St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School

SS PETER AND PAUL RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 6 th February 2003

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SS PETER AND PAUL RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cricket Green Mitcham Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Father L Taylor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22199 Mrs J Wotherspoon Registered inspector Art and design English as an additional language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 11041 Mr M Moore Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 27426 Mr T Aldridge Team inspector Design and technology Foundation Stage How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

32294 Mr C James Team inspector Mathematics Geography Physical education 12276 Mr T Payne Team inspector Science Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 23412 Mr A Jeffs Team inspector Information and communication technology History Educational inclusion, including race equality Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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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 SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES 24

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

SS Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Primary School draws its pupils mainly from the local parish. Broadly average social and economic features are reflected in the number of pupils claiming free schools meals, which at around ten per cent is slightly below the national average. The school population has grown since the last inspection and is now above average with 497 boys and girls aged between three and eleven. Sixty pupils currently attend part time in the nursery. Pupils start in the nursery in the term after their third birthday. They transfer to reception in the September following their fourth birthday – the youngest do so on a part-time basis until January when all attend full time. Attainment on entry to the nursery is low, especially in communication, language and literacy. A significant proportion of children start school with low levels of English. A high proportion of pupils (about two-fifths) speak English as an

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

additional language. This figure has increased since the last inspection. The main languages are French, Twi, Italian, and Yoruba, but no language dominates. Overall, pupils at the school speak 32 different languages. Nearly 100 pupils are supported through funding from the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG). The school has 114 pupils whom it identifies as having special educational needs. This is an above average percentage compared with national figures, but most are catered for with additional support from learning support assistants. Twelve pupils are at the ‘school action plus’ stage, where the special educational needs co-ordinator provides additional help and outside agencies are involved. Eleven pupils have statements of special educational needs; this is a higher than average proportion that reflects the difficulties experienced by a significant group of pupils with regard to language and literacy.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

In common with many schools in the London area, the school has found it difficult to recruit permanent staff and, as a result, there has been a high turnover of temporary teaching staff. At the time of the inspection, several vacancies were filled by temporary appointments and teachers who are technically unqualified because they trained overseas. Two class teachers are new to the profession. In the last three years the school has undergone significant change. Local authority reorganisation has resulted in the school changing status from a primary school for pupils aged three to nine to a full primary school. This has involved an extensive programme of building works.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school with strengths in many areas. Standards are broadly average by Year 6 and this represents good achievement from a below average starting point. Teaching is good overall but with some weaknesses in some year groups. The headteacher has given the school very strong and positive leadership during a time of significant change. A strong ethos of care and a positive environment for learning ensures that pupils are well integrated. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • Provides a warm, caring ethos, founded on very good relationships, in which the achievement of each individual is valued • Promotes good behaviour and very good attitudes to learning in an environment where pupils’ personal development is promoted strongly • Children make a good start to school life in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception) • Support for pupils with learning difficulties and for those who speak English as an additional language contributes significantly to their achievement • Strong links with parents are fostered • Strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well established • Very good leadership sets clear expectations of the school community • Standards in music are good

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • The consistency in the quality of teaching for pupils in Years 3 and 4 • The rigour in monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and the standards pupils achieve • The use of day-to-day assessment to give more challenging activities to higher attaining pupils • Procedures for child protection, health and safety, and monitoring attendance The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 6 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school was last inspected in 1997 when it was judged to be a school with many strengths providing a satisfactory quality of education. Since then it has made a satisfactory level of improvement overall. Some aspects, such as improving procedures for assessment and the provision for pupils’ cultural development, have been tackled very well. However, weaknesses remain in the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 4 and need to be addressed with greater rigour. The good features of the school have been sustained through a time of considerable change and despite a number of changes to teaching staff.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results. compared with

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

reading B C C C well above average above average A B writing A B A A average below average C D mathematics A C C C well below average E

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has not taken part in Year 6 tests and so there is no comparative information. The first group of Year 6 pupils will take tests at the end of this year. Evidence of standards in their current work suggests that pupils are on course to meet or slightly exceed the school’s targets in English and mathematics. They are working within the levels expected for their age, but with just a small proportion exceeding expectations. Results in tests in Year 2 are consistently around the average figures or slightly above. Writing has been a focus in recent years and results have improved. Current standards are broadly average, but few pupils are likely to attain higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ progress over time is uneven with a dip in standards seen in the work of pupils currently in Year 4, leaving them with much to catch up in Years 5 and 6. Music is a strength and pupils work at levels

