St Edmund's Catholic Primary School

St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School

Dates of inspection: 20 - 21 November 2000

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St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Edmund's Roman Catholic Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, Infant and Junior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Windrows New Church Farm Skelmersdale Lancashire

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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 F Hopkins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 - 14 June 1996 St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 4

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Team members

Mr G W Cooper (Ofsted No.23647) Registered inspector

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Team members

Mrs N Walker (Ofsted No.19443) Lay inspector

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Team members

Mrs J Fisher (Ofsted No.19709) Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Limited Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Edmund’s School is a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. Twenty two children attend the nursery part time. With 141 pupils in full-time attendance, the school is smaller than most of its type. Eighty boys and 61 girls attend full-time. Almost all pupils are of a white British ethnic background. No pupils are identified as learning English as an additional language. About 36% of pupils are entitled to a free school meal, higher than most schools nationally. Twenty-two pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, about average for schools in England. Of these pupils, six have a statement of special educational needs. This is above average for schools of this type. On full-time entry to school, assessment indicates that many have not acquired the skills and experiences of most children of the same age. Attainment on entry is below average. Parents were insistent that the school has managed the time following a recent fire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

very well. Both learning and care of pupils have been maintained under very difficult circumstances.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Standards are in line with the standard expected of pupils nationally, but well above the average for schools in similar contexts. Teaching is good. It is particularly good for pupils in their final year at the school. Leadership and management of the headteacher, key staff and the governing body are very good. It is an effective school providing good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and very good when compared with those of similar schools. • Leadership and management are very good and well supported by a vigorous partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of the school, governing body, parents and pupils. • Teaching is good throughout the school and this ensures good progress in pupils’ learning. • The school’s provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good, resulting in positive attitudes and values in their personal development. • Parents have a very high regard for the school; their confidence is reflected in the school’s very good procedures for child protection and welfare. • The school is conscious of its continuing need to improve and very good improvement has been made since the previous inspection.

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What could be improved

• Annual reports on pupils’ progress do not reflect best practice • There is a need to provide training in child protection issues for school meals supervisors. • As part of its monitoring strategies the school should devise a simple and manageable system for the regular scrutiny of pupils’ work. • The school knows that it needs to modify the way it plans for children under six. • Within the good provision for social development, the school should be more aware of the need to promote independence. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in June, 1996. Since then it has made very good improvement. All the key issues for action have been successfully addressed. The quality of teaching is better. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during this inspection. Planning for the continuous progress of pupils through the curriculum is better. The school has been supported in this by its implementation of national strategies for literacy and numeracy and by careful use of national guidance from the qualifications and curriculum authority. Efficient use is made of school performance data gained from the assessment of pupils’ attainment to plan for their future progress. A good school development plan is very sharply focused on the most pressing priorities for the school. This is now enhanced by a suitable policy for performance management, which supports the management structure developed by the school. The pastoral care of pupils has great priority. This provision has been successfully

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 7 maintained. Other improvements include a steady rise in standards when measured by the results of National Curriculum tests. Since the previous inspection, the nursery has been established and this is a considerable influence in getting children off to a good start in their education. Within its management of finance, the school has been able to provide a greater range of classroom support. Provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils has improved.

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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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Key

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

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Key

Although there have been occasions over the past four years when standards have slipped below those expected nationally, standards for seven year olds and eleven year olds are generally at the level expected nationally and sometimes better than that. When compared with standards for similar schools, St Edmund’s compares very favourably. Results are well above average for schools in similar contexts. There is a trend for girls to perform rather better than boys, which is in line with the national trend. However, the differences are not great and this is something that the school monitors. The school does well to challenge higher attaining pupils and this is particularly reflected in its mathematics results. However, less able pupils do not do so well in mathematics. The school sets targets for eleven-year-olds that are realistic when prior attainment is taken into account. The year 2000 targets were narrowly missed. Pupils are on course to meet the targets set for 2001. The work

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Key

seen suggests good progress in the acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding through the school. Although there is progress in all year groups, that progress is less marked in Years 3, 4 and 5 and most marked in Year 6. Given the context of the school, where pupils enter with below average standards, attainment is sufficiently high and much better than might be expected for similar schools.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are positive about their school life. This confirms the view held by parents.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Most pupils are very well behaved. A small minority present difficult behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. There is confidence in relationships. Older pupils, particularly, are mature in their acceptance of responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Most pupils attend school with regularity. A small minority does not attend well and this is an area of concern for the school.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils achieve good standards in the personal and social part of their school life. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 8

