St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: David Welsh (OFSTED No: 10992)

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 - 28 November 2000

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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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 George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Woodcock Road Warminster Wiltshire

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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: Revd Sr Paula Langton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 11 – 14 November 1996 St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 4

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Team members

David Welsh (OFSTED No: 10992) Registered inspector

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Team members

Graham Ellis (OFSTED No: 19338) Lay inspector

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Team members

Ann Mason (OFSTED No: 20615) Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire 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 George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

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 16 - 19

St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St George’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School is situated in the town of Warminster in the County of Wiltshire. There are 209 pupils who attend full-time. The school is slightly larger than at the last inspection and almost full. Its admission number is 30 and it is regularly oversubscribed. Pupils are usually admitted to the school in the autumn term after their fourth birthday. Although most pupils live in Warminster many come from surrounding villages. Many pupils [approximately 25 per cent] join and leave the school other than at the normal times of September and July and this causes some difficulty in projecting targets for the school’s future performance as cohorts differ significantly from year to year. Nearly all pupils are of European origin and English is their main language. Cantonese is the main language for the very few pupils who learn English as an additional language. The proportion of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils on the special needs register, including those with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, is close to the national average. Assessment on entry shows that the general attainment of the pupils is average, overall, and reflects the full ability range. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is small and well below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many very good features. The school has continued to improve since the last inspection. Strong leadership and good teaching ensure a positive ethos in which most pupils make at least satisfactory progress in their learning. Pupils at the age of 11 usually achieve standards that are at least in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science and sometimes higher. Pupils’ attitudes to work and their sense of responsibility are very good. Taking into account the very high levels of income per pupil the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards of reading, writing and mental arithmetic are well above average. • In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and standards in swimming are high. • The pupils’ attitudes, relationships and personal development are very good. • Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is very good. • The school promotes the pupils’ moral and social development very well. • The headteacher, with the support of staff and governors, creates an ethos that strongly supports learning and personal development . • The procedures for integrating new pupils are very good.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology [identified by the school]. • The effectiveness of the governing body as a critical friend and its procedures for monitoring aspects of the school’s work. • The use of information from tests to predict targets, to evaluate the school’s effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and skills in English, mathematics and science [identified by the school]. • The role of subject co-ordinators. • The allocation of time to subjects across the curriculum [identified by the school]. 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 November 1996 and since that time improvement has been good. Apart from 2000, when there were special factors, the school has maintained overall standards in English, mathematics and science in line with the national trend. All the action points from the last inspection have been tackled well and the capacity for improvement is good. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 7

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

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Key

From 1996 to 1999, the school’s overall performance in the national tests in English, mathematics and science for pupils aged 11 was above the national average and in line with the national trend. In 2000, the school’s results were considerably poorer with only the school’s performance in English in line with the national average. When compared with similar schools the results are much worse than in previous years with the performance in mathematics in the lowest 5 per cent. However, there were considerably more pupils with specific learning difficulties than usual in this cohort and a significant number of pupils were admitted and left the school in the three months leading up to the tests. The school’s records show that of the 13 pupils who attended the school for the whole of Key Stage 2, nearly all achieved the standards expected in English, mathematics and science. The school is setting itself challenging

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Key

targets for the tests in Year 6. These are based upon the pupils’ previous attainment in English, mathematics and science but the number of pupils who are admitted or who leave during the school year means they need constant revision if they are to remain realistic. Attainment in reading, writing and mental arithmetic is well above average. In music, standards in listening and performing are well above average. In swimming, standards are high. Attainment in other subjects is at least in line with standards expected of eleven year olds, except in information and communication technology where it is lower.