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

above those expected for their age by Year 6. Pupils’ handwriting and presentation are good. Pupils in nursery and reception make good progress in all areas of learning from a low starting point. They make particularly good strides in their personal, social and emotional development and begin Year 1 with good learning habits. However, their skills and knowledge in academic areas of learning are below average because of their low starting point.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils’ attitudes to school are extremely positive; they enjoy coming to school, are enthusiastic about lessons and, in the main, show a great deal of interest in their learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils recognise that good behaviour has a positive impact on relationships and conform to the school’s expectations. Pupils are polite and courteous; they respect and understand the beliefs and feelings of other people.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school gives pupils good opportunity to take initiative and personal responsibility. Pupils carry out their duties conscientiously. They work in pairs and groups in lessons and play together harmoniously. Elected members of the school council discharge their duties in a mature manner. Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance figures are similar to the national average. Unauthorised absence is below average. Punctuality is satisfactory and most lessons start on SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 7 time. TEACHING AND LEARNING

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Quality of teaching Very good Good Satisfactory 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. Overall, the quality of teaching is good and this is an improvement on the previous inspection. However, the quality varies too widely. Much of the good and very good teaching was concentrated in the Foundation Stage but examples were seen in varying quantities in almost all year groups. There were examples of good teaching in most subjects, including in English and mathematics. Some weaknesses in teaching relate to a lack of expertise and knowledge on the part of inexperienced teachers. However, weaknesses in teaching in Year 4 are clearly reflected in the quality of pupils’ work over time; low expectations and a slow pace of work are lowering the standards pupils achieve. Teachers have fully

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

embraced the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy and the structure for these lessons is well established. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well in most classes. Lesson planning is satisfactory and most teachers are clear about what they intend pupils to learn. In the best examples, activities are planned to match a range of pupils’ learning needs. However, there are times when able pupils need more challenging activities. The quality of marking of pupils’ work is too variable and does not always tell pupils what needs to be improved. Most teachers manage pupils well. The school’s strong ethos underpins the very good working relationships in most classes. Pupils show a good level of interest and enthusiasm for learning in most lessons, and good levels of concentration. They take pride in their work which, by Year 6, is well presented and neat. Pupils’ rate of learning is frequently good,

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

especially when they are challenged to extend their knowledge with open-ended tasks. Support staff are deployed well to give effective help to pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and balanced and enhanced with a good number and range of visits including residential trips. However, there are few after-school and lunchtime clubs. The inclusion of French this year further broadens the curriculum. The literacy and numeracy strategies are implemented well. The curriculum for pupils in the Foundation Stage is very stimulating and well planned. Provision for music is a strength. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. All pupils with special educational needs have access to the full National Curriculum, and receive well-focused and relevant support in areas where they experience difficulties. This enables them to make good progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Support for these pupils is very well organised and managed. Specific support is targeted to the areas of most need and so pupils make good

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The strong provision for pupils’ personal development makes a significant contribution to the ethos in the school, which is recognised and much appreciated by parents. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, and social development is very good. For cultural development it is good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are looked after well on a day-to-day basis. However, child protection procedures are unsatisfactory and need updating to be more robust. Assessment procedures are good and the information is used well to modify the curriculum for pupils. However, assessment information could be used better when planning individual lessons. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 8 HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher gives a very good lead in setting expectations and creating a positive and caring ethos in the school. She is supported well by the deputy headteacher and other staff with management responsibilities. Changes to the physical environment and to the nature of the school during the last three years have been managed smoothly. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors have a good level of involvement in setting the priorities for development. They are well aware of the school’s strengths and challenges that the school faces. However, their formal monitoring of statutory procedures needs greater rigour. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Detailed analysis of test information underpins the identification of priorities for development. Actions are planned and followed through well. However, the monitoring of teaching quality is not rigorous

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

enough to address the inconsistencies in practice. The strategic use of resources Good. Funding is directed well towards the school’s main priorities for development. Specific grants are used appropriately for their designated purposes and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. The school’s large underspend is earmarked appropriately for developing the playground.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Staffing levels are good. The school has suffered considerable turnover of teaching staff and has been unable to recruit permanent staff to many posts. However, staff are committed and work well as a team. Support staff who work with pupils with learning difficulties contribute very effectively to the teaching in the school and are well deployed. The accommodation is satisfactory. It is enhanced with a number of additional rooms but there is no dedicated play space for reception pupils; plans are well in hand to address this deficit. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily. Resources are satisfactory although the library is not well stocked. There is a good ratio of computers to pupils, which is helping to raise standards.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school • The school expects pupils to work hard and they are making good progress • The teaching is good • The school helps pupils develop into mature and responsible people • The staff are approachable when parents have queries or problems • The pupils behave well • The school is led and managed well • The information they receive about their children’s progress • The work that pupils are given to do at home • The range of activities outside of lessons