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

Lessons seen overall Good Good 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

This is an area of improvement for the school. Of the 20 lessons seen, six (30%) were very good and another 12 (60%) were good. Two lessons (10%) were satisfactory. No lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory. Very good teaching was seen in Years 2, 5 and 6. There is particularly strong teaching for eleven-year-olds. The school has implemented the national strategies for literacy and numeracy well. As a result, English and mathematics are taught well. Teachers are confident in their approach to these areas of the curriculum. There is effective provision for pupils who have difficulty with their learning. Teachers challenge the learning of more able pupils well. The best teaching in the school provides brisk lessons with enthusiastic teaching and learning. All teachers have good subject knowledge. Classroom control and management of pupils are good, although in a number of lessons some restless pupils slow down the progress of the class. Among the teaching seen was the work of

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

student teachers. It is clear that these students are getting good support from the school as they learn their profession. Pupils make good progress in learning the skills of English and mathematics. They are enthusiastic about their work and most concentrate for long periods of time. Pupils almost always listen well to the teacher and to other pupils. Children in the nursery begin to show a good sense of curiosity and interest in the learning opportunities presented to them.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school provides the full range of curricular experiences expected by the National Curriculum and by the diocesan curriculum for religious education.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The school’s approach to the Code of Practice is thorough and systematic. There is good classroom support for these pupils to ensure that they receive their full entitlement to the National Curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no pupils with English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. This is an area of school improvement. What the school values most is clear in its provision. It is successful in promoting its values.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. This continues to be an area of high priority for the school. It meets its aims very successfully in its provision.

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Aspect Comment

Partnership with parents Very good. This, too, is an important priority for the school. Parents have great confidence in the school and express great appreciation for its work. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The school accrues great benefit from the way it is led. The vision of the headteacher and staff is well expressed in the standards and provision of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Very good. Governors are well informed and share the school’s commitment to high values and good standards.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school makes good use of performance data and the results of monitoring of teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Finance is well managed. Specific grant has been well targeted on important school developments

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Aspect Comment

The school recognises the need to apply the principles of best value. It does a great deal to challenge its standards and provision, to compare itself with others and to consult internally and externally with parents and outside agencies.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That the school is well led and managed; they are particularly pleased about the way the school has maintained continuity of education following a major fire; • that their children make good progress and behave well; • that teaching is good and they can discuss concerns and make suggestions freely to staff; • that the school has high expectations of their children and that it helps children become mature and sensible in their personal development. A very small minority of parents think: • that children do not get enough homework; • that they should be better informed about their child’s progress; • that more provision could be made for out- of-school hours activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team fully endorses the very positive views of parents. Parents are well aware of the strengths of the school. Before the inspection parents said that the school had managed the turbulent period following the destruction of much of the building very well. The inspection team agrees with this view. On balance, the inspection team believes that children get sufficient homework. There is a strong home and school partnership through reading. Pupils get other forms of homework, which complement the work in the classroom. The school provides the usual range of formal meetings with parents to discuss progress. These meetings support the statutory annual written report to parents. This should be sufficient to give most parents the information and support they need. Beyond this the school welcomes informal opportunities to discuss progress with parents at any time. There is a good level of activities out of school hours, especially in sport. Most of this provision is for the older pupils

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

in the school but this is normal in schools of this type. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 10

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

very good when compared with those of similar schools.

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

1. When children enter full time education at St. Edmund’s, assessment of their knowledge, skills and understanding establishes that their attainment is below that of children of similar age. By the time they are eleven, pupils have made good progress and their attainment is in line with the standards expected nationally in English, mathematics and science. When standards at St. Edmund’s are compared with standards of similar schools nationally, pupils achieve results that are well above average. This is the evidence of the 1999 National Curriculum tests and is confirmed by the evidence of the inspection.