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Key

Standards at the end of the infant stage in reading, writing and mathematics are improving. In the national tests in 2000, the school’s performance was above the national average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. Standards in science were above average. In other subjects, standards are at least in line with those expected of pupils aged 7 except in information and communication technology where they are lower. Children in the Reception class are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to attend school. They enjoy their lessons and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Most pupils behave very well in classrooms, in the playground and around the school. A few pupils are silly when teachers do not apply the behaviour code consistently.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good and a strength of the school. Pupils are kind to one another and they are very keen to help other children and adults. They like to take responsibility when given the opportunity.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good, but unauthorised absence is above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are a strength of the school. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 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

• Teaching is good, overall. In the lessons observed, it was excellent in 17 per cent of lessons, very good in 13 per cent, good in 29 per cent and satisfactory in 33 per cent. It was less than satisfactory in 8 per cent of lessons. Overall, this is an improvement upon the findings reported in the last inspection. • Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is very good, overall. It is often excellent, enabling pupils to make very good progress in their learning. • In the Reception class [the Foundation Stage] teaching was good or very good in 66 per cent of lessons, helping children to make a good start to their education. • Teaching in mathematics and numeracy is very good, resulting in high standards in mental arithmetic. • Teaching in literacy and English is good, overall. It ranges from satisfactory to excellent. The school has embraced the literacy strategy effectively as well as retaining practices such as the use of

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

adults to hear children read, which has proved to be so advantageous to pupils’ learning. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs, and those for whom English is not their first language, is good. Under the direction of teachers, teaching assistants support these pupils well, enabling them to make good and sometimes very good progress in their learning. • Particular strengths in pupils’ learning include reading, writing, mental arithmetic, listening and performing in music, and swimming. Pupils make at least satisfactory progress in all other areas of learning, except in information and communication technology.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum covers the full range of subjects and sufficient time is given to English and mathematics. Allocations of time for all subjects have not been agreed collectively and pupils do not receive equal access to the curriculum. The school has plans to address this.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The procedures for identifying and supporting pupils are effective and have improved since the last inspection but the co-ordinator’s teaching time is not always used efficiently. When the pupils receive individual or group support from the teacher or teaching assistant they make better progress than at other times.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The school provides appropriate support when it is necessary, although it has few books in dual languages.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ moral development is excellent and for social development very good. Spiritual development is promoted more strongly through assemblies and the general ethos of the school than through the National Curriculum subjects. The pupils’ awareness of other cultures is more effectively promoted than reported at the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has very good arrangements for the care of its pupils. Staff know their pupils well and they take a keen interest in them as individuals. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy headteacher form a strong partnership to give clear educational direction to the school. Staff and governors contribute positively in providing an ethos in which pupils are keen to learn and to develop their personal and social skills. The role of subject co-ordinators is not sufficiently developed to ensure higher standards across all subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are conscientious and keen to meet their statutory responsibilities but they have not yet been involved in a process of self- review to ensure that they are effective in all aspects of their work. They monitor the curriculum effectively through visits to the school but they are not sufficiently rigorous in their role as the critical friend.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school regularly evaluates its work in many ways. It has begun to analyse the results of tests to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning and to set targets in English, mathematics and science. It has not yet made sufficient use of base-line assessment to forecast results in the tests when pupils are 7.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of its financial resources as a result of applying the principles of best value when allocating resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The teaching is good. • The school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. • Children like school. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • Children make good progress in school. • Behaviour in the school is good. • An interesting range of activities outside lessons. • A closer working relationship with parents. • More information about how their child is getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors endorse parents’ positive comments. However, they cannot fully support those who would like to see improvements. Whilst inspectors understand parents’ desire to see a more interesting range of activities outside lessons, the range and number of such activities is similar to that normally found in schools of this size. The school provides parents with formal opportunities to meet teachers on three occasions each year and it is made clear that teachers are willing to meet parents at other times to discuss how their children are progressing. Although some parents expressed concern that the school does not have a close enough working relationship with them, the vast majority stated they were very happy with the arrangements. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards of reading, writing and mental arithmetic are well above average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Standards in reading are above average because the school has had a strong commitment to the teaching of reading over many years. Pupils take home a reading book every day and parents and carers are expected to read with their children at home. Proof that this happens is in the pupils’ reading diaries and it is clear that pupils read a vast amount over a year. All the pupils interviewed said that they did read to someone at home on a daily basis. Pupils read aloud together most days as part of the Literacy Hour whole-class session. They also read individually as part of shared reading time during that hour as well as reading several times a week to an adult in the school. In the juniors, each pupil is given a daily time for silent personal reading. The school uses a comprehensive reading scheme as a basis for reading but adds to it with books of special interest, for example, stories that appeal to boys. There is also an increasing programme