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Parents are very pleased about many aspects of the school’s work. The positive comments were made by 90 per cent or more of those who replied to the questionnaire. Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views and that there could be more clubs. However, they do not concur with parents about homework, which is satisfactory, or the information they receive which is good. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 9

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The school has had no results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 because this is the first academic year that the school has catered for pupils of this age. Standards of work seen during inspection show that most pupils are attaining the standards expected for their age in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, but only a small proportion are regularly working at a higher level. Pupils are on course to meet the modest targets that have been set by the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. At the end of Year 2, National Curriculum test results are consistently around or slightly above the national figures in reading, writing and mathematics. In the most recent national tests in 2002, results were broadly average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. In reading, a high proportion of pupils, including many with special educational needs, attain the expected level, Level 2. However, the number who attain beyond expectations for their age is below the national figures. Teachers assessed pupils’ levels of science knowledge and understanding as broadly average. Again, more pupils attained the level expected but few pupils attained higher levels. Inspection evidence suggests that results are likely to be similar to the average in all three areas this year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Good use of assessment information in the core subjects of English and mathematics is helping the school to focus attention on those areas that need improvement. For example, the school’s focus on writing is helping to raise standards in this element of pupils’ work. A careful system of tracking attainment year on year helps to identify pupils who may be falling behind and/or those who require additional support. The school is aware that the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels is too low and has put in place a system of setting individual targets to raise expectations. However, at present, this is not always matched by appropriately challenging work in lessons.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. During their time in school pupils are achieving well. They make good progress through the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception) and into Years 1 and 2. The local education authority’s analysis of pupils’ results, from baseline assessments at the start of the reception year to the end of Year 2, shows that pupils make good progress. However, at present, their rate of progress is uneven in Years 3 to 6. Progress is mainly steady in Year 3 but dips markedly in Year 4. This dip is evident in the quality of pupils’ work and in the learning seen during inspection, which at best was just satisfactory. Progress increases in Years 5 and 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Many pupils start in the nursery with low levels of skill in communication, language and literacy. The school has recorded an increase in the number of pupils who have speech and language difficulties. In addition, many pupils are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Skills in mathematics, in pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world and in their personal and social development are also well below average. The children make good progress across all areas of learning in the nursery and reception classes, although the skills and knowledge of a significant number of pupils remain below that expected by the end of reception. However, pupils do begin Year 1 with good learning skills. Expectations of behaviour are well established and pupils have positive attitudes to learning which help them to make good progress. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 10 6. Standards in speaking and listening are average by Year 2. Most pupils are able to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

answer questions appropriately in response to their teacher’s encouragement to extend their ideas. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are not so well developed in Years 3 and 4 where weaknesses in teachers’ classroom management mean that pupils find it difficult to listen to others. By Year 6, standards are at least average. Pupils confidently and enthusiastically answer questions in lessons but sometimes teachers miss opportunities to extend pupils’ speaking skills because they dominate the discussion. Standards in reading are average by Year 2 with many pupils reading at the level expected for their age. They practise regularly, both at school and at home, and are well supported by their parents. Teachers place a high emphasis on developing pupils’ knowledge of letter sounds and teach pupils strategies for tackling unfamiliar words. More able pupils read fluently and with expression. The reading recovery programme is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

successful in targeting pupils who need additional support to develop their reading skills. By Year 6, the majority of pupils are confident and well motivated readers who read silently with a good level of sustained concentration. Higher attaining pupils are confident, expressive readers who demonstrate a good level of comprehension. Pupils’ library skills are developed effectively through regular use of the library. However, the range of non-fiction and fiction books for Year 6 pupils is limited. Writing standards are broadly average. By Year 2, most pupils can write using punctuated sentences and more able pupils use interesting vocabulary. Spellings are mainly correct. Standards dip in Year 4. The good handwriting and presentation of pupils’ work seen elsewhere throughout the school is not sustained here. Common words are spelt incorrectly and the quality of pupils’ writing, the structure, use of grammar and the content are below