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

2. Children in the nursery and reception class make good gains against the expectations of the early learning goals. They settle quickly in the nursery and begin to relate well to the teacher and other children. Many children concentrate for long periods at a time. They have good opportunities for communicating through speech, early reading skills and through mark making which will develop into writing skills. Some have delayed language acquisition and need a great deal of support from the teacher and nursery nurse to develop these communication skills. Others have very mature skills and are confident in talking to a visitor, for example, when giving an invitation to Jessica’s party and offering a party hat to wear. Children play number games and sing number songs that help to establish an understanding of ‘how many’ and ‘what place’. For example, they learn to count on, through daily registration, and back, through the

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

song ‘Ten Green Bottles’. Cutting and pasting helps them begin to understand materials and to develop fine finger and hand movement. They particularly enjoy playing in the new sand tray. Nursery children have daily opportunities for outdoor play to develop their muscles and reception children use the large apparatus in the hall frequently through the week. While they are working on their different tasks children listen to music. Reception children enjoy the new sensation of shaping clay and making simple candleholders. Others enjoy using a range of bright, strong colours to paint patterns on their birthday invitations. These pupils define ‘pattern’ with a good sense of language use and good understanding of the idea. Through these and many other activities children begin to acquire and sometimes exceed the early learning goals for children of their age.

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

3. The progress made in nursery and reception classes is maintained as pupils enter National Curriculum programmes of study. In literacy lessons, pupils develop a range of strategies to help their reading. Many read with expression and understanding. They write for a range of purposes and practise sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. In numeracy, pupils get good practice in recalling number facts. They are challenged in quite complex concepts, such as estimation, to review what they call ‘thinking guesses’ in the light of further information. In a lesson where they learned to use all the data collected from the class in a table and to analyse the data, they were kept motivated towards success by using real chocolate drops. The incentive was used over a series of lessons called ‘Eat Your Maths’, until all the data was collected, tabulated and successfully analysed, at which stage they received the reward of

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

eating the chocolate drops. Pupils receive plenty of practice to reinforce their understanding across the mathematics curriculum, although sometimes tasks in workbooks are not completed. However, by the time they are seven, pupils have attained standards which are in line with the standard expected nationally in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science.

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

4. Pupils continue to make progress in their last four years in the school. By the time they are eleven they have attained standards which are in line with the standard expected for their age. In some aspects of their work, standards are better than average. The progress they make intensifies in their final year at the school. In English, pupils are enthusiastic contributors to discussion and debate. Many make their points clearly and convincingly. Pupils read well. They have good word recognition skills and most read with expressive voices. However, a significant number of the older pupils heard reading have little understanding of the way a St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 11 library is arranged. This is a barrier to their ability to use a library for personal research. They use their writing skills to convey their understanding in science, history, geography and religious education. Some pupils write powerful poetry. For example, illustrating a point about

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

personification in writing, one pupil wrote in a poem, ‘The empty pen snored idly as it awaited the gorged ink cartridge’. It is disappointing that able pupils with strongly expressed ideas do not then write in paragraphs. In mathematics, pupils have good recall of number facts. Year 6 pupils had no difficulty in explaining how to multiply and divide whole number and decimal numbers by ten and 100. They have a range of strategies for doing these calculations. In the work seen, some of these eleven-year-olds are being challenged to a standard expected of a thirteen or fourteen year old. Although it is unlikely that these pupils will reach that standard, they will achieve a standard above or well above that expected for their age. There is evidence that pupils use their numeracy skills to support the work they do in science and in geography. In science, pupils rise to the challenge of solving problems with circuits. They use their

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Standards of attainment are in line with the standard expected nationally and

knowledge of a simple circuit with one bulb and battery to create a range of circuits – with a combination of two bulbs, two batteries, limited amounts of wire and connectors and other components such as switches. They explain what the effect will be of bulbs and batteries in different arrangements, and whether a circuit will be viable or not.

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

the school, governing body, parents and pupils.

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

5. The leadership of the school is very good. It begins with a sense of vision that promotes high standards in the work pupils do and high standards of behaviour. This is enshrined in the school’s mission statement that provides clear guidance on what the school values most. Beyond the sense of vision, there is purposeful and systematic management. The school works smoothly on a day to day basis. Office staff, caretaking staff and school meals staff play a full part in the life and work of the school. There is a very precisely targeted school development plan. It has very few priorities but they are exactly those most likely to raise standards of attainment. Teachers have a significant role not only in managing their own classroom and pupils but also in supervising planning and resourcing in their area of curriculum responsibility. For example, since the catastrophic fire, teachers have identified what resources

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

are needed in different subjects to replace those destroyed. They have structured their approach to curriculum planning so that the most recent guidance from the Department for Education and Employment and from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has been woven into the school’s approach to planning. So far, few of them have had opportunities to see their subject being taught by others or to have others watch their lessons and this would give further valuable insights.

