Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 April – 1 May 2002

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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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. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Limes Avenue New Southgate London

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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: Mrs M O’Byrne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 st December 1997 Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 4

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Team members

16493 Mr Neville Sherman Registered inspector 1166 Mrs Rosemary Hussein Lay inspector 19385 Mr Martin Beale Team inspector

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Team members

Brookbridge Education 2 Haselwood Drive Enfield Middlesex EN2 7BU

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Primary School is situated in New Southgate in the London Borough of Enfield. It is an averaged-sized school of 209 pupils, aged 4-11, with similar numbers of boys and girls. Nine pupils are at the early stages of learning English, slightly more than in most schools. About one in ten pupils, below the national average, claims free school meals. About 20% of pupils are judged to have special educational needs, which is in line with the national average. The number with statements of special educational needs is below the average. In the past, pupils have entered the school with above average levels of attainment, but, in keeping with changes in the area, pupils now enter the school with a broad spread of ability, and attainment overall is average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Primary School is a very effective school with many strong features. By the time pupils leave the school, standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average. Teaching is very good overall with original and imaginative methods used to increase the pupils’ language skills. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. Relationships at the school are very good. Very good provision is made for the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development, effectively contributing to the pupils’ personal development. At present, the governors are in the process of making a permanent appointment to the position of headteacher. The acting headteacher, ably supported by other staff, is leading the school well and ensuring that it runs smoothly and with a sense of purpose. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils reach high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of both key stages. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. Relationships and behaviour are very good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. • There is much creative teaching across the school, particularly of literacy. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Good leadership and management contribute effectively to the school’s success.

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What could be improved

• The marking of the pupils’ work gives insufficient guidance on how they might improve it. • Insufficient use is made of classroom-based computers to support the pupils’ learning. 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 has made very good progress since it was last inspected in December 1997. Many of the key issues identified in the last report have been effectively tackled. Work for higher-attaining pupils is planned carefully by teachers, although at Key Stage 1 the data about their progress at the Foundation Stage should be used more purposefully to plan the next steps in their learning. Schemes of work now support the planning of pupils’ learning. Procedures to promote good behaviour are effective. The school has created a well-used outdoor learning environment for children at the Foundation Stage. A new computer suite and a very attractive quiet area have been provided. The school has the capacity to build on its many strengths and to improve further still. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 7

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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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Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high A* English A A A A well above average A

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Key

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

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Key

In the 2001 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, pupils reached standards that were well above average in English, mathematics and science. When the results are compared with similar schools, based on the numbers of pupils who claim free school meals, pupils reached standards that were well above average in English. In mathematics and science, standards were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The trend in attainment for three years has been above the national average.

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Key

The findings of the inspection are that pupils in the current Year 6 are on line to reach well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. Standards in literacy and numeracy are well above expectations. The school is very effective, for example, in ensuring that the pupils’ language skills are developed through their work in other subjects. Standards of information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with national expectations. Whilst the pupils make good progress in the ICT suite, their progress is hampered by the lack of regular planned use of computers in other lessons. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for Key Stage 2 pupils in English and mathematics, based on an accurate understanding of the pupils’ academic abilities.

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Key

In the 2001 national test results at the end of Year 2 the pupils’ attainment in reading and writing was above the national average, and in mathematics it was well above average in comparison with all and with similar schools. The end-of-Year 2 teacher assessments in science indicated that the pupils’ attainment was well above average. Inspection findings confirm that these standards are being maintained.

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Key

The assessment of children when they enter the school full time at present indicates attainment in line with the national average. Children make good progress in their first few terms at the school and are on course to achieve the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Children often make very good progress in their use of spoken language and this reflects the attention paid by teachers to the promotion of these skills. Children are well prepared to follow the National Curriculum by the time that they enter Year 1.