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

of work on the sounds and symbols of English, which starts in the Reception class. The co- ordinator has recently instituted a system of half-termly reading targets in order to raise achievement still further. She also monitors pupils’ reading and has begun to analyse test results in order to detect any weakness in the teaching.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The standards of writing observed during the inspection are good for this time of the year, indicating that by the end of both key stages pupils’ attainment will probably be well above average. Handwriting is taught and practised so that by the end of Key Stage 2 it is well- formed, cursive, has a personal style and is clear and legible. Pupils learn spellings every week, often as part of homework, and this increases their confidence with spelling, allowing them to write more freely. During the literacy hour they learn to use different types of writing, such as descriptive, persuasive, poetic and dramatic. When they come to write their own stories, book reviews or their opinions, such as in letters to living authors, they have an understanding of how English works. The co-ordinator has begun to ask staff to set weekly writing targets with the pupils and these are closely monitored. Those pupils who need extra support have regular work within a specific

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

programme and pupils with special educational needs are very well supported both by the teachers in class and by teaching assistants.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Prior to the numeracy strategy being embraced by the school, the school had recognised the need for pupils to develop good mental arithmetic skills. In the junior classes there has been a tradition for some years of pupils calculating up to fifty questions in a time-limit of three minutes. Pupils are given cards at different levels so that all pupils are challenged according to their ability. The pupils repeat the questions on the card each day until they manage to complete all questions accurately in the time-limit, when they move on to a new card. Pupils concentrate well in these short sessions and they make good progress in learning to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers up to 100. With the advent of the numeracy strategy, pupils are developing other strategies to assist them with mental calculations and by the age of 11 nearly all pupils can quickly double and halve numbers and triple and divide them by a third.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

4. During music lessons pupils listen with intense concentration to everything that is said and done. They are thus able to hear and repeat complex rhythmic patterns on demand and change them as required. This ability to listen also accounts for the way they learn to sing new songs and play the recorder. They learn to sing by doing voice exercises each lesson, which they repeat after the teacher. The exercises include listening to tone, changing dynamic, going up or down in pitch and opening the mouth or holding the head in the correct position. The singing is of a very high standard both in lessons and in the assemblies. It is sweet, in tune, often interestingly complex and varies in pitch and intensity as demanded by the teacher. Recorder playing is also a strength. An example is the way a whole class can play together. They finger the notes while saying the note names; then they finger the notes while saying the rhythm and finally they play

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

the notes reading from the score. Even more unusual is the way they can play back a simple phrase or tune to the teacher after she has played it to them. The recorders, like the singing, are a pleasure to hear. With these two skills the pupils frequently perform to audiences both in and St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 11 out of school, such as to the cancer patients in a local hospice or to the residents of an old folks home, as well as at school concerts and carol services. The pupils are rightly proud of these achievements.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

5. Pupils in all year groups are taken for swimming lessons at the nearby community school once a week throughout the school year. Teachers are assisted by parents when the children are still in the Reception class and by a swimming instructor in all year groups. Pupils are divided into groups according to ability. Teachers have appropriate subject expertise and the pupils make good progress in first of all gaining their confidence and then in developing good technique in a range of strokes. As they progress through the school the pupils are challenged to develop water safety skills and to achieve survival awards. Despite the changes to the cohorts because of pupils being admitted and withdrawn throughout the school year, pupils reach a high standard by the end of Year 6. Almost all pupils manage to attain the standards expected of pupils aged 11, with over one half of the pupils achieving the silver survival standard. Three pupils last year

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

The pupils’ attitudes, relationships and personal development are very good.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

6. Parents indicated through the questionnaire and at the meeting with inspectors that the overwhelming number of children enjoy school. Conversations with pupils confirm this. Pupils arrive promptly. They enter the school with enthusiasm and quickly settle into the school’s routines. They listen carefully to their teachers and respond positively to instructions and questions. They are enthusiastic to complete their tasks and they concentrate very well in lessons and in assemblies. They take pride in their work, which is neatly presented. They are keen to share their knowledge with others through answering questions and participating in class or group discussions. They move around the school in an orderly manner, for example, when they go to assemblies, lunch and physical education lessons. They enjoy taking part in extra- curricular activities. Pupils complete their homework conscientiously. They are challenged by