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

6. A valuable draft policy for performance management is to be considered by the governing body soon. This draws its direction from some very systematic observation of classroom practice by the head teacher and others in literacy and numeracy. As a result the school gains in strength from the effective evaluation and development of teaching. The performance management policy has the potential to be a very powerful management tool in overseeing the quality of teaching and in enabling the further professional development of members of staff. Governors know their school well. They are very well informed through their partnership with the headteacher and through their close contact with parents and the community. The governing body is careful in the exercise of its statutory responsibilities. They are very closely involved in the developmental planning process and in creating and monitoring the school budget. Money

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

given to the school for specific projects is well used. The school has carried forward a sum of money that is quite large although not excessive. Both the headteacher and governing body are clear about how that money is to be used on developments. One of the improvements identified by parents is the provision of additional adult help in the classroom. This has been a priority for headteacher and governing body. This is having a positive impact on the way pupils can be taught in smaller groups to raise attainment. The school has been careful to create realistic systems for management in order to control the possibility of bureaucratic overload.

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partnership of open relationships between and among the headteacher, staff of

7. The school is managed in a style that makes the partnership with parents one of high priority. This is clear, not only in what the school says it aspires towards, but also in everything which parents said, before and during the inspection. It is also characteristic of the school that pupils St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 12 are afforded great respect and dignity. Together, the headteacher, staff of the school, governors, pupils and parents form a strong working partnership.

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Teaching is good throughout the school and this ensures good progress in

8. Teaching is good. Twenty lessons or parts of lessons were seen across the school. Of these, all were at least satisfactory. Good or better teaching was seen in 90% of lessons and of these lessons 30% were very good. There was a very high proportion of very good teaching in Year 6; there was some very good teaching in the Year 1/2 class and in the Y4/5 class. Teaching and learning in Year 6 are characterised by enthusiasm and pace. There is a dynamic and positive relationship between the teacher and the pupils at all times. No time is wasted. Imaginative tasks are prepared which stimulate and challenge. There is great encouragement through praise. But, at the same time, the teacher is quick to get pupils to ‘have a go’ and not to be afraid of making mistakes. Some very good use is made of mistakes as a teaching and learning aid. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress because they are working in a

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Teaching is good throughout the school and this ensures good progress in

positive environment where the value of learning is the main incentive. This makes for good behaviour and little time needed for managing and controlling pupils. Teachers’ management of pupils is generally good throughout the school. Only in a minority of cases is behaviour a problem, where one or two pupils are not well settled and some occasionally call out when the teacher is talking. This slows the pace of the lesson and makes it more difficult for the teacher to get the content of the lesson over to pupils. However, this is not a common occurrence. Most pupils concentrate well on what the teacher has to say and on the jobs they have to do.

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Teaching is good throughout the school and this ensures good progress in

9. A common strength of teaching is the depth of teachers’ knowledge. They have good subject knowledge and use it well to promote pupils’ learning. They also have a very good knowledge of their pupils, of their strengths and weaknesses, of their needs and how they can best be supported. This, too, gives strength to pupils’ learning. Because teaching is good, pupils are confident in what they need to know. The sharing of lesson objectives with them by the teacher makes their learning meaningful. Where lessons are satisfactory rather than good, the pace is slower. Rarely, tasks are not well matched to pupils’ needs, for example, where all pupils of whatever ability and potential are expected to copy the teachers’ notes. Occasionally the teacher’s expectation of the way pupils present their work is not sufficiently high with a resulting loss of pupil’s pride in the finished product.

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Teaching is good throughout the school and this ensures good progress in

10. The school was sufficiently courageous to present, among its teaching, lessons taught by initial teacher training students from a local higher education college. These students were well prepared. They had good subject knowledge in the areas they taught. Some had a good grasp of how to manage lively and restless pupils. The quality of teaching seen with student teachers was always at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Student teachers at St. Edmund’s get good guidance and role modelling in their work experience.

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of pupils is good, resulting in positive attitudes and values in their personal

11. The school makes good provision for the personal development of pupils and this has a positive result in pupils’ behaviour and the way they go about their daily school life. The ethos of the school begins with the well-publicised phrase, ‘Consideration, Care and Courtesy’. It is to be found in the school brochure, on notices inside and outside the school and on much school documentation. That the school lives up to this is evident in the way adults handle themselves and promote pupils’ positive qualities. Pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem through opportunities in religious education and assembly to learn about themselves and the community of which they are a part. They learn respect for God, for self and for each other. Useful opportunities for reflection to encourage self-knowledge are found in pupils’ writing: not only in religious education but also in diaries, letters and other written tasks. There is positive