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Key

Children with special educational needs make good gains in learning as they move through the school. Those with a high level of need and who have a statement of special educational needs usually receive very good support in class. This reflects the school’s inclusion of the pupils in the full range of activities. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls, and pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in their learning of both of written and spoken English. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils greatly enjoy their studies and are very eager to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The pupils’ behaviour is very good. Many are mindful of the needs of others and treat one another with a high level of respect.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships between pupils are very good. The pupils are given frequent opportunities to use initiative, and they take them.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance at the school is well above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils in all classes enjoy their learning greatly. Relationships are very good and the pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is very good. Rates of attendance are good.

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

Quality of teaching Good Good Very 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 in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

There is much good and very good teaching at the school. Children in the Foundation Stage are taught well with much emphasis on the development of their early communication and mathematical understanding. The teaching of English, mathematics and science at both key stages is often good and in upper Key Stage 2 is frequently very good. A key feature of teaching is the manner in which literacy is taught. Many teachers plan interesting and often creative ways to develop the pupils’ language skills through other subjects, such as history and geography, where they read different sources, make notes, and draft and present their work in different and attractive ways. The teaching of ICT in the school’s newly created suite of computers is often very good and pupils are making good progress; however, the teaching of ICT could be improved by teachers planning more effectively to make greater use of classroom-based equipment in the pupils’ day-to-day learning. Pupils with special educational needs

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

are effectively taught, enabling them to make good progress towards the targets that have been identified for improvement by their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides pupils with a broad range of learning opportunities that comply with statutory requirements. A good range of visits and visiting speakers to the school enriches these.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Needs are identified early and well-targeted support is given in class by teachers and learning support assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils who have English as an additional language receive good support in lessons and make good gains in their acquisition of spoken and written English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. Teachers plan carefully to ensure, for Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 9 moral, social and cultural development example, that the different subjects of the curriculum contribute effectively to the pupils’ understanding of the world.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are well cared for and the staff have a good understanding of the pupils’ personal and social needs. The school uses a range of procedures to assess pupils’ academic progress and at Key Stage 2 in particular makes effective use of assessment data to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

The school has forged very strong links with parents. These have a strong impact on pupils’ learning. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress and events taking place at the school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The acting headteacher, ably supported by hard-working and dedicated staff, has been successful in ensuring that the day-to-day management of the school is effective and that the school continues to move forward to meet its targets.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors support the school well and are effective in holding the school to account for the quality of education that it provides.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes good use of assessment data to plan further improvements in teaching. The quality of the pupils’ work is regularly evaluated to ensure that they are making appropriate progress.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of resources and is careful to ensure that funds are carefully spent.

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Aspect Comment

There are a good number of staff to ensure that the National Curriculum can be taught, and the quality of the accommodation and learning resources to support learning is good. The school has yet to develop procedures to enable it to compare its own expenditure with schools of a similar type.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The progress many of their children make. • The pupils’ behaviour and how all pupils are treated with care and respect. • The new suite of computers. • Provision for special educational needs. • How the school promotes in pupils a strong sense of pride in their day-to-day work. • The links between the school and the local community to support pupils’ learning. • The range of extra-curricular activities provided for their children.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors fully support the high regard that many parents have for the school. Inspection evidence suggests that the school does provide pupils with a broad range of learning opportunities after school and inspectors do not support parents on this issue. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 10

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

1. The pupils’ attainment in reading and writing at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2001, on the evidence of the National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments was above the national average. In mathematics, pupils reached standards that were well above the national average. By the end of Key Stage 2, at the point when pupils leave the school, pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in science, based on the test results for 2001, placed the school in the top five per cent of schools nationally. For the past four years, standards in English and mathematics have been consistently well above the national average. The very high standards that pupils reach fully reflect the school’s commitment to high achievement and to their belief that all pupils have the capacity to achieve to the best of their ability.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

2. The inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above the average at the end of Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 1, the school has been very aware of the slight fall in attainment in reading and writing over the past two years based on National Curriculum tests. This has been attributable to the large turnover of teaching staff at Key Stage 1 and the changing nature of the intake of pupils at the school. The school’s very good procedures, for early identification of pupils who have special educational needs, have revealed more pupils entering the school with such needs than in the past. In addition, the deployment of an experienced teacher from Key Stage 2 into Year 2 has helped to raise expectations of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. Early indications are that measures such as these, as well as the increased attention that the school has paid to promoting

