Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary School

(AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 230754 Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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(AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 1, Clarendon Drive Putney London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

E-mail address: admin@se002793.dialnet.com

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. P.F. Delahunty

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 - 11 December 1997 Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 18645 C.D. Loizou Registered inspector 09446 H. Griffiths Lay inspector 08867 E. Russell Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Sandfield Educational Consultants Limited 16 Wychwood Drive Trowell Park Nottingham NG9 3RB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 20

Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a popular Voluntary Aided Catholic infant and junior school. The school has 191 pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven years, which is average in size. The school serves the Catholic parish of Saint Simon’s Church and was last inspected in 1997. Since then it has completed a substantial building programme. This has improved the school’s accommodation considerably and enabled it to increase the number and size of teaching areas and classrooms. The school was awarded the school achievement award last year and this year for achieving high standards by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and has recently applied for its national “Arts mark” as a result of the high standards achieved in music and the performing, expressive and fine arts. Six per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is below the national average. Seventeen per cent are on the SEN register, which is below average. Less than two per cent of the pupils have a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Statement of SEN, which is low compared to most schools. Eighteen per cent of the pupils are learning English as an additional language and approximately five per cent are in the early stages of English language acquisition. The home languages spoken by these pupils are mainly European. Every year the school admits up to 28 four-year-olds into its Reception class and nearly half of the children this year speak another European language. Initial assessments of the children when entering the school vary from year to year but show that their attainment is above the standards expected of children aged four.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a successful school with many very good and excellent features. The pupils achieve very well because the teaching is very good and there is a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. By the age of 11, standards are high in English, mathematics and science. National Curriculum tests over the last four years show that the school’s results have been in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The school sets high expectations and this is reflected in the high standards achieved in choral singing, music and the expressive and fine arts. Although writing standards are high by the time the pupils leave the school, the current Year 2 pupils are not writing as clearly and accurately as pupils in other year groups. In this respect their writing standards could be higher. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, senior staff and governors. The teaching is very well planned and the

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

pupils respond extremely well in lessons and at other times. There are strong links with parents and the local community and the parents are very well informed about their children’s progress and the work of the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is very effective. • The school provides a stimulating and rich curriculum. It includes high quality provision for music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is a very good range of extra-curricular activities. • The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, senior staff and governors. The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well and this has enhanced the school’s curriculum and teaching further. • Relationships throughout the school and the pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a result, the pupils thrive in a positive and supportive learning environment. • The pupils’ personal development is excellent. The school’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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What the school does well

values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-worth. This enables them to have respect for each other’s feelings and emotions.

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What could be improved

• Improve writing standards in Year 2 so that the pupils write clearly and with a consistent Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 8 handwriting style. Also ensure that the pupils are taught to punctuate their writing well and spell accurately, making fewer common errors. 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 last inspected in December 1997 and has made very good progress since then. The headteacher, staff and governors have addressed the issues raised, particularly in improving standards in information and communication technology (ICT) and the quality of the school’s resources. The senior management of the school monitors teachers’ planning and lessons regularly. The high standards achieved by the pupils have been maintained and are consistently well above average. Some minor improvements are now needed in Year 2 where writing standards could be higher. The school has identified this issue and has begun to take effective action to improve it.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English A* A* A* A* Well above average above average and in top 5% of schools A * B Mathematics A* A* A* A* average below average C D Science A* A* A* A* well below average E

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STANDARDS

(The “similar” in the table above refers to the percentage of free school meals and not the size of the school.)

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STANDARDS

When the children start in the Reception year standards are above those expected for their age. They make very good progress because the Foundation Stage curriculum is extremely well planned and taught. The children reach the early learning goals for this age group in all of the areas of learning. Test results last year for seven-year-olds show that the pupils achieved very high standards in reading and their test scores were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. In writing, mathematics and science, standards were also well above average. Inspection evidence indicates that these standards have been maintained except in writing in Year 2 where there are some inconsistencies in the quality of presentation, spelling and punctuation. Writing standards are above those expected by the end of Year 2 but could be higher.