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of pupils is good, resulting in positive attitudes and values in their personal

and secure promotion of a moral code. Pupils clearly know how to distinguish right from wrong and have opportunities to discuss incidents to come to terms with wrong behaviour. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 13 12. The school gives pupils good opportunities to learn to live and grow together through social activities. Pupils are encouraged to listen to each other and to take turns. They work together in pairs, groups and teams. Teams compete within school and against other schools. Pupils raise money for charities, learning to be concerned about others less fortunate. Opportunities are provided for pupils to take responsibility. For younger pupils this is usually acting as monitors, taking registers to the office or giving out milk and resources. Older pupils take a very responsible part in supporting the organisation of packed lunches and in joining in circle games with younger pupils at break. Many pupils show a very real sense of personal

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of pupils is good, resulting in positive attitudes and values in their personal

responsibility in the way they complete their written tasks. There are ample opportunities for pupils to learn about their place in the local culture and in the world-wide community. Pupils visit places of interest as part of their work in history and geography. Studies in history and geography promote an understanding of past cultures and communities within the immediate and distant localities. Because the school has a visiting Australian teacher, it has taken the opportunity to celebrate Australia Day and to study aspects of Aboriginal art. The school communicates its Catholic culture and values well. There are opportunities to develop an appreciation of our multi-cultural society, through examining other faiths and cultures. One aspect of this was the recent visit of a group of African drummers.

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Parents have a very high regard for the school; their confidence is reflected in

the school’s very good procedures for child protection and welfare.

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Parents have a very high regard for the school; their confidence is reflected in

13. Although not many parents attended their pre-inspection meeting, their strength of feeling about the school was made very clear. The meeting was lively and spirited. Parents are enthusiastic and supportive of all that the school does. They exude confidence in the standards achieved by the school, in the teaching and learning, in the opportunities provided for pupils and in the way the school is led and managed. This strength of feeling is completely reflected in the results of the pre-inspection questionnaire, which a large proportion of parents completed. Although there were one or two areas of comment where a small minority of parents was not completely positive, the overall response was strongly supportive of the work of the school. Parents are right to be confident in the school. It takes the partnership between the home and the school and between the community and the school very seriously. One mark of that

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Parents have a very high regard for the school; their confidence is reflected in

commitment is the way in which the school cares for pupils. Very good procedures ensure the health, safety and general well-being of pupils. Policies are of good quality. What happens as a result of each policy is consistent and careful. Open and professional relationships within school ensure that exchange of information is efficient. The level of training in protection and welfare matters is good. However, there is need to train those supervising pupils at lunch-time.

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The school is conscious of its continuing need to improve; very good

improvement has been made since the previous inspection.

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The school is conscious of its continuing need to improve; very good

14. St. Edmund’s is a school continuously striving to get better. Since the previous inspection, it has been conscientious in resolving the key issues for action from that inspection. It was required to maintain the level of pastoral care and has been successful in doing so. Teaching in general has been improved, and the teaching of mathematics has improved as a result of good implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. The school has been alert to the support offered to the curriculum through the most recent national guidance. This has ensured that pupils make steady progress through each year of the school and from year to year. Assessment is becoming a powerful tool in planning for development. Good analysis of data is available so that the school can identify the value it adds in the progress of each pupil. This information is well used to plan for the next steps. However, more could be done to establish

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The school is conscious of its continuing need to improve; very good

realistic short-term targets for each pupil to be shared with pupils and parents. Good systems now exist for developmental planning and for the evaluation of teaching, learning and standards. Parents were quick to point out that in addition to successfully addressing the key issues of the previous inspection, the school has established its nursery. This gets children off to a good start in their education. The school has extended the provision of additional adults in the classroom. This is having a beneficial impact on standards attained. The school’s provision for personal development is an area that has improved although not identified as such in the previous report. Throughout all this improvement, standards of attainment have risen, generally in line with the national trend of improvement but consistently over the past four years. Very good improvement has been achieved since the previous inspection.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Annual reports on pupils’ progress do not reflect best practice.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

15. The school is conscious of the need to reflect best practice in all that it does. Reports to parents do not reflect best practice and this is not characteristic of the school. The best reports do three things: explain what areas of the curriculum have been covered in each subject of the curriculum, say how well the pupil has achieved within these areas and give an indication of what needs to be done next to make further improvement. Although parents were happy with reports, St. Edmund’s reports are not consistent in covering the criteria. Some reports compare one pupil with another whereas each report should be about the individual pupil only. Some areas of the curriculum are insufficiently covered: for example, design and technology is reported along with information and communications technology. Each should be reported separately as each is a separate subject of the National Curriculum. The school is aware of