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

the process of target-setting and proud when they meet their targets. This has a positive effect on pupils’ attainment.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

7. Relationships within the school are very good. Pupils are kind to one another. They show an interest in their friends and they welcome new pupils to the class. They help them to settle in. Older pupils help those who are younger, for example, at lunch-time when pupils sit around the tables in groupings of mixed ages and in paired reading activities. Pupils like to take responsibility and many of the older pupils seek opportunities when this is possible.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

8. Teaching is good, overall, throughout the school. In Years 5 and 6 the overall teaching is very good. Teachers have a love of learning and this is transmitted to the pupils. Teachers prepare their lessons well with learning objectives made clear to the pupils at the beginning of the lesson. Pupils are constantly reminded of these and of how they relate to the levels of attainment being striven for. They are also reminded of their personal targets. Where appropriate, previous knowledge is revised before proceeding with new learning. Activities take account of the pupils’ different levels of attainment. Teachers have high expectations of pupils in behaviour and attitudes to work. Pupils are encouraged to complete tasks within set time- limits to ensure a brisk pace to the lesson. Teachers employ a range of strategies to retain pupils’ interest, such as discussions in pairs. Teachers are fond of their pupils and their good sense of humour helps to sustain pupils’

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

interest in class discussions. Pupils are encouraged by the teachers’ manner and they are not discouraged from answering questions because they sometimes do not answer correctly. This has a positive effect on pupils’ learning.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

9. Teachers have good management skills. They make very good use of teaching assistants and other adults, deploying them where they are needed most. Teachers ensure that other adults are well-briefed about their tasks and the pupils with whom they work. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in the lessons where additional adults are in the class to support them. Adults use questioning effectively to challenge pupils to think and this extends their learning, for example, in a Year 5 lesson pupils were asked to explain what a negative prefix does to a word. Pupils are praised for their efforts and this encourages them to continue with their tasks and further enhances their learning. Teachers are keen to extend their St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 12 skills and are currently studying “learning styles” in order to improve further their ability to interest pupils and improve their learning.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

The school promotes the pupils’ moral and social development very well.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

10. The school promotes the pupils’ moral development exceptionally well. From the time the children arrive in school in the Reception class, they are taught what is right and what is wrong. Teachers and other adults make clear their expectations of pupils and they quickly learn how to behave as part of the St George’s community. Pupils learn to collect resources and when they have finished their work, to put them away. They are taught how to behave towards one another and how to share resources, for example, erasers. They are involved in learning about the code for good behaviour and older pupils are encouraged to ‘care’ for the younger children, for instance lunch- time. Generally, pupils are encouraged to appreciate the effort of others and the school ensures that all pupils have opportunities to share their successes, with appropriate recognition of their efforts. For example, in assembly, one pupil was invited to show his award of British Judo

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

Champion for his age group and describe how he achieved it. Staff make very good use of assemblies to promote moral development through the use of stories, including those from the Bible, and the pupils’ understanding is developed through the very effective use of questioning.

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

11. Social skills are promoted very well. Staff are very good role models. Teachers and learning support assistants work very well together. When other adults are also in the class they too are clearly part of the teaching team. All other adults who work in the school are clearly valued and seen to play an important role in the school, for example, cleaning and catering staff and lunch- time supervisors. From the earliest days in the Reception class the children are encouraged to work and play well together, for example, when they take turns playing a game to learn about numbers that are ‘more than’ or ‘less than’ others. When learning, pupils are often encouraged to work in pairs or small group; for example, in Year 2, when pupils identify ‘similarities’ and ‘differences’ between themselves and their partner. In Year 4, pupils work collaboratively in physical education. Pupils learn to behave appropriately when they eat their school lunch. Pupils

