St Nicholas Catholic Primary School

ST NICHOLAS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 th – 10 th October 2000

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ST NICHOLAS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST NICHOLAS 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 Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Oakwood Lane Leeds Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1996 St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 4

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Team members

Peter Hill Registered inspector Jennifer Farmer Lay inspector Melvyn Hemmings Team inspector

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Team members

School Inspection & Consultancy 19 Marple Road Charlesworth Glossop SK13 5DA

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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 Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Nicholas Catholic Primary School receives most of its pupils from a number of very large Local Authority housing estates on the outskirts of Leeds.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils come from homes which are, in the main, financially less well off than average. Currently there are 270 pupils on roll (137 boys and 133 girls). A third of pupils are known to be eligible for school meals free of charge. This is above the national average. The vast majority of pupils are from a white indigenous background with only 6% of pupils of different ethnicity. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The school has 57 pupils identified as having special educational needs with 10 pupils having statements of special educational need. The number of pupils with special needs is above the national average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Over the past years, pupils’ levels of development, on entry to the school, have been below those anticipated in the areas of experience expected for children aged under 5. For a significant minority of pupils, attainment is well below national levels when they enter the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good and effective school with many areas of strength and no significant areas of weakness. Pupils achieve standards in English and mathematics which are well above those of pupils in similar schools. Pupils’ achievements result from very good teaching and excellent leadership and management by the headteacher and senior management team. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are very well managed and there is very good financial management.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ standards of attainment in English and mathematics are well above those of similar schools. Standards in science are above. Pupils enter the school with lower than average attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally and well above those of similar schools.

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What the school does well

• Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning is very good. As a result pupils make very good progress in their learning.

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What the school does well

• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good and a strength of the school.

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What the school does well

• The provision for pupils identified as having special educational needs is very good and carefully targeted at meeting their individual needs. As a result these pupils make very good progress.

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What the school does well

• Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour was excellent.

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What the school does well

• Pupils are cared for very well. The school provides a very good environment for pupils’ learning. It is exceptionally well cared for and is well resourced for all aspects of pupils’ learning.

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What the school does well

• Pupils know what stage they are at in their learning and what they should do to improve further.

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What could be improved

The inspection team found no significant areas for improvement.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1996. Since that time the school has made very good progress in addressing the Key Issues identified in the last report. The action taken to raise pupils’ standards of attainment in information and communication technology (ICT), at both key stages, has been considerable. The school now meets the requirements of the National Curriculum in this area. The provision of a new ICT suite, enabling whole classes to be taught at the same time, has increased the levels of pupils’ skills. The governing body has an efficient and effective committee structure in place and the body as a whole has a very active role in the formulation and monitoring of the school development plan. Assessment procedure, and the use of assessment information in lesson planning, has been developed considerably and is now a strength of the school. The school continues to develop and make progress in all areas and standards are improving.

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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 D C A average below average C D science D D C B well below average E

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Key

Standards for 11-year-olds are well above those of similar schools in mathematics and English and above in science. They are in line with the average standards in these subjects throughout the country. The results for 2000 show that the school’s targets for mathematics and English have been exceeded. The results for 7-year-olds for 1999 were in line with those of similar schools but below the national average. However, the results for 2000 show a significant improvement. As the majority of children enter the reception class with levels of attainment below, and in many cases well below, that expected for their age, and leave school with levels of attainment in line with national levels, pupils make very good progress as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in all areas of the school. There is a significant amount of excellent behaviour. In a quarter of the lessons observed pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were judged to be excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils know how well they are achieving and are aware of their targets for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory and improved since the time of the last inspection. The vast majority of pupils are keen to attend school. St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 8 The whole area of relationships, behaviour and attitudes is very good and a considerable strength of the school. Pupils are helpful, polite and very well mannered. They concentrate for considerable lengths of time and are very interested in their work. Pupils of all ages are developing high levels of confidence and self-esteem, attributes which are very evident in the way they want to answer questions, provide information, and play an important part in whole school assemblies. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and their teachers, are very good in all areas of the school. Attendance is satisfactory overall and an improvement since the time of the last inspection. Pupils want to come to school and enjoy their time there.