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

expectations for their age. By Year 6, standards are back to average. Pupils successfully write in a range of styles and formats. Their work is generally well structured and interesting to read. Descriptive language is used effectively and the best work is imaginative. However, errors in spelling and grammar are not always recognised and corrected by the pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In mathematics, standards are broadly average in Years 2 and 6 but dip in Year 4. Most pupils in Year 2 are working at the levels expected for their age, for example in their knowledge of number bonds, table facts and strategies for doubling and halving to solve number problems. By Year 6, pupils select appropriate methods to solve number problems and, for example, use their knowledge of addition to check the accuracy of their answers to subtraction calculations. They successfully use a range of mental, paper and pencil or calculator methods to solve calculations. Their work is neatly presented and this helps to ensure accuracy.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in science are broadly in line with national expectations in Year 2 and Year 6 but fall in Year 4. Pupils’ skills in experimenting with apparatus are developing soundly, and they use the correct terminology in science lessons. Pupils in Year 2 use simple methods of recording what they have observed and found out. The work in Year 4 is not of a high enough standard. By Year 6, standards are restored to an appropriate level. Pupils understand the conditions needed for making tests fair, carry out investigative work, make sensible predictions and record their findings in diagrams and tables.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Standards are rising in information and communication technology (ICT) as pupils are making good progress in developing their skills and knowledge across all aspects of the subject. Resources in the new ICT suite are good. Pupils are confident in using computers and by Year 6 have developed a satisfactory range of skills in data handling and control technology. They use the Internet to find information and wordprocessing skills are developing well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards seen in other subjects are broadly in line with the levels expected. Since the last inspection standards in art and design, design and technology and in physical SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 11 education have improved to a satisfactory level that is broadly as expected for pupils’ ages by the time they are ready to leave the school. Pupils now achieve satisfactorily in these subjects, whereas at the last inspection their progress was judged unsatisfactory. Standards in music are above expectation by Year 6. This is as a result of good teaching by the music specialist.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Individual education plans (IEPs) indicate good progress with regard to English, numeracy and behaviour targets set for individual pupils over a year and from year to year. Pupils with very complex learning difficulties are usually well included in all class activities and there is significant progress taking place in this respect throughout the school. Plans are well monitored and the data indicates that the involvement of teachers, parents and pupils contributes well to the success of agreed targets.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and speak little or no English on entry into school are supported well. Targeted pupils receive regular and well-focused support from a part-time teacher and two part-time assistants and, as a result, these pupils make good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ attitudes to the school are very good. The school is a very orderly community and pupils demonstrate good behaviour. Relationships at the school are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ attitudes to school are extremely positive, they enjoy coming to school, are enthusiastic about lessons and, in the main, show a great deal of interest in their learning. In most lessons, pupils work very hard, relate extremely well to each other and to adults and enjoy the company of visitors. At playtime and lunchtime, pupils play extremely well together and relate to each other. During the inspection week, inspectors were impressed by the courtesy and friendliness shown to them by pupils who were anxious to show them around the school and celebrate their achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ behaviour in the school is mostly good. Just occasionally behaviour in lessons deteriorates where teaching is not strong. The school rules are reinforced by staff, understood and respected by pupils and their good behaviour amply reflects the strong Christian ethos of the school. The personal health, social education and citizenship programme, which is taught throughout the school, has a strong influence on pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes. Pupils realise that good behaviour has a positive impact on relationships and they respect and understand the beliefs and feelings of other people. Pupils have a good respect for their own belongings and the school’s and other people’s property. They treat school equipment: books, computers, and other learning resources, with great care and respect. The inspection findings support the views of the overwhelming majority of parents who believe that behaviour in the school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

The school is free from vandalism and graffiti; there have been no permanent or fixed term exclusions during the past year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The school strongly promotes pupils’ personal development and relationships between staff and pupils are very good. Pupils work well together in shared tasks. For example in a Year 1 design and technology lesson, pupils worked extremely well in pairs to design and construct a model swing and slide and were proud to show their finished work to the observing inspector. In a Year 6 science lesson, pupils worked very well collaboratively in an experiment and behaved in a sensible and mature manner in discussing the results with their teacher. Pupils show respect for each other and to pupils who experience problems with regard to learning or behaviour. The accepting and valuing attitude of the school means that everyone receives the attention they need SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 12 and no one is penalised if an area of school life is difficult for them. In one very good numeracy lesson, a pupil with significant language difficulties demonstrated her

