for displays around the school. Parents sometimes help with these, for example in the nursery classroom.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The school recognises the importance of a partnership between home and school. However, the contribution made by parents to their children's learning at school is poor. There is no parents' and teacher's association, and parents do not take part in raising money for school funds. There is a room available for parents meetings, but, due to lack of support, this is now used for teaching small groups of pupils with special educational needs. Some parents help with homework. They make comments in reading diaries and attend weekly school assemblies, but, overall, the progress made since the last inspection is slow and the help given by parents is not consistent throughout the school.

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