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

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

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

Teaching is very good overall with 38% of the lessons observed being judged to be very good, 33% good and 29% satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching is good and often very good in both mathematics and English. Teachers plan in teams and use very good strategies for teaching numeracy and literacy. All staff, including special needs and classroom support staff, work very well together and to the considerable benefit of all pupils. The teaching of, and support for, pupils with special educational needs are very good throughout the school. Basic skills are well taught. In years 3 / 4 and years 5 /6 pupils are placed in mixed age classes for most subjects but are grouped according to age and levels of attainment for mathematics and English. This is very effective. Teachers plan lessons very well, ensuring that pupils make good progress and that they attain as highly as possible.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Provision for additional and extra curricular activities is very good. Basic skills are well managed and taught.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils with special educational needs are very well catered for and as a result make very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good and a strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. Assessment procedures are very good and all staff know their pupils very well. Relationships are very good. Pupils are taught in a secure and caring environment. The welfare, safety and well being of all pupils are evident in all aspects of the school’s work.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum is well planned and delivered and offers pupils a wide range of experiences. It is considerably enhanced through a good range of additional and extra curricular activities. The way in which the school has adopted a commercial scheme to enhance the teaching of mathematics and the way in which this has been built into the very effective class structure is especially good. The school cares very well for all its pupils. Besides very good procedures for personal support and guidance, the school has very good and effective systems for monitoring academic performance and assessing pupils’ levels of attainment. The information from assessment is used very well to set targets and to ensure pupils make appropriate progress. St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. This is an area of considerable strength. The teamwork and understanding between the headteacher and key staff is excellent and has a significant impact on the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are highly committed to the school and play an important role in shaping the direction of the school. They have effective systems, procedures and committees in place.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher and all staff know the strengths and areas for development and are committed to improving standards in all areas, where necessary.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. All resources are clearly targeted at improving provision and standards.

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Aspect Comment

The leadership and management by the headteacher and senior management is excellent. The senior management team is very well supported by all staff and this is a considerable strength of the school. Management is extremely caring and supportive of all pupils. There is a shared commitment, throughout the school, to provide a safe, happy and caring environment in which pupils thrive and make very good progress. Governors play a full and important role in the management of the school and have developed their systems considerably from the time of the last report. Principles of best value are clearly applied as the school compares its standards with other schools and ensures that pupils make very good progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

All parents who returned questionnaires agreed that:

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teaching is good. • The school expects children to work hard. • The school is well led and managed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Well over 90% of parents strongly agree, or agree, that:

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Their children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • They are well informed about how their children are getting on. • Parents feel comfortable approaching school about problems and suggestions. • School works closely with parents. • School is helping children become mature. • School provides an interesting range of activities. • Parents did not identify any significant areas for improvement

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with all the positive views expressed. The overwhelming majority of parents speak very highly about the school and support it in its work. St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 10

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

very well managed and there is very good financial management.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

The school is exceptionally well led and managed by a knowledgeable and highly committed headteacher who leads by example. The headteacher is very well supported by the deputy-head, senior management and governors. The senior management team meets frequently and there is a very close working relationship. As a result, the school has clear direction, has a very effective plan to guide future developments, and makes very good use of available finance and resources. The management has a very clear view of standards achieved and how these compare with schools nationally and locally and they strive to ensure standards improve year on year.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

As a result of extremely effective delegation by the headteacher, the contribution of staff to all aspects of school life is very good and is an important factor in the smooth and effective running of the school.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

The leadership and management has ensured that the school has a very good ethos strongly based on ensuring pupils are happy, secure, and enjoy school, and on a commitment to high standards. The strong and caring leadership is a major factor in ensuring that pupils achieve highly and there has been an upward trend in the overall standards attained since the last inspection. This ethos is clearly shared by all staff throughout the school.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

The school evaluates its performance very well. A major part of this is the way in which the school monitors and evaluates pupils’ progress and uses the results to further improve standards. As a result the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ levels of attainment is very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection and it is clear that information from assessment is used in planning for the future. Lessons are carefully planned to take into account pupils’ needs, to build on those areas which are successfully taught and develop the topics and areas where pupils have difficulties.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

The school implements the Literacy and Numeracy strategies very well. The planning, teaching and outcomes have been carefully monitored. The use of a commercial mathematics scheme, linked to the Numeracy Strategy, has been very well and effectively managed. This is especially evident where the mixed age classes in Key Stage 2 are placed in groups according to their age and stage of development and taught at an appropriate pace. As a result of very good co-ordination and overall management the subject is well taught and pupils make very good progress.

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Leadership and management by the headteacher and senior staff is excellent. Resources are

The role of the subject co-ordinator is very well developed with co-ordinators playing an important part in the monitoring of the curriculum and standards of achievement. Co-ordinators view and comment on colleagues’ plans on a regular basis.

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

and well above for those of similar schools.