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

developing counting skills to the class. Although these skills were at an early stage, the class showed real appreciation and applauded the pupil. This could have been patronising, but within the very positive classroom ethos it was respectful and supportive. The pupil gained a lot from the experience. The high level of respect that all pupils show for each other provides many pupils with greater confidence in tackling tasks that are difficult for them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The school gives pupils good opportunity to take initiative and personal responsibility. Year 4 pupils are appointed as special helpers to mentor children in the reception class and act as playground monitors. Year 5 pupils help Years 1 and 2 pupils in the playground and help in the library and Year 6 pupils help as prefects in dinner duties and monitoring the behaviour of younger pupils. They keep prefect notebooks, which are monitored by the teachers. Members of the elected school council meet regularly to discuss and debate in a mature manner items that they wish to bring to the attention of the school. In this way pupils have a genuine role to play in making decisions about school life. Issues discussed so far include school uniforms, school rules and the development of the playground.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Attendance at the school is at the national average and is satisfactory. Unauthorised absence is below the national average. Punctuality is satisfactory and most lessons start on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. In two-thirds of lessons, teaching was good or better and it was very good in a third. Much of the good and very good teaching was concentrated in the Foundation Stage but examples were seen in varying quantities in almost all year groups. Examples of excellent teaching were seen in Year 2 and Year 6. The quality of teaching was very good in the Foundation Stage, and good in English, ICT and music. There were examples of good teaching in most subjects and the specialist teaching of pupils with English as an additional language was good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The six lessons in which teaching was unsatisfactory were in Years 3, 4 and 5. Not all examples of unsatisfactory teaching seen were representative of the quality of pupils’ work or of the standards they achieve over time. In the main, they relate to a lack of expertise and knowledge on the part of inexperienced teachers. In Year 3, pupils’ work indicates teaching that is mainly satisfactory and pupils make sound progress. However, in Year 4, weaknesses in teaching are clearly reflected in the quality of pupils’ work over time in the key subjects of English, mathematics and science. Low expectations and a slow pace of work are resulting in standards below expectations for these pupils. These weaknesses need to be addressed with some urgency, especially as similar weaknesses were noted in this year group in the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good. Staff are experienced and knowledgeable about how young children learn. They create a warm and welcoming environment which is also bright and stimulating. A good range of interactive displays capitalises on the children’s natural curiosity and encourages them to explore and investigate the world around them. A very good range of activities is planned to embrace direct teaching and independent choice. Assessment procedures are well established and the children’s progress is carefully monitored to ensure that children have an appropriate balance of activities. All staff provide very good role models and children respond very positively to the high level of care they receive. Adults encourage SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 13 children to take responsibility by providing a good range of opportunities for choice and by involving them in jobs such as tidying away at the end of sessions. As a result,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

children have good levels of independence and co-operation by the end of the reception year. A firm but positive approach to managing the children fosters a clear understanding of right and wrong and so the children behave well. By the end of the reception year, children have learning habits that stand them in good stead for the future. Staff place a strong emphasis on activities that develop children’s basic skills in communication, language and literacy. Daily opportunities for sharing stories and books and for singing rhymes and songs in the nursery, leads on to shortened elements of the National Literacy Strategy in the reception classes. Adults use every opportunity to develop children’s understanding of language and to extend their vocabulary through careful questioning. Different settings for role-play provide very good opportunities for children to engage in conversations. A range of interesting and imaginative

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

mathematical activities is effectively integrated into the daily opportunities for direct teaching and independent learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers have fully embraced the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy and the structure for these lessons is well established. Teachers use the frameworks soundly in their planning and use literacy and numeracy skills satisfactorily in other subjects. Teaching in English in Years 1 to 6 is good overall but with a dip in quality in Year 4. Lessons are planned soundly in line with National Literacy Strategy requirements. At its best, good subject knowledge and a brisk pace encourages pupils to achieve well in the lessons. Resources are used well to sustain pupils’ interest. In mathematics, teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6, but with a similar dip in Year 4. Good features include clear explanations, well-focused questions at different levels to draw out and develop pupils’ understanding and group work that is well matched to pupils’ different abilities. The correct use of mathematical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

language is a positive feature. Practical demonstrations are used well to aid pupils’ understanding and such visual prompts are effective for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Specific skills, such as how to use a protractor in Year 5, are taught well to encourage pupils to be accurate with their measurements.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching is good in ICT. It is underpinned by good management of pupils in the ICT suite, good demonstrations and excellent teamwork between the teacher and the ICT technician. Lesson planning is detailed and consistent between different classes in the same year. Teaching is good in music, where the teacher makes good use of her specialist subject knowledge to support the good achievement of pupils. The content of lessons is well thought out to ensure a high level of involvement by pupils and to encompass all aspects of music in a short time. Teaching is satisfactory in all other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Teaching of English as an additional language by support staff is good. Teaching in small groups is particularly effective. There is a good focus on increasing pupils’ speaking and listening skills and on extending their vocabulary. Adults use a good range of strategies involving visual stimuli and repetition to reinforce these skills. Class teachers use these strategies with varying degrees of success and so the level of support is sometimes satisfactory rather than good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Pupils who have special educational needs are taught well. Most classroom teachers take good notice of the individual education plans. Where appropriate, specialist advice from outside agencies, such as the educational psychologist and local education authority specialist staff, is sought and acted upon. There is good support provided by skilled and trained teaching assistants who show a high degree of sensitivity in supporting these pupils. There is good communication between all staff and classroom assistants are well briefed with regard to what is planned and how to respond to SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 14 individual pupils. Some classroom teachers do not always use the pupils’ IEP targets in planning their lessons, which means that, although pupils with additional needs are included well, opportunities are missed to work on specific areas of development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Lesson planning is generally sound and teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn. Teachers often tell pupils what they are expected to learn and sometimes, but not always, return to the learning objectives at the end of a lesson in order to review what pupils have learnt. In some, but not all, lessons teachers plan work at different levels to match the different learning needs of pupils in their class. There is some evidence of lesson plans being amended as a result of ongoing assessment of pupils’ learning and this is good practice. However, teachers do this with varying degrees of success. Teachers evaluate each lesson but comments rarely focus sharply enough on what the pupils need to improve. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously and, where it is most effective, marking offers comments that clearly tell pupils what to improve. The pupils have targets in English and mathematics that are reviewed