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STANDARDS

By the age of 11, standards in the national tests have been consistently high and in the top five per cent of all schools. Currently standards reflect those of previous years with outstanding levels of achievement from all the pupils. English, mathematics and science standards are well above national expectations and the large majority of pupils (approximately 70 per cent) are likely to exceed the standards expected for their age. The pupils with SEN make very good progress because they receive very good support, especially from learning support staff who work alongside individuals and groups of pupils with specific learning needs. The school sets very high expectations for all the pupils. This ensures that higher attaining pupils reach their full potential as well as ensuring that the pupils who have moderate learning difficulties achieve the standards expected for their age. Standards in ICT are

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STANDARDS

well above those expected and this is directly a result of improvements to the ICT curriculum, resources and staff training since the last inspection. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to learning, to school and to each other are excellent. They apply themselves very well, often co-operating with others in groups or with a partner. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The standard of behaviour is excellent. This is helping to create an orderly and positive learning environment. There have been no exclusions. Personal development and relationships This is excellent. The pupils are independent and show maturity. Relationships are excellent across the school. The school provides excellent opportunities for the pupils to explore values and beliefs, based on Christian teachings, in a climate within which all the pupils can grow and flourish, respecting others and sharing ideas. Attendance Attendance levels are very good and are well above average. There is very little unauthorised absence.

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

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very good

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

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

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

The teaching is very good with many excellent features. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. The quality of teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning in all subjects, although more could be done to improve the pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuation in the current Year 2. In the Reception class, the teaching is particularly effective in developing language and numeracy skills which is helping the children in all other subjects and areas of learning. In the rest of the school, the teachers plan their lessons very well. They take account of the progress made in previous lessons and build on the work already done. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very effective, enabling the large majority of pupils to achieve higher than expected standards for their age. Information and communication technology is very well taught and good use is made of the school’s

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

improved ICT resources. Teachers regularly assess how well the pupils are doing in all subjects and this is informing their planning. Pupils with special educational needs receive very effective support in lessons and as a result make very good progress. The pupils who speak English as an additional language make rapid progress and soon learn to communicate effectively with other pupils, their teachers and support staff. French is taught very effectively throughout the school and this enhances the pupils’ language skills further. Music teaching is of a very high standard, resulting in high quality choral singing, performing and composing. Teachers are very good at using traditional and modern literature as well as the expressive and fine arts to enrich and broaden the curriculum and this motivates and interests the pupils very much. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very good. Teachers provide a broad range of practical and relevant tasks but more attention should be given to improving basic writing skills in Year 2. There are very good opportunities for the pupils to use ICT to support their learning. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The pupils receive very good support. The pupils with learning difficulties are identified early and make very good progress. Higher attaining pupils identified with particular aptitudes are provided with good and effective support to enable them to reach their potential. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Most of these pupils speak another European language. Very good assessments of their needs are made and they are supported well in lessons and other school activities. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Aspect Comment

development Provision is excellent and is supported by a broad range of activities in school and outside school times. These include music, singing, sport, dance and drama, which make a significant contribution to the pupils’ social and cultural development. Excellent provision is made for the pupils’ spiritual and moral development. The pupils are also developing a very good understanding of life in a multi-cultural society. How well the school cares for its pupils There is a very good level of care provided for all the pupils. The school has very good procedures to assess how well the pupils are doing. The teachers’ marking helps the pupils to improve on their work.