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In music, standards of listening and performing are well above average and

from different year groups sit around the same table and the older pupils are encouraged to see that the youngest pupils are helped whenever required. The ‘buddy’ system, where one pupil is allocated to help a new pupil integrate into the school, is another very good example of how well the school promotes the pupils’ social skills. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they have matured considerably and have very good social skills. They are polite and courteous to adults. Relationships within the school are very good between pupils, between adults and between adults and pupils.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

strongly supports learning and personal development.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

12. The headteacher and deputy headteacher form a strong partnership to give clear educational direction to the school. They are well supported by the staff and governors. The aims, which are reflected in the everyday life of the school, make a strong contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils and to the standards achieved across the curriculum. The Christian values embodied in the Catholic Faith are readily apparent in the day-to- day life of the school, with moments of prayer in classes at the beginning of sessions as well as in assemblies. The school has welcomed pupils with specific disabilities and has made very good provision for these pupils to be included in all the activities of the school.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

13. The school has a good history of evaluating its work, for example, annual evaluations of subjects. Staff enjoy their work and are keen to improve their knowledge and skills, for example, several teachers are currently studying ‘learning styles’ and how these affect the pupils’ progress. This enthusiasm for learning is reflected in the pupils, who have a strong work ethic and who are generally very well-behaved. Pupils are welcoming and courteous and they are keen to use their initiative and take responsibility. They are always encouraged to do their best and the presentation of their work reflects this. The headteacher and staff ensure that all pupils have a chance to excel. This is achieved by the varied educational programme, which includes activities outside of the classroom, such as choir, instrumental playing, performing arts and team games. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to swim, thus gaining confidence from their success.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

Pupils also benefit from visitors, and educational visits including residential trips. In assemblies, pupils are given opportunities to celebrate their successes both within and outside school. The St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 13 headteacher and staff have a personal interest in every pupil and the school communicates well with families.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

The procedures for integrating new pupils are very good.

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The headteacher with the support of staff and governors creates an ethos that

14. There is a regular turnover of pupils at other times of the year than September and July. This mainly, though not exclusively, results from the military postings of their parents. These pupils are well-integrated into the school environment receiving very good support and guidance. Each of them is allocated to another pupil, a ‘buddy’, who has also previously been admitted into the school other than at the beginning of the school year. The ‘buddy’ helps them become familiar with school routines and to socialise with their classmates. Teachers provide very good support, ensuring that pupils quickly and happily acclimatise to their new surroundings. Parents appreciate the feedback and reassurance provided to them by staff on how their children are settling-in successfully.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in information and communication technology.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

15. The school has identified information and communication technology appropriately as a priority for improvement. Standards are inconsistent across the school and below the standards expected of pupils aged 7 and 11. Many pupils have some experience of word processing but other skills are less well-developed. The school has recently purchased a considerable number of computers and has the facility to link computers across classrooms through a ‘server’. However, it does not yet have sufficient facility to teach skills with groups of pupils working at computers at the same time under the direction of the teacher. Staff are currently receiving training from experts from a nearby technology college. The headteacher has set targets for all pupils to carry out basic tasks on the computers in the current academic year and pupils in some classes have already achieved some of these. Pupils are interested by information and communication technology and, with the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

ongoing training of staff, the school is well placed to raise standards in this subject.

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The effectiveness of the governing body as a critical friend and its procedures

for monitoring all aspects of the school’s work.

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The effectiveness of the governing body as a critical friend and its procedures

16. The governing body is well aware of its statutory responsibilities and it has arranged an appropriate committee structure to ensure that these are met. Governors are conscientious in their duties. Many attend training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary for their role, but there are weaknesses and the governing body does not yet have a process for reviewing its effectiveness. The procedures for monitoring much of the school’s work are effective but there are weaknesses; for example, governors are not sufficiently rigorous in their role as critical friend. Questions about the standards achieved in all subjects, how the school sets its targets and what analysis has been completed on results of last year’s test results have not been sufficiently challenging. Some governors are not clear about all the responsibilities of the governing body and how involved governors should be in monitoring all aspects of the school’s

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

and skills in English, mathematics and science.

