SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School

SS. JOHN & MONICA CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th July 2000

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SS. JOHN & MONICA CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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SS. JOHN & MONICA 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. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chantry Road, Moseley, Birmingham Postcode: B13 8DW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr George Gallagher

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 4

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Team members

Mrs Jean Harding Registered inspector Mrs Rosalie Watkins Lay inspector Mrs Joyce Cox Team inspector

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Team members

Juniper House 23 Abbots View Abbotswood Cinderford Gloucestershire GL14 3EG

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 5

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REPORT CONTENTS

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 15

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PART B: COMMENTARY

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16-19 SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

SS John and Monica is a Catholic primary school for boys and girls from 4 to 11 years of age. There are 208 pupils in the school. It is about the average size for primary schools. Nearly 80 per cent of pupils are of non-white ethnic origin and over 40 per cent speak English as an additional language, or are at the early stages of English language acquisition. Although this is a Catholic primary school, about two-thirds of pupils come from homes which have a non-Christian religion. Numbers on roll are constant, and the school is always over-subscribed.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 31 pupils, 15 per cent, on the special educational needs register; this is below average. There are three pupils in the school with statements of special educational needs; this is average. One pupil is disapplied from the National Curriculum tests as he has recently arrived in this country and had very little English. Over 40 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above average. The school is situated a pleasant residential area but takes pupils from all around, especially Balsall Heath which is a district that has many social problems. Many pupils come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

At the time of the inspection only two children were still under the age of five. Most children have had pre-school learning experience. Attainment on entry is mostly lower than expected, especially in language and aspects of personal and social development.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Over the last three years, the National Curriculum test results have been consistently well above average at the end of Key Stage 2, and since 1998 they have been very high. Standards in the core subjects of English mathematics and science are above national expectations. The religious dimension of the school is key to the ethos of high expectations and achievements. The pupils are encouraged to value themselves and this leads to success. The good leadership of the school sets the ethos. The management, although satisfactory, is not so good, and so there are inconsistencies in many aspects of the school. The teaching is generally good, especially the teaching of English. The school spends more money per pupil than most schools but, given the good progress of the pupils, it gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

 The National Curriculum test results are among the highest in the country.  The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and behaviour.  The leadership of the headteacher and governors is good.  Pupils' spiritual and moral development are very well promoted.  The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and leads to good learning.  The specialist provision for pupils who use English as an additional language is good and so these pupils make good progress in their learning.

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What could be improved

 There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this means that the quality of planning and teaching is inconsistent.  The management and day-to-day administration are not rigorous enough.  The assessment information is not used well enough to help teachers' planning. There are deficiencies in the construction and use of individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs.  The school development plan is not well enough planned to ensure evaluation of targets and to underpin success. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan which will be sent to all parents and carers of pupils in the school. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1996. Since then it has made satisfactory overall progress in addressing the issues for improvement raised in that inspection report, but further improvements are still required to ensure the best provision. However, the school has made a very great improvement to the National Curriculum test results, especially at Key Stage 2. There has been a marked improvement to the teaching; no unsatisfactory teaching was observed during this inspection, compared with nearly a fifth at the previous inspection.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There have been satisfactory improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs; the identification of their difficulties has improved and so has the support, but this is still not as good as it could be. There are better assessment procedures, but these could be further improved and extended and there is still insufficient use of the data acquired. There have been satisfactory improvements to the safety issues raised at the last inspection; the inherent difficulties of the building and the site constrain further improvements until the proposed construction work has been completed. The school development plan is better prioritised, but the formulation of this essential document could be improved. There have been some improvements to the planning and monitoring of the curriculum, but again, there are further improvements to be made. Pupils' standards of design and technology have improved, and the provision for physical education has

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

also improved, with further good improvements planned for next year.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has satisfactory capacity to make further improvements. This could be good as long as the issues of management are addressed and the administration is more rigorous.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11-year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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s

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

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s

The National Curriculum test results for Key Stage 2 in 1999 were among the highest five per cent in the country. When compared with the results for schools who admit pupils from similar backgrounds, the results are amazingly high. Results for 2000 show that all eligible pupils attained at least the expected level 4 and a significant number attained the higher level 5. Similarly, at Key Stage 1, the test results for pupils over the last three years were generally above average and for 1999 they were well above average when compared with similar schools. This year's results show that almost all pupils attained the expected levels and, in mathematics, many pupils attained the higher level 3. The trend in test results at Key Stage 1, over the last three years, has been inconsistent for reading and mathematics, but has been going down in writing. At Key Stage 2 the trend is above the national trend. The school has already exceeded its targets for pupils in Year 6,

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for attainment in literacy and numeracy, which were set for 2000.