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Aspect Comment

Parents believe that the school promotes excellent spiritual and moral values. They say that this supports their children’s personal, spiritual and social development. Regular information about the curriculum and school events are welcomed by parents and the large majority are pleased with the range of work their children do, including extra-curricular activities, music, expressive and creative arts and sport.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good and effective leadership. Two senior teachers work closely with the headteacher to monitor lessons and pupils’ work. The management of the school is clearly focused on maintaining high standards and supporting the pupils’ personal development. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body provides very good and effective support. They work closely with the school and its staff and have a clear understanding of their role in supporting and improving the school further. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is very good because the governors and staff have established clear priorities in the school development plan. They undertake a Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 11 thorough audit of school resources and they monitor and evaluate the school’s performance.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources This is excellent. There are clear targets which are matched to spending priorities. The school manages its finances very well, ensuring best value for money when committing resources or spending school funds.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s accommodation has improved considerably, especially with the establishment of a dedicated room for ICT. Support staff, such as classroom learning assistants, are deployed very effectively and make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning and their progress. The administrative staff are very efficient and always make themselves available to parents and visitors as well as supporting the smooth running of the school and its finances.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children make good progress. • The teaching is good and the school provides the right amount of homework. • They are kept well informed and feel comfortable approaching the school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The range of activities provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents think highly of the school and are particularly pleased with the way the headteacher and staff are approachable and supportive. They are kept well informed about the progress their children are making. Inspectors agree with all the views expressed by parents and there were no significant aspects of the school’s work that parents have expressed concern about. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities provided at lunch-times and after school hours. These include singing and the chamber choir, music playing, computer club, science club, homework club, football and cricket as well as other seasonal sports. Relationships with parents and the local community are very good. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 12

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

1. Inspection findings indicate that standards are well above those expected by the age of seven and eleven. This is clearly reflected in the National Curriculum tests where the pupils achieve high standards compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools. The tests results show, for example, that the pupils achieved very well last year by the age of seven in reading, writing, mathematics and science. For eleven-year-olds, tests results over the last four years have been consistently in the top five per cent of all schools. The teaching is very effective as it has consistently maintained these high standards so that all the pupils achieve very well through carefully targeted programmes and well organised lessons. The teachers prepare lessons carefully and have high expectations of all of the pupils. In the lessons seen, a large proportion of the teaching (90 per cent) was either very good or excellent. Over a third of the

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

teaching seen was excellent and there were no unsatisfactory lessons.

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

2. Initial assessments of the children when they first join the Reception class show that their attainment in language, communication, mathematics and in their personal development is above that expected of four-year-olds. From an early age the children in the Reception year are effectively taught to read, write and use numbers. They apply these skills to other subjects and topics and make very good progress, for example, in science where teacher assessments by the end of Year 2 have been consistently well above the national average. In an excellent mathematics lesson, the Reception children used their knowledge of days of the week to recall very clearly what they did on Sunday and the day before or the day after. They were able to sequence the days in any order and use their reading book, “Kipper’s Diary”, as a model to produce their own diaries. The teacher clearly explained what every child was to do

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

and grouped them so that the classroom assistant and teacher could work closely with individual pupils to extend their thinking further. The pupils quickly spotted incorrect sequences of days and re-arranged these to explain a sequence of important events over a series of days. The children also demonstrated that they have been taught to read and write very effectively. Most are able write simple sentences alongside illustrated captions to demonstrate sequences of related events. The teacher identified “time” and “days of the week” as areas for further development following her assessment of the pupils and then planned a series of lessons to improve their knowledge of time and the associated mathematical vocabulary.

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

3. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching is very good because it enables the pupils to use the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy and apply these to other subjects, for example, science. In an excellent Year 1 science lesson for example, the teacher sensitively involved those pupils who were less confident about how plants grow by giving them time to answer using key words listed on the board as a reminder of the work done in previous lessons. The pupils read aloud and then answered questions about the important factors involved in growing cress seeds. In a very good mathematics lesson for pupils with special educational needs (SEN), the teacher worked in the school’s computer suite where the pupils used ICT to draw basic shapes. The teacher helped the pupils to recall the names and properties of shapes and to self-correct and question their ideas and knowledge of shapes. In both year groups, the pupils

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

learn to use appropriate language to solve simple number problems, for example, in a good Year 2 mathematics lesson, the pupils developed a very good understanding of quarters and halves and applied these to times on a clock face.