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

Pupils’ performance in comparison with similar schools is well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. Pupils’ performance in the 1999 national tests for 11-year-olds is average when compared against all schools nationally. Over the last three years there has been improvement in results year on year, including the percentage of pupils achieving the higher levels. The results for 2000 show that the school’s targets for English and mathematics have been exceeded, especially the latter. The 1999 results for 7-year-olds were disappointing. In comparison with all schools nationally their performance is below average in reading and well below average in writing and mathematics. In comparison with similar schools the pupils’ performance is average in reading and below average in writing and mathematics. However the 1999 cohort was small and pupils’ St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 11

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

level of attainment on entry was very low. The results for 2000 show significant improvement, especially the number of pupils achieving the higher levels in reading. Considering that the majority of children on entry to the reception class have attainment that is below that expected for their age, pupils make very good progress in their learning. The school attributes its success to good teaching and to consistently high expectations of what pupils are able to achieve. This view is confirmed by the inspection. All the staff are determined that low socio- economic circumstances should be no excuse for low attainment.

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

The high standards also reflect the teachers’ careful work in analysing and interpreting all the data from the previous year’s tests. This usefully identifies specific areas of work that need more emphasis. Teachers have carried out a useful analysis of results against gender. They found that girls achieve higher than boys, with the most difference being in aspects of literacy. The school is using a variety of strategies to address this issue including a review of, and purchase of, additional reading materials to encourage boys’ reading. This thorough work enables teachers to focus their attention on areas that may cause problems for their pupils.

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

Central to the effort to maintain and improve standards is the effective way in which teachers assess pupils’ work, judging their progress over time and identifying what pupils need to do next. The teachers and support staff have a very good understanding of the levels of work they should be expecting of pupils. They regularly look at samples of work together and discuss what should happen next for individual pupils and for year groups. They comment on individual pieces of work giving a clear indication of the present level of work and what the next steps should be. They have developed a good system for tracking the progress of cohorts of pupils and are therefore able to check that pupils are progressing well in relation to their prior attainment. Teachers also set and share with pupils, clear learning targets to improve their performance.

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have also played a significant part in maintaining and improving high standards. These subjects are given a substantial amount of time each day and teachers have enthusiastically adopted both strategies. Teaching is consistently good in both these areas and is particularly strong for older pupils. As they pass through the school, pupils make very good progress in English and pupils of differing attainment achieve to their full potential in most aspects of the subject. This is especially the case in reading in which the guided reading sessions are having a positive effect on the achievement of all pupils. The good library provision means that pupils are able to effectively develop their independent research skills to locate information by using contents and index pages in non-fiction and reference texts. Pupils can write in a variety of forms in subjects across the curriculum and standards of handwriting and spelling are good. The

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attainment and, by the time they leave the school, standards are in line with those nationally

pupils make very good progress in their language skills and, as a result, standards in speaking and listening are good with pupils being able to express their ideas clearly in class discussions. Pupils make very good progress in mathematics and by the time that they are 11 they have good skills in written computation and in the recall of multiplication facts. Pupils are also becoming effective in their ability to mentally manipulate number and explain the methods used in an appropriate way.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

very good. As a result pupils make very good progress in their learning.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

A commitment to providing a secure and supportive environment in which pupils are developing self-esteem and awareness of their own role in their learning is evident in all lessons. All staff have high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve and of how pupils should behave. As a result, pupils in all classes are very well behaved and concentrate very well on their work. Teaching in 38% of the lessons observed was very good. It was good in a further 33% of lessons, and never less than satisfactory. As a direct result of this very good teaching, a high percentage of the pupils are making very good progress. Teaching of basic skills is very good and the teaching in English, mathematics and science is good across the school.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Teamwork between support staff and teachers is very good and often excellent. This is noticeable throughout the school, and especially in the support for pupils with special educational needs.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Teachers’ lesson planning is very good, based on clear guidance from policies and subject schemes of work. Lesson targets are linked very clearly to the needs of the pupils. Teachers plan for, and use, a good range of strategies and activities, challenging and inspiring pupils to think and to learn. In most lessons, there is very St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 12 good use of resources, all carefully linked to the lesson topic. Teachers make very effective use of the information from the assessment of pupils’ levels of attainment to plan the next stage of their learning. The needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are very well met.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