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s

However, the standards of attainment in the work seen in English, mathematics and science, during the inspection, although sometimes high, did not reflect the National Curriculum test results at both SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 8 key stages. A significant minority of pupils are not attaining in line with national averages and expectations and the work scrutinised was not all of a high standard. Pupils' learning is good overall, but it is inconsistent between the classes.

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s

Pupils' progress in speaking and listening is good, especially considering how many use English as an additional language. Children make good progress in learning in the reception class; many arrive at school with low skills in key areas, but most pupils work at the expected levels by the time they go into Key Stage 1. Pupils' learning in the subjects seen is generally satisfactory and good for a few pupils. Pupils with special educational needs generally make satisfactory progress in learning, and those with more particular needs, which require a statement of special educational needs, make good progress. Pupils of African and Caribbean heritage make better progress than many of their peers in other schools.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils want to learn and they enjoy school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good in lessons and around school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils' personal development is good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Although below average, it is satisfactory overall. Most authorised absence is due to parents taking their children on extended holidays to visit their families in other parts of the world.

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

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

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

The teaching is good overall. Over two-thirds of lessons observed were at least good and three lessons, 12 per cent, were very good. No lessons were graded as unsatisfactory. Teaching is best in Year 5 as the planning is so much better than in other classes. The teaching in the reception class is consistently good. The teaching of English is usually good and pupils are encouraged to use their literacy and numeracy skills well in other subjects.

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

The strengths of the teaching lie in the good relationships that staff have with pupils and their knowledge and understanding of the teaching of basic skills. The best lessons have detailed plans for the outcomes, and pupils are managed well. There are some lessons which, although generally satisfactory, could be better if there was more detailed planning and inclusion of realistic assessment criteria so that teachers know if they have been successful. The teachers’ management of a few pupils who show disruptive behaviour is inconsistent. Pupils using English as an additional language are taught well by the specialist teacher. Pupils with special educational needs have teaching which is satisfactory overall but is, again, inconsistent; pupils with less marked difficulties are not always given work that is appropriate to their needs.

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

A particular strength of pupils' learning is their interest and concentration. Even the youngest pupils work hard for long periods of time. Pupils' pace of working lapses when tasks set are not challenging enough and they are allowed too long to finish them. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. Good for children under five, except for their physical development. Pupils are prepared well for secondary education.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory overall, but with strengths and weaknesses. Pupils with statements are well supported. The provision of appropriate work by class teachers is inconsistent.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good overall. The specialist teacher has a very good input, but this work is not always translated into appropriate work in the classrooms.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. Provision for spiritual and moral development is especially strong. Provision for social and cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils’ pastoral needs are cared for well, but assessment is not well enough established and used to ensure that all pupils' performance is properly monitored.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall. The leadership by the headteacher is good but key staff have limited management responsibilities. Management and administration procedures lack rigour.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities They perform their roles well. They provide clear leadership and have set a very good ethos.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Strengths are known and built upon. Weaknesses are generally known.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Money is usually spent wisely, but experienced staff are not always used efficiently. Time is not always managed well enough.

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Aspect Comment

The key to the success of the school is the ethos of care and high achievement, based on the belief that all pupils can succeed. This ethos is set by the overt application of religious faith that underpins all learning. The principles of best value are usually applied well and so money is not wasted; prudent measures have been taken to prime the funds for projected refurbishment of the accommodation. However, few systems and structures have been set up to ensure consistency, and so the management would find it difficult to build on current strengths unless there is increased rigour in planning and administration. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 The way teachers help all pupils to learn and grow in confidence.  Pupils are very successfully encouraged to respect each others' faiths and cultural backgrounds.  They think that behaviour is very good.  Pupils are happy in school because of the way they are known and cared for as individuals.  They feel well informed.  They appreciate the good way any suggestions or concerns are followed up.  The range of activities outside lessons.  Provision for sports, including swimming.  The amount of homework.  The presentation and timing of letters sent home to them.  The accommodation; especially as some see it as posing safety risks.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents think highly of the school. Parents, of all religious affiliations, appreciate the way that faith underpins all the school's activities. Inspectors agree with their positive views, although behaviour is judged to be good rather than very good. Inspectors also agree with parents about the extra- curricular activities; more could be done and the range of activities could be wider. The provision for sports is improving, with an imaginative programme of activities planned for next year. Homework is generally satisfactory. The letters to parents are improving, but they could improve further. The governors are aware of the deficiencies of the accommodation and have appropriate plans to remedy them. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 11

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The National Curriculum test results are among the highest in the country

1. The last inspection, in 1996, judged that standards of attainment at the end of each key stage were in line with national averages and expectations; the National Curriculum test results for 1995 also showed this. Since then there has been a dramatic improvement in pupils' grades at both key stages. Since 1997 the school has been getting mostly above-average grades at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above average, and even very high grades at the end of Key Stage 2. When compared with similar schools, using the percentage of free school meals as a measure, this school has been performing well above expectations.