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

4. In an excellent Year 3 English lesson, the pupils were asked to recite poems from memory, having practised these for homework. The task set high expectations as the teacher asked the pupils to recite the poems so that they could express the author’s intended humour. For Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 13 example, one pupil started, “I’m rich, I’m rich, I’ve just been told…” and recited the first few lines with enthusiasm to portray the happy and joyous mood of the poem. When asked to evaluate the readings, another pupil answered, “I like the way she changes her voice to distinguish the characters.” Both the recitals and pupils’ responses and critical evaluations demonstrate a high level of language and competence in reading. Over two-thirds of the Year 3 class are reading well above the standards expected for their age. The teacher is able to move the lesson on at a brisk pace to the main writing activity which required the pupils to

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

investigate and construct different styles of letter writing. Using a real letter sent to one of the pupils from Buckingham Palace, the teacher asked the pupils to distinguish this type of letter from others. The lesson involved a thorough analysis of different letter writing styles, undertaken by the pupils in groups and resulted in some excellent responses in preparation for future lessons on the same theme. The teaching was very effective in reinforcing what the pupils already knew about letter writing and at the same time introduced new language skills such as including words that signalled time sequences such as “meanwhile”, “first” or “then”. Very good use was made of the class computer to allow groups of pupils to write and edit letters.

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

5. In Year 4, a group of pupils with moderate learning difficulties were debating the place of school uniform. The teaching successfully focused the pupils on distinguishing facts and opinions in a text. The teacher recorded how well the pupils had done and set targets for future lessons. Consequently, the pupils make very good and rapid progress in reading, writing, speaking and listening. This level of planning and assessment is common throughout the school. In an excellent Year 5 mathematics lesson, the teacher built on previous work by reinforcing the pupils understanding of fractions to introduce percentages. The teacher’s excellent subject knowledge instilled confidence in the pupils who quickly grasped that tenths and hundredths could easily be converted into percentages and that these could be applied to other fractions such as a half, quarter and three quarters. Nearly two-thirds of the class are

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

already working at levels well above those expected of Year 5 pupils. In their use and application of number, the pupils in Year 5 are working at levels normally expected of 11-year- olds. Most are able to calculate decimals and fractions mentally and successfully convert one to the other. The teacher’s planning builds very effectively on previous lessons and helps the pupils to improve their knowledge and understanding of more complex numbers.

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

6. By the end of Year 6, the pupils are achieving very high standards in the core subjects of English, mathematic and science. It is clear that the teaching is consistently strong throughout this key stage, from year 3 through to Year 6. In an outstanding English lesson, Year 6 pupils enjoyed reading and acting out extracts from “A midsummer night’s dream”. One of the many tasks prepared by the teacher was to investigate and translate the Elizabethan style of language into modern terminology. The humour and joy of the lessons was breathtaking as the pupils threw themselves into their favourite parts and characters. In an exchange between Bottom and Titania for example, two pupils were able to translate and improve their performance in front of the class. “I think he is going to be very imperious with the fairies….” And when asked what this meant, another pupil explained that the character was being

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By the age of seven and eleven, the pupils achieve high standards because the teaching is

“arrogant” and “domineering”. The teacher’s subject knowledge and confidence with the subject matter was an excellent feature of the lesson. As early as registration, the pupils were asked to think of puns which could be discussed in the English lesson later in the day. Very good quality writing was produced and the pupils demonstrated a clear understanding and enjoyment of the play which is to be followed up later this term with a visit to the Globe theatre in London. Most of the class are working well above the standards expected of Year 6. The high quality teaching succeeded in motivating the pupils and helped them to understand the subtle nuances of Shakespeare’s language and share in the humour of the play. It was a delightful lesson and achieved very high standards. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 14

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

7. Whilst maintaining high standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, which are reflected in the National Curriculum tests each year, the school also provides a broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum is enriched and enhanced with high quality music provision. Consequently, the standard of choral singing and music playing is outstanding. The school’s specialist music teacher teaches singing to all year groups. The lessons are usually very good or excellent and from an early age the pupils are taught to improve their singing skills as well as listening to and appraising recorded music. In a very good singing session for Reception children, the teacher enabled the children to vary pitch, dynamics and rhythm as they sang familiar and traditional songs. In an excellent music lesson for Year 6 pupils, a very high standard of singing and music playing was achieved as the pupils