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

reading and writing at Key Stage 1, is starting to improve standards. Inspection findings are that pupils reach above average standards in reading and writing and well above the average in mathematics.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

3. The school places great emphasis on developing and applying language and number skills. At the Foundation Stage, children are encouraged to pick up and explore books. By the end of Year 2, many pupils read confidently and with good levels of expression. They have a widening range of the sort of authors that they like to read and are able to express opinions on why they like one author over another. Pupils make good progress in their reading as they move through each of the classes in Key Stage 1. The careful attention that teachers pay to widen pupils’ reading repertoires through exploring poetry and non-fiction materials adds significantly to pupils’ learning. Pupils continue to make good progress in the development of their reading skills as they move through Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 6, they have a good knowledge of the works of classic authors such as Lewis Carroll and JRR Tolkien as well as

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

more contemporary authors. The good attention that teachers pay to developing pupils’ research skills effectively ensures that pupils understand and confidently use their skills such as skimming and scanning books to retrieve the information they need to support their learning. Across the school, the guided reading aspect of the literacy hour has been removed from the literacy sessions. During each day, one small group of pupils works with the teacher on one feature of the reading process while the rest of the class works quietly on other literacy-based activities. This is proving useful in raising attainment and giving teachers a close understanding of the precise position of pupils in their reading development. Pupils’ learning in reading is considerably enhanced by the good support many of them receive from their parents at home. The home-to-school reading diary gives parents a clear idea of the

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

books that their children are reading and many take the time at night to read to their children and add comments of their own in the diaries. This adds to the status that reading holds in the school and contributes well to the strong links the school has with parents.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

4. The school has made writing a strong focus for development over the past two years. At the Foundation Stage, children are taught well to develop their early writing skills. They are taught well to form letters correctly and from this they are given worthwhile activities that help them to take this understanding on to forming words and simple statements. Key Stage 1 pupils make good progress in the development of their writing skills. By the end of Year 2, many pupils use joined up writing and are able to construct an imaginative story that shows increasing development of characterisation and a plot that has a beginning, Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 11 middle and an end. Pupils understand the need to use interesting vocabulary to hold the interest and attention of the reader. Good opportunities are taken through other subjects for pupils to develop their skills and confidence in writing. By the end of Year 6, the quality and breadth that the pupils

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

demonstrate in their writing is often very good. Teachers place due emphasis of letting pupils draft ideas and redraft their work and this is effective in developing their understanding that writing is a process, requiring various stages before a final draft is created. The pupils’ work often shows that they have taken the time to cross out words and add new expressions and ideas to give their final work added impact. Teachers place great emphasis on the need for pupils to spell correctly, and many classrooms have dictionaries and thesauruses to help them to develop their vocabularies. In addition, spelling tasks often form the basis of homework tasks and this further contributes to the high standards in spelling. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a very well-developed understanding that writing is for different purposes and readers. Many pupils enjoy their writing tasks, spurred on by the high expectations of teachers who

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

often inspire the pupils to produce work that is of high quality.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

5. In mathematics, most pupils demonstrate good skills in solving problems that require them to use their mental agility and mathematical knowledge. In the Foundation Stage, the children’s understanding of adding and taking away is developed well, and they learn the importance that number plays in their lives by taking part in imaginative role-play activities that involve them ‘buying’ goods in a make-believe shop. By the ages of seven and 11, pupils have a very good knowledge and understanding of number for their age. They enjoy solving problems that require them to use their perception of the four rules of number and older pupils are often fascinated by the pattern and relationships that are evident between sequences of number. As they move through the school, pupils make good progress in their understanding of how mathematical information can be presented in the form of tables and charts and in