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The National Curriculum test results are among the highest in the country

2. When considering the results that pupils attained at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1995 and 1996, it appears that pupils have made very good progress through Key Stage 2. The National Curriculum test results, and the findings of the last inspection, indicated that the pupils then in Year 2 attained in line with national averages and expectations in English, mathematics and science. At the end of Key Stage 2, when these pupils are in Year 6, their overall achievement is at much higher levels.

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The National Curriculum test results are among the highest in the country

3. The reasons for this great improvement are many and complex. There has been a good improvement to the teaching which helps pupils in their learning. Pupils are prepared extremely well for the tests. Pupils, with the help of their parents, work very hard. But, it must be said, these reasons are probably not the full explanation. The school, itself, was very surprised at the very high results for the last two years. A significant number of pupils were not expected to attain results at level 4, the level that 11-year-olds should attain. Teachers' own assessments did not show such high grades for all pupils. Inspection evidence found even these assessments a bit high.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

4. The school considers itself to be a multi-faith Roman Catholic primary school. This is the key to its success. Without losing its specific Catholic identity the staff manage to encompass all the major teachings of other of the world's major faiths. Parents, of all religious persuasions, are very happy with this and suggest that this is a crucial aspect of the work of the school. The inspection team agrees.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

5. The spiritual dimension runs through all that is done. Reference is made to religious belief, and the best way of living, in many lessons and throughout the school day. The essence of the teaching is that everyone is different, but special. All pupils are told that they can succeed, and they believe it. The commitment to high achievement in work, behaviour and their lives, is impressed on pupils, constantly. The positive ethos really helps those pupils who may have problems, and the school has had great success in helping these pupils to achieve, in terms of much improved work and behaviour. Pupils are proud of their school and themselves.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

The leadership of the headteacher and governors is good.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

6. The ethos of high achievement is set by the governors and the headteacher. The aims and values of the school are clear and appropriate and these are reflected in all of its work. The feeling of community and the importance of a religious faith permeates all that is done, to the great benefit of pupils and their families. This is greatly appreciated by parents who feel involved and valued as partners with the school. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 12 7. Governors are well involved in school life and give good support to staff and parents. Individual governors are attached to classes and follow the pupils through the school. They know what is going on and act as 'critical friends'. They revel in the school's success but are not complacent. They are led by a knowledgeable chair who has spearheaded the plans for the improvements to the building. The previous inspection team noted that the building and

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

site were not best suited to modern education, and now governors have plans, which are well underway, to improve things.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

8. The headteacher provides clear educational direction for the school. He is key to the ethos of care and support for staff and pupils. He has set the expectations of high standards of attainment and personal life. He ensures that there are good relationships inside the school and with outside agencies and parents.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

Pupils' spiritual and moral development are very well promoted.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

9. This is a Catholic school but the provision for pupils' spiritual development encompasses more than instruction in the basic tenets of the Christian faith. All religious faith is respected. The results of the sensitivity and consideration about other religious belief are evident. No pupil is withdrawn from religious education or acts of collective worship and all pupils attend weekly mass. Religious education and worship were not inspected during this inspection as the school is to be inspected for these at a later date, but it is clear that many lessons draw on the 10. fundamental beliefs of all religions, such as kindness, development of self-worth, respect for others' values and beliefs, and the importance of family and community. This is key to the success of the school and is acknowledged as such by parents.

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The ethos is very good. There is a clear commitment to high standards of work and

11. The pupils' moral development is very well promoted as an obvious extension of the religious dimension. Pupils are expected to behave well and the staff and governors are good role models. Pupils with a variety of problems are accepted into the school and are helped to overcome difficulties by example and direct instruction. Everyone is valued. Over their time at the school pupils adopt the values that are expected by parents, and they are well on the way to becoming responsible people by the age of eleven. The provision for moral development also encompasses social development, and values such as fairness, honesty and truth, are fostered well within lessons and through the whole work of the school.

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The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and

12. The standards of attainment in English, mathematics and science could not have been achieved without good teaching. Over the whole school all lessons observed were at least satisfactory, 68 per cent were good and 12 per cent were very good. The teaching in the reception class is consistently good and so is the teaching in Year 5 with some very good teaching taking place here.