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

sang and performed La Volta in three parts. An ensemble of two violins, two descant recorders and a keyboard player accompanied the singing. The pupils could play three different rhythms whilst accompanying the singing which was then accompanied by some untuned percussion. All the pupils sing in unison to a very high standard and, together with the significant number who can play a musical instrument, this demonstrated how successful the school is in teaching music to reach these high standards. During one school assembly, a pupil was asked to accompany the hymn singing on the piano and this was done to a very high standard. At the end of the assembly another pupil played some jazz music on the piano as the pupils filed out of the hall. Music features strongly as an extra-curricular activity with regular weekly lunchtime rehearsals for the choir, a descant recorder group who are preparing for

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

national examinations and a chamber choir which specialises in singing choral chamber music. Music and drama combine very well and the school has an established reputation for producing large scale productions which include famous stories such as the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

8. Art and design and the creative and expressive arts are very well taught. In Year 1, the pupils were observed mixing and blending colours. ICT was also used to produce pictures with contrasting colours using a graphic program. The art and design group looked at prints of well known artists such as “The Dance” by Rego, “Experiment with air pumps” by Wright and Pissaro’s “Paris, the Boulevard Montmarte at Night”. The teacher used these to point out how the artists blended colours to create different shades. The pupils then used paint and pastels to produce shades of light and dark colours with many pupils quickly learning to rub together two different pastels to produce a blending pattern of colour. In Year 4, the pupils made paper sculptures to wear on their heads. This delightful lesson was thoroughly enjoyed by the pupils who were absorbed by the whole concept, right from the time they were asked to

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

investigate this for homework by producing paper straw plaits and coils. In the lessons observed the teacher taught the pupils to use newspaper as a medium for their sculptures. The pupils appreciate and evaluate each other’s work as they produce some very effective drawings and sculptures. Other year groups, for example, Years 5 and 6 have produced some very effective clay sculptures depicting Greek Gods and goddesses or characters in Greek mythology as part of their history topic about Ancient Civilisations. These are attractively displayed in a corridor along with a very good range of other artwork. The range of art and design on display also demonstrates that the school has made very good progress in art and design since its last inspection. The work displayed includes textile work called “Butterflies” in Year 1; weaving patterns made by Years 2 and 5 and textile plaits and tassels in Year 3; a

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

very good range of tie-dyeing in Year 4; a combination of art and design and technology where the pupils in Year 6 have made felt slippers; very good poetry combines with illustrations about the circus in Year 3 with very good quality perspective drawings; colour mixing and the use of a techniques known as “pointillism” together with collage portraits are displayed by Years 4 and 5, and some very good studies of African tribal art with year 6 pupils Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 15 using soft sculptures of animals and birds. The Reception children produced an excellent patchwork quilt using a range of materials and media that included textiles, flour and paint. The computer club enables some pupils to use graphics programs to produce a range of good quality artwork which is combined very well with ICT skills.

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

9. The school appointed a part-time French teacher to teach French to all pupils. The Year 6 class teacher also teaches French to the Reception class every week. The French lessons observed were of high quality and they are taught very effectively. The pupils thoroughly enjoy learning a modern foreign language and soon learn to use conversational French which enhances their language skills. Very good use is also made of pupils who speak French as their home language to help other pupils. This was observed in a very good lesson where the teacher, who originates from France herself. The lessons observed in Year 2 involved all the pupils who responded enthusiastically to the many opportunities they had to speak French in front of their classmates.

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music, the creative, expressive and fine arts. French is taught to all the pupils, and there is

The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, senior staff and governors.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

and this has enhanced the school’s curriculum and teaching further.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

10. The headteacher provides very good and effective leadership. She is an experienced headteacher who is highly valued by the parents, admired by her pupils and respected by the staff. She sets high expectations and leads in a calm and purposeful way reflecting the school’s Christian and spiritual aims and ethos. This accounts for the popularity of the school and its good reputation in the community. The headteacher and governors have re-structured the senior management team and appointed two senior teachers to replace the post of deputy headteacher. This has led to more effective monitoring, helping the school to be clear about how well the pupils are doing and how well the teachers teach. This has also involved the staff who lead subjects of the curriculum or aspects of the school. There is a good balance of expertise amongst the staff and their very good subject knowledge enables them to review the