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

regularly and so they are constantly reminded of what they need to improve. However, there is scope for assessment information and teachers’ evaluations of lessons to be used more consistently to make greater adaptations to activities for pupils of different ability in some subjects. In particular, the challenge for higher attaining pupils is not always great enough.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Most teachers manage pupils well and have a range of strategies for dealing with pupils who may have challenging behaviour. Although in a small number of lessons, the management of pupils was a weaker element of teaching that contributed to a judgement of unsatisfactory learning, this was unusual. The school’s strong ethos underpins the good working relationships in most classes. Teachers value the pupils as individuals and praise the responses they make in lessons. This gives pupils the confidence to answer questions. Adults work together effectively to give pupils a positive model of good social behaviour. Pupils generally behave well and work hard in response to well-established daily routines and expectations. They show a good level of interest and enthusiasm for learning in most lessons, and good levels of concentration. They take pride in their work which, by Year 6, is well presented and neat. Pupils’ rate

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

of learning is frequently good, especially when they are challenged to extend their knowledge with open-ended tasks. Homework is mainly confined to English and mathematics, but used satisfactorily to reinforce the skills practised at school.

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PUPILS?

28. The quality and range of learning opportunities is good and an appropriate statutory curriculum is in place covering all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The curriculum is broad and balanced with time allocations based largely on those recommended by the Department for Education and Skills. The curriculum has been further broadened this academic year by the inclusion of French for Years 3 to 6. 29. There has been very good progress in establishing a programme to teach the early learning goals to the youngest pupils in the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is very well planned to provide rich learning experiences. The only weakness is the inadequate outdoor play provision for the reception children.

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PUPILS?

30. The school has enthusiastically and successfully embraced national schemes and the literacy and numeracy strategies. The adoption of these has produced good achievement seen in the inspection and in the National Curriculum tests. Much work is based on national schemes that have been modified by teachers. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 15 31. All subjects have policies to guide teachers and ensure that pupils cover what has been agreed as they move through the school. In English, much of the work is well matched to the needs of different groups of pupils and there is good evidence of good quality collaborative planning well matched to the literacy strategy. In mathematics, there is more practical work in the lower part of the school, which strengthens achievement. Despite the slightly below time allocation, the science curriculum ensures that all four attainment targets are taught, including experimental and investigative work. In design

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PUPILS?

and technology, there is good curriculum mapping but pupils do not always complete projects and work in planning them is too variable in quality. History makes good use of external resources and visits and there is a strong emphasis on empathy and identification with the past. In ICT there is good attention to covering the attainment targets in discrete lessons and across subjects; there is a useful field trip with a strong ICT focus, and very good use of the Internet is developing. In music, all parts of the National Curriculum are well integrated and the use of a specialist teacher (who also teaches French) is a strength of the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

32. There is equality of access and opportunities for all pupils, backed up by well thought out and clearly expressed policies. Very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs so that they have access to the full National Curriculum, but in addition receive well focused and relevant support in areas where they experience difficulties. The school has made good use of funds for additional literacy support and the additional group work is well planned to ensure that the maximum time is given to this. There are occasions where support within the classroom is good for an individual pupil, but full use of staff is not made with regard to other pupils requiring assistance.

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PUPILS?