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The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and

13. The teaching at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory overall. The teaching at Key Stage 2 is good overall with strengths and weaknesses between the classes. The teaching of English is good and a significant proportion of teaching is very good, although this could be even better if the programme for the development of speaking and listening was better planned.

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The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and

14. The help given by the classroom assistants is invaluable and they make a very good contribution to the teaching and to the care of pupils. These staff have areas of real expertise, such as information and communications technology, in working with the youngest children and with those with special educational needs. The specialist teaching of pupils who use English as an additional language is good and this is a key factor in their acquisition of English and in their adaptation to school life. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall but could be better. The individual education plans for pupils are not always detailed enough to be a sound basis for planning appropriate work and even when they are, the class teachers do not always plan work that is suitable for these pupils. The planning SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 13 of a significant number of lessons is a weak factor in the teaching, and needs to be addressed

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The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and

if further improvements are to be made. However, the individual programmes for pupils with statements of special educational needs are mostly good and are appropriately used, and so these pupils make good progress.

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The teaching is good. This ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to their work and

15. Strengths of the teaching are the high expectations set in most classes and teachers' knowledge and understanding of the pupils and their subjects. The high expectations lead to good learning and a pleasant atmosphere in the classrooms.

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The specialist provision for pupils who use English as an additional language is good and so

these pupils make good progress in their learning.

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The specialist provision for pupils who use English as an additional language is good and so

16. The school is fortunate to have a specialist teacher on the staff who works part-time. She does good work with the pupils and is a support to the other teachers. She is devising a policy and assessment procedures and knows the progress of the pupils. Pupils are making at least sound, and usually good progress in their acquisition of English. Support staff and volunteers make an essential contribution to this work. A significant number of pupils arrive at the school with little English but, after a relatively short time, most are able to access the curriculum with sufficient skills to cope in school and outside.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

means that the planning and teaching are inconsistent.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

17. The weaknesses of the school are due to ineffective monitoring, or even no monitoring, of important aspects of the school's work. This is not because of lack of will or lack of skill, but due to a mistaken belief that sustaining goodwill when judging colleagues' work, is more important than helping them to improve their performance. A few contentious issues have, therefore, been shirked. There is insufficient emphasis on accountability.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

18. The teaching, although good overall, is inconsistent. The headteacher is well aware of some of this and has taken good steps to support and train colleagues, but important weak aspects of teaching are not known, or have not been appropriately addressed. The suspension of the previous appraisal system has not helped this, but the headteacher is aware that the new systems for performance management for teachers will be of benefit in this.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

19. There has been some monitoring in English and mathematics but not enough by curriculum co- ordinators. There is virtually no monitoring by co-ordinators of other subjects. This means that deficiencies are not known and improvements have not been made to the teaching in some classes. The very good practice seen in some classes has not been spread to others.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

The management and day-to-day administration are not rigorous enough.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

20. The school runs reasonably well on a day-to-day basis but this could be much better with more rigorous procedures and full compliance with agreed procedures. There is a lack of finish and polish to many aspects of the school's management . Everyone is well intentioned, but there are few systems and structures in place to ensure that activities are properly planned and run to time, documents are accurate, and the building is tidy. Some parents have pointed this out, and they are right. Although there are good teaching, support and administration staff, who know what needs to be done, there are few quality assurance procedures and many things are done informally. This is fine when everything is simple, but is not good enough for the complexities of a modern school. The problems caused by ineffective evaluation procedures run through much of the school. Few aspects of the school's work are properly delegated to

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

individuals, so there is little sense of ownership or accountability. A few statutory requirements are not met because no one person is responsible for checking what is needed. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 14 21. Planning, of school improvements, staff time, and lessons, is not rigorous enough to ensure the best results. There are lots of good plans, but insufficient organisation to realise them in the best way. This was a weakness noted at the last inspection. Evaluation is still a general weakness as few criteria are set. Staffing matters have been too lax so that procedures for staff appointment, induction, appraisal and training are not as effective as they might be. Experienced staff have not been used efficiently. Where job descriptions do exist, people are unsure of what they entail and are unclear of precisely what is expected of them. The headteacher is aware that performance management procedures should be better and plans

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

22. The management roles of key staff such as the senior managers and curriculum co-ordinators are satisfactory but could be more effective. These staff have not been given sufficient authority to lead their own subjects or aspects of the school. They are well able to do this, but the staff team is under-performing as they do not have enough influence over their areas of responsibility.