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

17. Since 1999, the school has been setting targets related to the number of pupils to attain Level 4 in the National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science. The school previously identified the need to improve standards of writing by the boys and took appropriate action. As a result of the school’s performance in the national tests in 2000, particularly in mathematics, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have been analysing pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in the subject and the deputy headteacher has used the information from the Year 5 test results in 2000 to help plan learning in the current Year 6. This is very good practice. However, the same process has not yet been completed in English and science and the co-ordinators of English, mathematics and science are not taking sufficient responsibility for this. The headteacher has begun to keep records that track pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science in each

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 14 year that tests are taken, from Reception to Year 6. These are used to set realistic but challenging targets for the national tests taken by the pupils aged 11. The school has not yet made sufficient use of information provided at the Foundation Stage, using base-line assessment to predict targets at the end of Key Stage 1 when the pupils are 7.

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

18. The role of subject co-ordinators has been developing since the last inspection. In particular, the co-ordinators for English and mathematics have implemented and evaluated the literacy and numeracy initiatives. The co-ordinator for special educational needs has improved the procedures for identifying and reviewing the progress made by pupils on the special needs register. Other co- ordinators, with the co-operation of staff have produced policy documents and appropriate schemes of work. Each year, co-ordinators have completed evaluations of their subject and identified some actions to implement. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science have monitored the work of pupils of different abilities from Year 1 to Year 6 and teachers’ planning. The English co-ordinator has recently drawn up an action plan following a detailed audit and the co-ordinators for mathematics and science have begun a similar task. Other co-

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

ordinators do not always analyse the standards the pupils attain in the subject or the strengths and weaknesses within the subject. Action plans do not focus sufficiently on raising standards and they do not include detailed costs for governors to use when deciding on the overall priorities in the school improvement plan.

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

The allocation of time to subjects across the curriculum.

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effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge

19. Class timetables are currently monitored by the curriculum co-ordinator to ensure that pupils have opportunities to learn about all the subjects. However, timetables show that pupils in different classes receive different amounts of time in some subjects as a result of the individual teacher’s preference. At Key Stage 2, lessons in science vary from approximately one hour to one and a half hours each week. The school has no overall policy to ensure that all pupils have sufficient amounts of time to cover the schemes of work in all National Curriculum subjects and religious education, although the school has recognised the need to review this.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in information and communication technology by ensuring that there are adequate resources, that staff have appropriate subject expertise and that pupils have sufficient time to use the resources (identified by the school). (paragraph 15)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Review and improve the procedures of the governing body to carry out all its statutory duties, particularly monitoring. Identify opportunities where it can assist the school more effectively through its role as critical friend. Produce an action plan for improvement. (paragraph 16)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Use information from tests throughout the school to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and skills in English, mathematics and science, to predict targets at both key stages, and to evaluate the school’s effectiveness (identified by the school). (paragraph 17)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Clarify and extend the role of co-ordinators to include the production each year of a fully itemised action plan, with costs, to raise standards in their subject or area of the curriculum. Use these to help governors to identify the priorities in the school improvement plan. (paragraph 18)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Agree collectively the amount of time to be allocated to all subjects/areas of the curriculum from Year 1 to Year 6 in order that all pupils have equal access to the St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 15 curriculum. Ensure that there is sufficient time to cover the Programmes of Study in each curriculum area. (identified by the school). (paragraph 19) St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

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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

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 37

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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 3

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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 28

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 25

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 11 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 12 13 13 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 92 (86) 96 (79) 96 (86) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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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 12 13 12 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 92 (79) 96 (89) 92 (79) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 12 22

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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 8 5 8 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 10 7 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82 (92) 55 (88) 77 (92) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82 (100) 91 (88) 64 (83) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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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 George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 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

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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 exclusi0ons 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) 9.7 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 429299

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5.0 Expenditure per pupil 2083

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 112 Balance brought forward from previous year 14650

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 10498

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St George’s RC Primary School, Warminster - 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. 61 32 5 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 34 4 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 54 38 8 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well-informed about how my child is getting on. 37 45 14 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 33 10 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 27 0 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 44 13 4 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 49 38 9 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 59 35 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 34 19 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The percentages may not always add up to 100 as a result of rounding up.

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