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

science, for example, pupils are encouraged to use line graphs and bar charts as a means of recording and evaluating their scientific investigations. The school is making increased use of its newly created suite of computers to support pupils’ mathematical learning; the twice weekly access many pupils have to this is, for example, enabling them to use spreadsheets as a way to collect, interpret and make deductions from a range of mathematical data. Many teachers often devise creative ways of collecting, interpreting and making deductions support the development of pupils’ numeracy skills. In design and technology work, for example, pupils are often given opportunities to estimate and measure in preparation for their model making. Such work increases the pupils’ understanding of how mathematics is an important part of their everyday learning.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

6. In science, by the end of both key stages, pupils reach standards that are well above the average. Pupils are given sufficient opportunities to develop their learning of scientific ideas and concepts through investigation. The scientific topics and themes that pupils are to learn are planned well by teachers and allow the pupils time to explore ideas over a time line, enabling them to have a good breadth and experience in learning new scientific ideas and vocabulary. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of what features help to make a ‘fair test’. As they move through Key Stage 2, pupils are able to consider a range of evidence in coming to conclusions and make increasing use of drawings, tables and bar charts in order to present their results. Most pupils are able to select and use appropriate instruments to measure quantities such as volume or temperature. The good progress that

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

many pupils at both key stages make in their learning is considerably enhanced by the pupils’ own excellent attitudes to learning and their genuine curiosity about the world around them. The pupils’ ability to learn and remember new knowledge also aids their learning as does the very good literacy skills that many pupils have acquired. This enables them to think their ideas through, make notes and comparisons and dispense with information that is not relevant to their scientific work.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

7. Since the last inspection, the school has been very successful in raising standards and the level of pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science. The school’s care in introducing the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies into the school’s day-to-day teaching programme has contributed well to the rising attainment at the end of Key Stage 2. This has occurred at a faster rate than that seen nationally. Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress as they move through each of the classes. Higher-attaining pupils are challenged well and pupils with special educational needs are given sensitive and thoughtful support, enabling them to make good progress towards the targets set for them in their individual education plans. There is no difference in the attainment of the boys and girls, and pupils with English as an additional language make good progress in the development of their English skills.

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Pupils reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of

Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 12

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

8. The pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They work very effectively with one another in lessons and this helps to promote very good standards of behaviour both in classrooms and around the school. Pupils are very keen to learn and in many lessons show appropriate sensitivity to those with special educational needs or those pupils who are not as confident in speaking aloud to a wider group. They work hard in lessons. They respond well to their teachers’ high expectations and produce work that is neat and methodical. The pupils are polite and courteous and treat one another with respect. There is a high level of racial harmony at the school.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

9. One of the features of the school’s provision that contributes to the purposeful work ethic of many pupils is the very good provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. In many classes, teachers plan carefully to ensure that the subjects of the curriculum make a contribution to pupils’ personal development. All classrooms have attractively organised quiet areas where pupils are gathered for moments of quiet reflection. The pupils explore how different artists use a range of media in creating works of art and they are given good opportunities to listen to and write poetry. Such provision makes a very valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

10. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to learn and become effective members of a wider social group. Year 6 pupils organise visits to school for the elderly in the parish and all pupils are provided with a good range of opportunities to collect funds for charities and people less fortunate than themselves. As pupils grow older, they are entrusted with a widening range of responsibilities which they take on with eager anticipation and fulfil well. The adults provide pupils with a strong moral code in respect of behaviour and this successfully fosters the pupils’ understanding of right and wrong and how their actions can impact on the day-to-day wellbeing of others. Subjects such as geography support the pupils’ understanding of moral issues. Older pupils, for example, are encouraged to express their views about the ethical implications for deforestation on the world’s climate. Equally very good is the planning

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

that is undertaken to develop the pupils’ understanding of culture. In Year 6, pupils are given good opportunities to explore at their own level, Shakespeare’s Macbeth as part of their English work. In history, pupils in all classes have created large banners depicting famous landmarks in Britain’s history, such as the Fire of London, as part of their learning of significant events from the last millennium. Pupils are given good opportunities to explore art and music from other countries, and geography is planned well to ensure that pupils further develop their understanding of other cultures. Pupils respond with interest in and curiosity about the work that they are asked to explore and this very good provision contributes distinctly to their personal development.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