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

impact each subject is having on the pupils’ achievements and progress. The headteacher, staff and governors undertake regular school-wide evaluations with the focus being on continuous improvement and the maintenance of high standards. This has given a clear educational direction for the work of the school. Parents are pleased with the personal contribution the headteacher has made in establishing the school’s good reputation for achievement and high standards. All of the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, pull together as a team and this is effective in developing a strong sense of purpose and self-worth amongst pupils and parents. The parents are very pleased with the positive and supportive ethos of the school.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

11. The issues raised from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. This has included a thorough review of the school’s systems and curriculum planning for the provision of ICT, art and design. Consequently, standards have improved in both subjects considerably and, together with the substantial improvements to the school building and accommodation, resources for both subjects have also improved. Pupil assessments are analysed and collated by the headteacher and senior staff and these help teachers plan lessons that are better matched to the pupils’ needs and set accurate attainment targets.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

12. The governors are knowledgeable and experienced and are very committed to the needs of the school and its pupils. They are provided with regular reports by the senior staff and headteacher. This helps the governors to monitor the work of the school along with the headteacher and subject leaders, giving them a clear insight into the work being done and the progress that the pupils are making. The resources of the school are very good overall. They are well used and easily accessible. In particular, the resources for ICT have been improved so that all the pupils have regular access to computers and new technologies such as the Internet and electronic mailing facilities. During the inspection, the computer club were Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 16 involved in e-mailing their friends and the pupils say that they thoroughly enjoy using the ICT room.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

13. The senior teachers and subject leaders monitor and support staff well in their respective subjects and areas of responsibility. They are very well supported by the headteacher, and together they provide an effective curriculum supported by good quality professional development programmes for the staff. The effective deployment of classroom learning assistants has been successful in helping them to provide highly skilled intervention programmes for teaching individuals and groups of pupils.

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

14. Financial planning is excellent and the budget is used very effectively to improve resources and ensure that the limited space the school has is used well. The school development and improvement plan is clearly set out, showing priorities for further improvement. These priorities have been arrived at through careful audits, reviews and monitoring, led by the headteacher and guided by local and national initiatives. The headteacher and governors, together with the senior staff, set appropriate targets for improvement which are costed with clear terms of reference for the governors and staff to be able to measure how well each area is progressing. In this way the school makes efficient use of its limited funds ensuring that spending provides value for money. This is very much driven by the headteacher’s determination to provide high quality resources for the pupils in an educational environment

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The governors have improved the school’s resources and accommodation extremely well

where second best will not do. The larger than normal carry forward budget from last year has already been allocated to improve the internal appearance of the school following the extensions to the building and refurbishment programme. The school occupies a very small site in a residential area of South West London and the governors have done very well to extend the building with the minimum of disruption under very difficult circumstances. During this time, high standards have been maintained and the school has operated efficiently. Credit for this is largely due to the staff and governors who have worked in partnership with the Local Authority to ensure that the school’s facilities and resources are the very best possible for the pupils.

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

result, the pupils thrive in a positive and supportive learning environment.

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

15. Teaching and support staff, including administrative staff, ensure that the pupils are very well cared for monitored and supported. Provision for this is very good. Relationships across the school are excellent and, as a result, there is a positive and supportive working environment throughout. The school has a strong spiritual, social and moral code that is followed by both pupils and staff and respected by parents and the community. Teachers and learning support assistants, with their sensitive and caring attitude towards the pupils, provide very good role models. The procedures for ensuring the welfare of pupils are very good and the school has been successful in maintaining this since the last inspection. All the pupils have equal access to the school’s curriculum, and teachers and support staff plan activities that involve and encourage their full participation. The staff are very successful in improving the confidence of

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

those pupils who would not otherwise participate in class discussions. Teachers are also effective in improving the pupils’ self-esteem and developing good speaking and listening skills through interesting and varied class discussions.