The good quality of the teaching has an obvious impact on the extent to which pupils learn and acquire new knowledge and understanding. They have very positive relationships with their teachers and as a result are confident to explain their thinking and to put forward ideas. In all lessons, teachers have high expectations and develop an atmosphere in which pupils are productive and well behaved, are interested in their work and are able to sustain concentration for long periods. This was clearly evident in a Year 6 mathematics lesson where pupils were confident enough, despite quite difficult tasks, to explain their answers to the rest of the class. To do this they made confident used of overhead projectors. In this lesson, as in many others, the level of pupils’ effort and concentration was extremely high.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good and a strength of the school.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Provision for spiritual development is very good. Opportunities are promoted through very good assemblies when pupils are given time for personal reflection. The programme ‘Here I am’, used in many aspects of the curriculum, continually promotes spiritual awareness and development. Pupils learn about the wonders of the natural world and human achievement in many subjects and areas of the curriculum, for example the life of Florence Nightingale and Steve Redgrave.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Moral development is very good. Moral principles are consistently promoted through all aspects of the school work. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong and have a clear understanding of the impact their behaviour has on others.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

The school provides very good opportunities to promote pupils’ social development. Pupils are increasingly given more responsibility as they progress through the school. For example, they distribute registers, help with the tuck shop, help with assemblies and perform confidently in front of staff, pupils and parents. Pupils are involved in the wider community, collecting money for charity, entertaining elderly people and helping people in other lands.

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Teaching is very good. Teamwork and the contribution of all staff to pupils’ learning are

Cultural development is very good. Music, art and drama as well as a very good range of visits and visitors help to broaden pupils’ cultural experience. The experience of the very good range of extra-curricular activities also makes a significant contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Multi-cultural development is good. Pupils are able to appreciate the traditions of a variety of other cultures and faiths, for example pupils study aboriginal art, the Egyptians and listen to music from other cultures.

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carefully targeted at meeting their individual needs. As a result these pupils make very

The school has an above average number of pupils identified as having special educational needs including a number with quite complex needs. There are 10 pupils with statements of special educational need.

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carefully targeted at meeting their individual needs. As a result these pupils make very

The co-ordination and organisation of the provision to meet the needs of these pupils is very good. All the requirements of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs are fully met with the school adding value to the provision in many areas. Targets in individual education plans are carefully matched to pupils needs and areas for development and class teachers are fully involved in target setting and review.

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carefully targeted at meeting their individual needs. As a result these pupils make very

A prominent feature of the provision is the very good teamwork between all staff involved in teaching and supporting individual pupils and the way in which this contributes the supportive and encouraging environment St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 13 that the school provides. Parents with pupils with special educational needs feel supported and informed and are full of praise for the work of the school in this aspect of its work.

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carefully targeted at meeting their individual needs. As a result these pupils make very

As a result of very good co-ordination, teaching and individual and group support, pupils with special and individual needs make very good progress in all areas of the curriculum. They have appropriate access to all the school has to offer and are secure and happy.

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Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’

attitudes to their work and their behaviour was excellent.

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Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’

Pupils have a very good attitude to learning and most of them show enjoyment in their lessons. Even in the early years they are beginning to develop good levels of concentration and show a very good attitude to all the activities provided. Pupils sustain concentration and persevere with more difficult tasks. Pupils respond particularly well to those lessons where staff make the learning fun. Behaviour by the vast majority of pupils throughout the school is very good and this is a strength of the school. Pupils demonstrate very good behaviour in classes, and in some classes excellent behaviour. For example, in a Year 3 IT lesson taken in the IT suite, their behaviour could not be faulted. They listened to everything the class teacher said, those working in pairs did so with exemplary co-operation and patience, they all concentrated hard on the task without any fuss at all and they treated the equipment carefully. Behaviour is also very good in and

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Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’

around the school. As pupils progress though the school they develop a very good level of self-discipline. Even children in the early years take responsibility for accessing their own activities. During their time in Key Stage 2, pupils are taking ownership of the rules and sanctions that contribute to the good quality of life within the school. Pupils demonstrate that they understand the impact that their actions have on others. They take very good care of the building, property and resources. Bullying is not a significant problem in the school though staff are continually vigilant and deal with the very rare incident quickly and effectively. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are very good with mutual respect very much in evidence. Pupils are confident to speak to staff about their work and personal issues if necessary. Pupils with special educational needs respond very well to the tasks and challenges presented by the teachers.