There is much creative teaching across the school, particularly of literacy.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

11. During the inspection, the quality of teaching was good, very good or excellent in over seventy per cent of lessons. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and the high level of good or better teaching that pupils receive contributes significantly to their high levels of achievement and the good progress that pupils of all abilities make.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

12. The teachers are hard-working and the culture is that all pupils, regardless of their ability, have the potential to achieve. Teachers plan lessons carefully, so that the work and activities reflect the ability span of pupils in classes. Careful consideration is given by teachers to enabling higher-attaining pupils to work at a level matching their ability, and all pupils respond well to the high expectations teachers have of them. Teachers strongly encourage pupils to work with care and to produce well-presented pieces of work. Lessons often commence with a crisp and effective introduction, with teachers exploring and reviewing the pupils’ prior learning. Explanations to pupils are clear and leave pupils in no doubt about what is expected of them. Time is used well and in many lessons teachers give to pupils intermittent reminders of the time they have left to complete the work set. This acts as a spur to pupils.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

Teachers often set aside time at the end of a lesson to gather the pupils together to check with them Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 13 what they have learned, enjoyed or may have found difficult. This enables teachers to gain the understanding of the extent of pupils’ learning upon which they can base teaching in subsequent lessons.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

13. The teaching of children at the Foundation Stage is good, enabling them to make good progress in their first few terms of full-time education. Emphasis is placed on developing the children’s early communication and number skills. The creative use of structured play to explore new ideas and concepts makes a significant contribution to the children’s personal, social and emotional development. Effective use is made of the outdoor play area established since the previous inspection. Parents are strongly encouraged to take part in early literacy and numeracy activities such as reading. Many parents do so and this has a strong impact on the children’s learning. The warm and sensitive management of the children contributes to the good relationships between the teacher, nursery nurse and children as well as effectively ensuring that the children are well settled into the school and well prepared for learning of the National Curriculum when they enter Year 1.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

14. At Key Stages 1 and 2, much emphasis is given to the teaching of English and mathematics. In some classes, teachers plan interesting ways to develop pupils’ number skills through other subjects. In Key Stage 2, for example, pupils have had to devise an Ancient Egyptian board game following a study of the Ancient Egyptians in history. Pupils produced high-quality work that was also successful in enhancing their skills in design and technology as they explored different criteria that often underpin different board games.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

15. The teaching of literacy is both very creative and effective in many classes. The teachers have a good understanding of the literacy strategy and plan literacy sessions very well. Many classrooms have bright and attractive book areas that pupils find stimulating. On many classroom walls, the teachers have placed captions, posters and various hints and tips about language, serving as a useful reminder to pupils in the course of their day-to-day writing. Pupils are given regular opportunities to practise their handwriting skills. In many classes, the learning of different vocabulary is a regular feature of the pupils’ homework activities.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

16. As well as firmly establishing the National Literacy Strategy in the school’s day-to-day teaching programme, the school has also devised motivating and imaginative ways to develop the pupils’ literacy skills through other subjects. Year 1 pupils are given opportunities to write about spiders as part of their science work on living things. This work is then successfully reinforced as pupils write simple poems on spiders as a result of exploring the poetry of John Agard. In Year 2, pupils are given scope to write in role as Barnaby Bear when drafting postcards from the countries they visit on holiday as part of geography work.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

17. Such work is well extended as pupils move through Key Stage 2. For example, pupils are given good opportunities to develop their literacy skills by exploring information on the Vikings in the lower part of the key stage. Older pupils are given opportunities to write detailed accounts and explanations of the attributes of a river as part of their geography theme on rivers, or to develop their research skills by reading about, making notes and then writing a short précis about brave and famous people such as Nelson Mandela or Mary Seacole and the reasons for their reputation. In Year 6 as part of their history work, the pupils were given the task of constructing an information book about the Tudors. This involved their researching information both in school and in their own time about the Tudors, planning how their book might look, devising a contents page and ensuring that the subsequent pages followed this. Their