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

16. In assemblies the pupils enjoy celebrating achievements or sharing their experiences about life events. The pupils have recently been involved in a remembrance service for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The pupils have written down their thoughts and messages of condolence in a special book which is quietly and sensitively displayed alongside a remembrance candle. Extra-curricular clubs and activities provide opportunities for the pupils to play team games and they receive coaching from a qualified football coach sent by Fulham Football Club. In lessons, break-times and after school clubs, the pupils are extremely well behaved, polite and sensible. They are courteous and respectful of each other’s feelings and Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 17 are always prepared to help and support others, whether in a team game or groups activity during lessons.

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

17. Computers are well used to enable the pupils to e-mail other groups or pupils. Access to the Internet opens the wider world to all the pupils. The staff regularly plan educational visits, for example, Year 6 are visiting the Globe theatre in London as part of their study of the works of William Shakespeare. The music teacher organises opportunities for the pupils to perform and sing in public. There are also opportunities provided for the pupils to see orchestras playing or to visit the opera. In all of the activities provided by the school, the staff encourage the pupils to work with others; to work as a team and to form constructive relationships with others. Consequently, the pupils learn to appreciate others and show maturity and responsibility in lessons and at other times. Teachers and support staff keep very good records of the pupils’ academic and personal development. Classroom assistants often record

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excellent. Teaching and support staff ensure that the pupils are very well cared for and, as a

how well the pupils respond in class discussions or in their group work. In one lesson for example, the teacher deliberately involved a pupil who is reticent to speak aloud and in a very short space of time she gained in confidence as other pupils helped to explain her ideas and answer questions. This is truly a caring and supportive school where everyone is valued and respected and the staff ensure that every pupil has something to offer.

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

worth. This enables them to have respect for other’s feelings and emotions.

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

18. The school’s provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is excellent. It is extremely effective in fostering these aspects of pupils’ personal development and is clearly reflected in the school’s mission statement: “To provide children with a broad and balanced curriculum, central to which are the life and teachings of Christ”. The statement goes on to say, “We (the school) believe that every human being has a dignity that must be respected and enhanced.” In everything the school does, whether through its curriculum or in its day to day management of the pupils, the aim is to ensure that the pupils become confident and committed learners with good levels of self-esteem. The implications for daily life are captured in the school prayer that the pupils know off by heart. It calls for peace, contentment, love and community. The school aims for the fullest possible development of the

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

children, alert to the needs of others as well as their personal priorities.

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

19. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual development draws on this Christian foundation which becomes explicit in contexts such as the daily acts of worship and religious education lessons. Parallels are drawn between incidents in the life of Jesus and other religious figures, and the implications for life in the school, pupils’ families, their locality, and the wider world are considered. Hymns give praise and thanks, celebrating the joys of community and the wonders of the world. Short prayers start and end each day. The pupils hear stories in assemblies illustrating care and consideration for others and respect for those whose religious beliefs and ways of life are different from their own. Lessons for living are derived from the ways in which people’s beliefs influence their behaviour towards others. On these occasions and in lessons, the pupils are taught to appreciate the less material aspects of life - the

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

mysteries and joy of music, the secrets of science, the magic of mathematics and the wonder of words in poetry, drama and story writing. An especially striking example of the pupils’ awareness of such intangible aspects of human experience is captured in lessons involving the wonders of playwrights such as Shakespeare, artists such as Van Gogh and well known musicians such as Bach and Mozart.

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

20. Provision for the pupils’ moral development is closely linked to the growth of their spiritual sensitivity and is excellent. It finds expression in the excellent relationships that are seen throughout the school and in the passing moments of humour enjoyed by all the pupils in their lessons which are usually brought alive through music, poetry recitals or story-telling. The pupils treat others with the respect and consideration which they themselves are experiencing. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 18 Other opportunities for developing understanding include story telling which has a moral dimension. The happy, friendly atmosphere which results from this provision enables the pupils to give their full attention to their learning which, in turn, enhances their achievements and their commitment to further improvement. Music playing by talented individuals and groups or ensembles show how deep these values go in pupils’ minds. These occasions celebrate the

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

success of the pupils who are honoured for personal contributions to the daily life of the school or for their particular talents. Teachers and support staff often celebrate the commitment and success of individuals, groups or teams in meeting academic challenges of various levels of difficulty. The pupils’ concern for others extends beyond people in their immediate environment to those in distress in distant countries. In geography, for example, pupils learned about the desperate need for clean water in some African countries.