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

these shortcomings. Steps are already being taken to change things in time for the next round of reporting to parents. (KI AA)

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There is a need to provide training in child protection issues for school meals

16. The school has provided good training in child protection issues for all those working regularly in the classroom. School meals supervisors have a general working knowledge of what these procedures are. They have an understanding of what they should do under certain circumstances. They also have a great deal of experience and common-sense. They have had no formal training in the implications of child protection. Their knowledge and understanding should be widened to give them the range of information about procedures possessed by the other adults working with children in the school. (KI BB)

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As part of its monitoring strategies the school should devise a simple and

manageable system for the regular scrutiny of pupils’ work.

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As part of its monitoring strategies the school should devise a simple and

17. The standards achieved by the school are very good when compared with the standards achieved by similar schools. Pupils make good progress at a steady pace throughout their time in the school. However, scrutiny of pupils’ books shows that there are occasions when that progress dips a little. Also, a minority of pupils does not show enough pride in written tasks. Some of this may be related to what the teacher expects of pupils. At present, there is no simple and manageable system for the analysis of the work pupils do. Regular small sampling of pupils’ work across the age and ability range of the pupils and across the subjects of the curriculum will highlight areas of inconsistency. (KI CC)

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As part of its monitoring strategies the school should devise a simple and

The school knows that it needs to modify the way it plans for children under six.

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As part of its monitoring strategies the school should devise a simple and

18. Children in the nursery get off to a good start in their education. The progress they make is maintained in the reception class. The school plans well for the needs of these children. However, the school has yet to take full account of the most recent guidance for planning the work of the foundation stage for children in nursery and reception classes. Work continues to be planned against the ‘Desirable Learning Outcomes’ for children under five, rather than the ‘Stepping Stones’ of the Early Learning Goals for children under six. The school is aware of the need to modify its approach. As the school moves back into the building after the catastrophic fire, informal discussion is taking place about how the nursery class and reception class can work more closely together in planning for the continuous progress of children. This needs to be a priority as the school gets back to its normal rhythm and routine. (KI DD)

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Within the good provision for social development, the school needs to be more

aware of the need to promote independence. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 15 19. The school is very aware of the need to give pupils good support in their social development. One measure of this is the determination to provide the best for pupils. However, one danger of this determination is the possibility that the school does too much for pupils. One small example of this is the way children in the nursery were handed biscuits at snack time, rather than being allowed to choose for themselves. Similarly, in art and design and technology, opportunities need to be given for greater responsibility in making choices: between materials and media to be used. To further strengthen the provision for social development, the school should consider ways in which children and pupils can demonstrate independence. (KI EE)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

20. In their determination to improve standards and provision the headteacher, governing body and staff of the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reflect best practice in the way annual reports to parents are written; (KI AA)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• add specific training for lunch time supervisors to its very good provision for the care of pupils; (KI BB)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• devise a manageable system for the regular monitoring of pupils’ day to day work to add to the careful use of other performance data; (KI CC)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• develop the work of the foundation stage and in particular plan the curriculum for the under sixes in accordance with the early learning goals for these children (KI DD)

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and

• within its provision for social development, find ways to promote pupils’ independence (KI EE). St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 16

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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 Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 30 60 10 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 No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE) 152

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 54 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 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 22

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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

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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 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.9 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. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 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 7 11 18

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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 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (73) 94 (74) 78 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (77) 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 5 6 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 8 10

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 89 (74) 78 (96) 94 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (79) 86 (82) 87 (84)

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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 13 23

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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 6 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 74 (63) 70 (70) 78 (67) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 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 5 6 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 9 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 65 (63) 65 (70) 70 (67) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table gives the number of exclusions, 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) 7.0 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 301 441

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 2 250

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 81.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 9 624

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 20 122

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 11

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 5.5 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 63 33 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 32 4 0 2 My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 30 11 2 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

The teaching is good. 86 12 0 0 2 I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 72 14 11 2 2 I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 88 9 2 0 2 The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 88 9 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 72 21 5 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 86 12 0 0 2 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 72 25 0 0 4 The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 63 25 4 2 7

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Other issues raised by parents

There were no other issues raised by parents at their meeting with the inspectors. Through comments on the questionnaire parents raised one or two individual matters. These have been discussed with the school and action will be taken where necessary.

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