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

resulting work was detailed, well written and informative. Other subjects also contribute significantly to the pupils’ literacy development. Teachers effectively ensure that science, design and technology and art and design lessons offer such opportunities. Pupils make notes of science observations and use these as a basis for making a final draft of their science investigations. They write explanations of using a board game that they have constructed in design and technology and in art and design, discuss and write about how a piece of art work made them feel. The resourceful way in which teachers plan such learning activities adds greatly to pupils’ understanding of how the skills of reading and writing can be used to reinforce one another, are often inter-related and are used to extend their knowledge, insight and skills in other subjects. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 14 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

18. The school is committed to supporting pupils with special educational needs, and the quality of care that the pupils are given is effective in ensuring that they play a full part in the day-to-day life of the school. Pupils with a high level of need are very well supported and are very well cared for on a day-to-day basis. As a result, they make good progress.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

19. The adults who support the pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of their personal and academic needs. The teachers plan carefully to ensure that the pupils take on work that is closely matched to their individual needs and reflects the targets in the pupils’ individual education plans. These plans are of very good quality and contain targets and tasks that are regularly reviewed in light of the pupils’ progress. Where pupils are withdrawn for additional support the work that they undertake is often linked to that of their classmates. Pupils who have a learning or behavioural need are identified early by teachers and a careful watch is kept on their progress. To support the process of support and guidance for the pupils, their parents are kept fully informed and are involved appropriately in reviews of their children’s progress. Parents, justifiably, feel that they are viewed very much as a partner in supporting

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

their children’s progress and the close and visible co-operation evident between home and school contributes significantly to the progress that many of the pupils make.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

20. The governors allocate additional resources from the school’s own budget to ensure that provision in classrooms is good. Staffing levels to support pupils is good and many pupils receive either one-to-one guidance or support in smaller groups. There is very good management of arrangements for pupils with special educational needs. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is aware of the new arrangements expected of schools in relation to the management of provision and much documentation currently in place reflects the new guidance given to schools. She keeps her colleagues regularly informed of new developments and liaises closely with the governor who has the responsibility to oversee provision. This enables the governors to gain a clear overview of provision and the appropriate information upon which to make decisions on the degree of support they feel they are able to offer.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

Good leadership and management contribute effectively to the school’s success.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

21. The governors are in the process of making an appointment to the position of headteacher at the school. Presently, this position is being carried out in a temporary capacity by the deputy headteacher of the school. To support her in this role, the governors appointed two staff to act as temporary deputy headteachers. The acting head provides the school with good leadership and ably combines her current dual role as a teacher and acting headteacher. Parents speak warmly and appreciatively of the work she has undertaken since taking up her current role. She is ably supported by the two acting deputy headteachers and between them they have worked closely with all staff to ensure that the school continues to run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. In addition, they have continued to give a firm steer to the educational direction of the school and to secure further improvements in the quality of education

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

provided for pupils. The school has a very positive ethos and this is very much evident in the high achievement of the pupils and in the high quality of care and concern that all staff demonstrate for pupils. The school has made very good progress since its first inspection. The key issues have been effectively tackled and further enhancements to the quality of the pupils’ learning environment have been made by the creation of a high quality information and communication technology suite and an equally high- quality quiet area that is highly valued and respected by the pupils.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

22. The staff of the school form an effective team who work well together to ensure that the school’s aims are fully realised. Procedures are in place to ensure that the quality of teaching and the rate of pupils’ progress are regularly evaluated. The teachers’ planning and pupils’ work are regularly analysed and the information gained is used to plan further improvements. Co-ordinators provide a good lead in their subjects of responsibility and the budgets that they are given to fund initiatives are carefully and appropriately spent. This ensures that pupils have sufficient resources to support their learning. The staff, in close consultation with the governors, set targets for improvement in National Curriculum tests and these are regularly evaluated to monitor progress. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 15 23. The governors are fully involved in many aspects of school life and have a good understanding of the

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

school’s strengths and where improvements have yet to be made. They have given the acting head and staff good support in the absence of a permanent headteacher. For example, the acting head has benefited from the governors’ experience and advice in setting and monitoring the school budget. Many of the governors have given freely of their time in helping to plan and establish the school’s new information and communication technology suite. This has included their making various bids for grants to enable the suite to be built. Funds from the parents and governors have been used wisely to support this and other development of the school. Governors are effective in fulfilling their legal responsibilities and work closely with the parents and the wider community of the school so that they too are encouraged to play a full and active part in school life.