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There is insufficient monitoring by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators and this

23. The full-time special educational needs coordinator has been given a year away from regular class teaching to sort out the special educational needs provision and to devise individual education plans. Much sound work has been done. However, there is a relatively small number of pupils on the special educational needs register, and only ten with more marked needs, on the Code of Practice stages 3-5. Given that the individual education plans are not always used by class teachers, this was not a good management decision as the teacher's well-honed skills could have been used more profitably elsewhere. This is inefficient and is the result of a lack of analysis of need and of measurable outcomes, such as the progress made by these pupils.

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deficiencies in the construction and use of individual education plans for pupils with special

24. Although there have been some improvements to assessment since the last inspection, more needs to be done to ensure total knowledge of what pupils know and understand and how they could do better. A sound start has been made in devising assessment procedures for core subjects such as English, mathematics and science, and sound new ones for information and communications technology and physical education, are in place for next year. However, assessment in other subjects hardly exists.

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deficiencies in the construction and use of individual education plans for pupils with special

25. There is a basic policy for assessment, but it is not a good foundation for action. There is no overall co-ordinator and few procedures to ensure that information gained from assessment has been used. This is linked to the ineffective monitoring by co-ordinators. The acquisition of spoken English is key for this school, but there are no agreed schemes of work or assessment procedures to assure the quality of the teaching, apart from ones currently being devised by the specialist teacher for English as an additional language. The gains in learning, for most pupils, are due to the efforts of the majority of staff, but there are inconsistencies in approaches which should be sorted.

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deficiencies in the construction and use of individual education plans for pupils with special

26. A weakness is the quality of marking and the lack of useful day-to-day assessments of pupils' work. This means that teachers do not know what each pupil most needs to improve and therefore lesson-planning is not as effective as it could be. The new individual education plans are often not used to plan individual work for pupils. Frequently all pupils do the same work and although this shows high expectations, pupils' basic understanding may be lacking, resulting in deficits in their knowledge and skills that will emerge later. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 15

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The school development plan is not well enough planned to ensure evaluation of targets and

27. The key issues for action noted in the previous inspection report included improving the school development plan, in terms of priorities, and linking these to the budget. The school has made some improvements, but still the plan could be better. The governors have, appropriately, set aside a considerable sum to carry forward to ensure that there are sufficient funds to start the improvements to the building. The costings for this are known. The costings for other aspects of school improvement are often rather vague and there are few criteria to evaluate whether development targets have been met. The managers need more training in this aspect of planning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to continue the improvements already made, the school must now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 improve the monitoring of the planning of the curriculum and the teaching by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 allocating time for co-ordinators to monitor the planning and teaching of their subjects;  establishing a programme for the formal monitoring of teaching by the headteacher;  devising formal procedures for the monitoring, including feedback to staff;  devising appropriate evaluation criteria so that everyone knows what is expected, and by when. ( paragraphs 17, 18, 19, 21, 25)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 ensuring that everyone complies with agreed procedures;  enabling staff and pupils to work in the best conditions by improving the communication and tidiness;  ensuring that staff have appropriate, negotiated job descriptions and that they are appraised using these;  ensuring that staff are used in the most efficient way. This will require a more realistic analysis of need.  improving the management of time, especially by the headteacher. ( paragraphs 20, 21, 22, 23)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 improve assessment procedures, and the use of assessment by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 more rigorous use of the data collected in English, mathematics and science;  devising, and ensuring everyone uses, assessment procedures for other subjects;  improving the quality of individual education plans so that staff know what is necessary at any time to ensure the best progress for individual pupils with special educational needs;  ensuring that the individual education plans are used by class teachers;  devising suitable schemes of work for speaking and listening and incorporating assessment procedures for these. ( paragraphs 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 improve the formulation and usefulness of the school development plan by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 ensuring that the costings are accurate;  devising appropriate procedures to measure success. ( paragraph27) SS John and Monica Catholic 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 27

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 3 14 8 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 208

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 88 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 31

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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 92

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 13 17 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 12 12 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 87 (93) 80 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 14 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 77 (90) 80 (90) 73 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 10 18 28

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 18 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 96 (90) 100 (93) 96 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 68 (58) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 18 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 89 (87) 100 (90) 100 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 35 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 4 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 36 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.4 Financial year 1999/00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 428,585

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2,060

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 89 Balance brought forward from previous year 53,171

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 53,895 SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School - 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of questionnaires returned 35

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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. 74 26 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 60 34 3 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 48 37 10 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 60 27 10 1 1

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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. 71 21 4 1 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. 71 23 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 62 30 5 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 67 30 1 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 63 33 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 27 10 11 12

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