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Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’

Pupils’ personal development is very good. Pupils respond very well to all the opportunities provided by the school. This results in pupils having an obvious pride in their school and in all they achieve. Not only do pupils take ownership of the rules and sanctions but many are involved in the procedures which are part of the every day running of the school. For example pupils take a leading role in assemblies by presenting hymns, prayers, acting out scenes to illustrate the theme, operating the overhead projector and CD player. They are also instrumental in preparing for the assembly by setting out the hall with chairs and benches etc. and clearing away afterwards. These valuable opportunities result in pupils showing maturity and self-confidence as well as a knowledge and awareness of their own school, that extends well beyond the classroom. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved since the last inspection. Although the attendance rate is now

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Behaviour is very good throughout the school: in a significant number of lessons pupils’

broadly in line with the national average, the vast majority of pupils are very keen to attend school and do so regularly and on time.

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Pupils are cared for very well. The school is a very good environment for pupils learning. It

is exceptionally well cared for and is well resourced for all aspects of pupils’ learning.

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Pupils are cared for very well. The school is a very good environment for pupils learning. It

All pupils are well cared for by vigilant and concerned staff. There are good procedures for child protection with the designated person having received the appropriate training. Staff are aware of the school procedures through in-service training. Procedures for accidents and emergencies are very good with adequate personnel being trained in first-aid, fire drills being carried out termly and risk assessment analysis being carried out for every aspect of school life both on and off site. Members of the governing body are active in using their expertise for Health & Safety reviews and Risk Assessment. The school promotes a healthy and safe life-style with the help of a good range of external agencies including the police, fire service, school nurse, dentist and St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 14 doctor. The school runs a keep-fit after-school club and pupils learn about personal hygiene and safety and are

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Pupils are cared for very well. The school is a very good environment for pupils learning. It

encouraged to eat a healthy diet. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good.

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Pupils are cared for very well. The school is a very good environment for pupils learning. It

The school works well in partnership with the Educational Welfare Officer and parents. Parents are well informed. Procedures for promoting and monitoring behaviour are very good. All staff have high expectations of behaviour and adopt a consistent approach to behaviour management. This results in the need to spend only the minimum amount of time on inappropriate behaviour in lessons resulting in less disruption and more learning. The school places great emphasis on positive reward, self-discipline and high self-esteem. Parents have a very positive view of behaviour in the school with every home/school agreement being signed and returned to the school. The systems for assessing and monitoring individual pupils’ attainment and progress as they pass through the school are very good. The school is set in spacious and well-maintained grounds which includes a delightful Millenium Garden funded through the efforts of the parents.

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Pupils are cared for very well. The school is a very good environment for pupils learning. It

The school is exceptionally well cared for with the interior sparklingly clean and well maintained. All areas are considerably enhanced through good quality displays of pupils’ work and achievements. The management of the school has maximised the use of space linked to the organisation of classes. Mixed age classes permits, and encourages, joint teacher planning and organisation as well as very effective structures for matching work to pupils’ age and attainment in the mixed age classes in years 3/4 and 5/6. Similarly the space available for the younger pupils is very well used and managed, providing them with good access to the curriculum. Careful financial management has ensured a high level of good quality resources in all areas of the school. A good example of this is the way in which the mathematics scheme has been implemented and classrooms provided with overhead projectors to enhance the teaching and delivery of the scheme.

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Pupils know what stage they are at in their learning and what they should do to improve

The school has very well developed systems for assessment and monitoring of standards and pupils’ progress and levels of attainment. Information from this is passed to pupils through discussion between pupils and their class teacher, through marking and comments in workbooks and through pupil reports. Targets are set regularly for individual subjects, for example, monthly for Literacy. Pupils are given target sheets and they indicate with a coloured pen as to whether they have fully understood the target. Both staff and pupils, especially the older ones, have a clear understanding at what stage they are at, what levels they are achieving and what they have to do to progress.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The inspection found no significant areas which need to be improved. However, the school has identified its own clear areas for future development and targets for improvement and these are included in its development plan. St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 9

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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 – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 270

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 83

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 57

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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 0

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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 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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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 Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 16

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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 1999 18 16 34

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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 11 14 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 12 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 74 (86) 76 (89) 82 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 13 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 15 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 71 (86) 82 (88) 79 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (65) 86 (65) 87 (72)

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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 1999 18 22 40

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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 12 12 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 18 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 78 (68) 75 (58) 90 (70) 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 13 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 12 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 78 (68) 60 (63) 75 (68) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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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 Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 8 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 3 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.6 Financial year 1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 559459

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 2073

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 192 Balance brought forward from previous year 64890

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 45964 St Nicholas Catholic Primary School - 18

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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. 77 15 0 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 79 19 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 40 6 2 11

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 30 6 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 21 2 4 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. 98 2 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 66 23 9 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 81 19 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 79 19 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 70 21 0 0 9

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