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good, reflecting the very good provision made by the school for the pupils’ spiritual,

24. The school has a well-devised action plan that provides a clear rationale for the school’s continued improvement. This successfully outlines developments over an agreed timeline and is firmly rooted in improving standards. Initiatives are carefully costed and overseen. The plan forms much of governors’ discussions at committee meetings and is a constructive tool for improvement. Systems for financial management are secure. Governors ensure that the principle of best value for planned expenditure is applied, although they have yet to develop effective ways to compare the school’s expenditure patterns with similar-sized schools as a means of evaluating more closely the standards that pupils reach.

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The marking of the pupils’ work gives insufficient guidance on how they might

25. Teachers carry out regular assessments of the progress that pupils make and use this information to monitor and track their progress from class to class. The school has a marking policy that is about to be reviewed. There is, however, a degree of inconsistency in how teachers mark pupils’ work. In some classes, the written response by teachers consists of no more than a tick and there are times when some work is not marked at all. In other cases, the written comments that are made on pupils’ work are excessive and can leave the pupils almost confused and perplexed as to what exactly they have to do in order to raise their standards. In general, comments in books are confined to praise or correction and pupils are only rarely involved in the process of assessing their own work.

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Insufficient use is made of classroom-based computers to support the pupils’

26. Over the past two years, the school has worked hard to create a purpose-built, attractive and well- resourced computer suite to support pupils’ learning. Although this resource has only recently been finished, inspection evidence strongly indicates it is being used well by teachers to support pupils’ learning. All classes now have, for example, regular sessions in the suite where specific teaching of skills is undertaken. There are, however, occasions in class-based lessons where computers are not used sufficiently to support and extend pupils’ work in other subjects. During the inspection there were a large number of instances where computers were left idle, and this led to some missed opportunities for extending and broadening the pupils’ learning.

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Insufficient use is made of classroom-based computers to support the pupils’

27. The teachers’ daily and weekly lesson plans for ICT do indicate the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils could develop if computers were used more frequently in day-to-day lessons. Evaluation of pupils’ work strongly indicates that pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to use computers to draft, amend and re-edit their work or for producing charts and diagrams, although the school does encourage pupils to use the computers that some have at home to enhance their project work. The school is very aware of the current weakness and has plans in place to tackle it.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 16

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staff and governors should:

• redrafting and implementing a new policy for marking that highlights clearly the school’s approach to responding to pupils’ work • involving pupils more closely in the marking of their work so that they know what is expected of them in order to improve;

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their learning by:

• ensuring that teachers’ day-to-day plans are consistent in highlighting the knowledge, skills and understanding that the pupils are to develop during lessons • ensuring that regular opportunities are provided for pupils to use computers in subject lessons.

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their learning by:

(paragraphs 26, 27) Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. When the total number is substantially less than 100,care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 209

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 46

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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 9

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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 8

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Attendance

School data 4.8 School data 0 Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 18 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 19

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 10 18 28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 9 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (93) 96 (100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (93) 93 (96) 93 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 22 10 32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 20 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (81) 97 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 19 19 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (81) 91 (81) 97 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 21 Black – African heritage - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 17 Other minority ethnic groups - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.4 Financial year 2000/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21:1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 695 974

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 732 079

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 157.25 Expenditure per pupil 3 502

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 103 071

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 66 966*

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Teachers and classes Financial information

(*The high carry forward figure is to be used to support further re-development of the school building)

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 59 38 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 40 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 40 12 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 40 6 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 12 4 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 29 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 47 47 4 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 57 38 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 30 1 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 32 24 5 9

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