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

21. Social and cultural development are excellent. The pupils are encouraged in many lessons to work together in pairs and small groups and the school’s programme of educational visits increases these opportunities. Often teachers specifically plan group activities such as in a science lesson for Year 6 pupils who worked in small groups to categorise and identify the properties of different rocks. In an excellent Year 5 history lesson, the pupils enjoyed sharing ideas about Ancient Greek civilization, working together using their notes to investigate how Greek theatre and tragedy plays were used to communicate stories and ideologies at that time. The pupils are encouraged to carry out useful tasks including tidying library areas and delivering messages. The celebration assemblies are effectively used to recognise the pupils’ achievements, many of which have involved them in socialising with others. There are many

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cultural values and beliefs help the pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and self-

opportunities for pupils to learn about different cultures through a geography curriculum that covers the concept of distant places very well. Work displayed throughout the school shows that the pupils learn about the cultures of Africa, Japan, China and India as well as European countries such as France.

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handwriting style. Also ensure that the pupils are taught to punctuate their writing well and

spell accurately, making fewer common errors.

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handwriting style. Also ensure that the pupils are taught to punctuate their writing well and

22. The national test results in 2001 for Year 2 indicate that standards in writing were well above the national average. Although the standards were high last year, the current Year 2 pupils are not writing to the same high standard. An analysis of their attainment on entry to the Reception year does not show any significant difference in their attainment when compared with previous years. The analysis of the pupils’ written work indicates that their writing is in need of further improvement. The inconsistencies in the pupils’ writing are largely related to a lack of attention given to improving handwriting, spelling and punctuation. Although handwriting is taught and practised systematically, this appears to have had little impact as the standard of presentation in workbooks shows inconsistencies and irregular handwriting. Stories are sometimes poorly constructed and far too short, so that the volume of work from

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handwriting style. Also ensure that the pupils are taught to punctuate their writing well and

the more capable pupils does not reflect their potential. Some of the pupils mix capital letters with lower case letters and some pupils are still not using capital letters correctly.

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handwriting style. Also ensure that the pupils are taught to punctuate their writing well and

23. A substantial amount of the written work done by Year 2 pupils shows too many common spelling errors. For example, the pupils have misspelt some high frequency words such as “whent” or “oppen”. The teachers’ marking, although offering praise for their efforts, is not evaluative and does not help the pupils to self-correct or improve their spelling. Consequently, their spelling has not improved significantly since the start of the school year. Spelling and punctuation corrections are not always followed up and there is evidence of the pupils repeating the same errors again in other pieces of writing. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 19

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the very good work being done and improve the quality of education further, the governing body, headteacher and staff should now:

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* Improve writing standards in Year 2 by:

- setting consistently high expectations of the pupils when presenting their written work;

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* Improve writing standards in Year 2 by:

- teaching spelling and punctuation rules more effectively so that pupils use punctuation more accurately and spell high frequency and common words consistently;

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* Improve writing standards in Year 2 by:

- applying more rigorous attention to improving handwriting, punctuation and spelling when marking the pupils’ work to ensure that errors are not repeated.

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* Improve writing standards in Year 2 by:

(Paragraphs: 22-23) Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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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 number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 191

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 33

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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 31

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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 4

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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 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 21 If there are fewer than ten pupils in any category the tables of results below do not show the number of pupils but percentages are indicated.

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

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

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (96) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 10 18 28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (96) 100 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 17 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (88) 96 (84) 100 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 22

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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 3 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 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 exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.8 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 528,595

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 514,344

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 128 Expenditure per pupil 2,693

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 26,206

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 40,457

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady of Victories Catholic (Aided) Primary School - 23

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 67 32 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 30 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 55 40 4 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 65 30 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 19 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 20 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 63 32 4 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 85 14 0 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 29 0 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 38 9 5 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Some parents have also commented on how much they respect the school and the staff. They indicated that the school has a good reputation in the area for achieving high standards and this, together with the school’s spiritual and Catholic ethos, are the reasons why they choose to send their children to the school.

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