33. There are many groups of pupils within the school who benefit from adaptations to their curriculum. All of these groups are well planned for in most lessons. Pupils at the early stages of learning English receive very good additional support from a teacher and teaching assistants. The few pupils with significant behaviour problems have appropriate targets, and learning support assistants take good note of these. Similarly, there is good attention paid to the health needs of pupils. For example, the school is taking a close interest in any likely pollution that may affect pupils with asthma, while the special educational needs co-ordinator has started a detailed health record to ensure that any individual needs are addressed and monitored in a regular way. The school’s aim ‘To recognise each person as special and unique’ is carried out well and ensures that the curriculum provided meets the needs of all groups within the school.

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More work needs to be carried out to identify and plan for pupils who have additional talents.

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PUPILS?

34. The school endeavours to provide a caring community where everyone works together through a curriculum (and an environment) with Gospel values at its heart. Pupils’ personal development is addressed through a programme that includes personal, social and health education, drug awareness and sex education and citizenship to prepare pupils to play an active role as informed, active, responsible, confident citizens. This is taught through discrete lessons and across the wider curriculum. The programme is strengthened by the role of the school nurse and visits from the police, drugs awareness teams, fire and road safety officers. Links with the church are strong. There is a school council, which meets every four to six weeks and has a high profile. The school organises fund-raising events for charity.

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PUPILS?

35. The school has appropriate and developing links with companies, for example printers and travel agents, which provide some free materials for the school. Relationships with other schools are good and these enhance the curriculum, for example through the Merton School Cluster and the Mitcham Cluster. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 16 36. Provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory. Within lessons, and related to them, there is a good range of stimulating visits, including residential visits for pupils in Year 4 to Osmington Bay in Dorset and Year 6 to Pays de Calais. Many groups visit the school to enhance the curriculum. These include the BT ICT Roadshow, theatre groups, a scientific theatre group, a travelling science exhibition, the Tudor lady and an elderly parishioner. Visits out of school by pupils include those to environmental areas such as ponds and wetlands, the Science Museum and the Barbican Centre.

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PUPILS?

37. The number of clubs for a school of this size is less than might be expected. These are beginning to resume after disruption caused by the pressures of the building programme on staff and the growth of the school. These activities include football and country dancing. There is a developing choir and a large recorder group but limited opportunities to receive instrumental tuition from visiting specialist teachers. There are regular concerts and productions. Parents wish to see an extension of the activities programme and some have volunteered to take drama, chess and rosary groups.

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PUPILS?

38. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and a strength of the school. This represents a good level of improvement since the last inspection when provision was good overall, with weaknesses in the provision for cultural development. The strong provision for pupils’ personal development makes a significant contribution to the ethos in the school which is recognised and much appreciated by parents.

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PUPILS?

39. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. The school's Catholic ethos underpins a climate within which pupils can grow and flourish. Staff and pupils show respect for each other and this is evident in the quality of the relationships and the values the school promotes. The school provides very good opportunities for pupils to explore values and beliefs and the way in which they impact on people's lives. This is further reinforced by an effective religious education programme. Pupils are given good opportunities to express their feelings and opinions in lessons. During a history class in Year 2, pupils displayed a very strong sense of empathy and understanding for others while discussing conditions during the Crimean War. In Year 6, pupils expressed excitement at the unexpected production of gas during a science experiment. Daily acts of collective worship and prayers at the end of lessons further contribute to pupils'

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PUPILS?

spiritual development. The school is now beginning to assess the outcomes of pupils’ spiritual development through questioning following periods of quiet reflection.

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PUPILS?

40. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Pupils understand the need for rules both in class and the playground. This clear moral code forms a basis for the good behaviour that is modelled consistently through the school. The school also provides many opportunities for pupils to develop self-esteem through praise given by staff and its long-standing system of 'gold awards' for behaviour and achievement. Pupils use group time known as circle time to discuss appropriate and inappropriate behaviour and are well aware of the consequences of their actions. Selected classroom topics are discussed very thoughtfully and sensitively by the teachers and all pupils. During a Year 3 lesson, pupils discussed the moral content of ‘Aesop's Fables’ and gave examples of their own moral codes including honesty and personal values of right and wrong. Their opinions on matters such as these are carefully

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PUPILS?

considered and mature for their ages. The school's values are further reinforced by motivational posters and images. A classroom display of 'special people' in Year 4 provided models of moral and spiritual virtue. These included important figures in the Catholic Church and leaders in the local community.

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PUPILS?

41. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school fosters a sense of community and, as a result, relationships in the school are very good. Pupils are SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 17 given the opportunity to participate in a wider range of social contexts that encourage them to relate well to other people. These include parents’ assemblies, school productions and after-school activities. In lessons, pupils are encouraged to work co- operatively as members of a team or group, for example as pairs when whole classes are taught in the computer suite. Teachers give pupils responsibility for distributing books, putting away apparatus and keeping the classroom tidy. As a result, pupils show respect for equipment and the school’s environment. The school's system of prefects, monitors and helpers enables pupils to develop personal qualities such as honesty and courtesy which are valued in society. Pupils are encouraged to supervise lunch and

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PUPILS?

wet play, prepare and distribute fruit for younger pupils and provide school tours for parents and visitors. The new school council is beginning to provide opportunities for elected representatives to exercise leadership and responsibility. As a result, pupils have already visited and advised the local playground development group and carried out a democratic review of the school's behaviour policy.

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PUPILS?

42. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. This represents a good improvement from the previous inspection when provision was judged to be unsatisfactory. Displays around the school including the 'Black History Project' reinforce the importance the school places on recognising and celebrating cultural differences. Pupils' knowledge is further developed through visits from Russian dance and African drum groups and the wide variety of dual language books in the school library. Pupils are encouraged to celebrate their own cultural heritage by holding dual language storytelling sessions in Yoruba, Twi and Italian. Pupils' cultural awareness is also extended through theatre and museum visits including the Junior Prom and the National Gallery. The introduction of French into the curriculum and the proposed Year 6 visit to France have been planned specifically to extend pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Each week pupils are encouraged to listen to music by famous composers including Mozart and Schubert. Pupils are also given the opportunity to appreciate cultural diversity and other people's values and beliefs. Assemblies celebrate festivals including Chinese New Year, Jewish New Year and Diwali. A recent international theme day provided pupils, parents and teachers with the opportunity to dress in traditional costume and sample foods from different countries. The headteacher encourages teachers to frequently review lesson planning to ensure that the diversity of cultures within the school community is used to enrich the curriculum. However, there is currently no formal programme to recognise and nurture pupils with particular gifts and talents. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 18

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Pupils receive good educational support and guidance. Pupils are well known by staff, are able to relate to them and know who to go to for guidance and support. The caring ethos of the school provides security for pupils who experience learning difficulties. The close attention to their personal welfare and development is a reflection of the very positive attitude to all pupils. The school has good procedures for monitoring and promoting pupils’ personal development. Regular staff meetings are held at which pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and welfare are discussed and pupils’ personal development is monitored and recorded. Each child in the school is well known by staff and effective ‘hand-over’ meetings are held when pupils move to their next year group in order that their personal development is carefully tracked and recorded.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Procedures for child protection are unsatisfactory. The child protection policy has not been updated for six years and does not give up-to-date guidance to staff on current procedures and protocol. The headteacher is the named child protection officer and has received up-to-date training but not all members of staff have been trained. The school’s method of keeping records on pupils about whom there are concerns are not robust enough to ensure that essential information is shared with those who need to know. Inspectors’ concerns over these procedures were reported to the headteacher during the inspection week and are already being addressed. A training session for all staff is planned for the end of the month and the school is reviewing its communication systems.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school does not have an adequate number of staff trained in first aid. Two adults administer first aid to pupils but only one has a current up-to-date certificate of qualification. Accidents are recorded well and show full details of treatment given to pupils. Adults show a good level of care for pupils who are injured. The school keeps good records of risk assessment in all departments and the school caretaker carries out regular fire alarm tests. Governors conduct a health and safety audit termly but the local education authority audit on the premises is well behind schedule as a result of the building programme. This is due to be carried out at the end of the month.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. School procedures for monitoring and recording attendance require improvement. The school has the benefit of a computerised system for recording attendance and absences but is slow to follow up unexplained absences. As a result, a week can go by before the reason for a pupil’s absence is known. The school attendance officer visits the school twice per term and attendance, at 94.3 per cent, is close to the national average. As a result of the inspection findings, the school has already begun to put in place improved procedures.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The school has effective procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour. School rules are based on rewards and sanctions and are compiled after discussion with the school council and with parents. They are readily understood by all pupils and consistently applied by staff. Parents raised no concerns about bullying and are confident that the school deals quickly with any incidents between pupils. Pupils interviewed during the inspection week confirmed that they felt school was a happy place and that incidents of bullying or challenging behaviour were rare. They feel safe and secure in the school, knowing that any incidents are dealt with quickly by staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The previous inspection identified assessment as a key issue for action, asking the school to ‘ensure that assessment of pupils’ progress, including the consistent implementation of the agreed marking policy, is developed across all subjects’. The SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 19 school has made this a high priority and there has been very good progress in this area.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Detailed analysis of annual test results helps subject co-ordinators to identify where there are weaknesses in pupils’ performance and to strengthen the curriculum in those areas. Information is used to identify pupils who may need additional support, to track pupils’ progress from year to year and to set statutory targets. All subjects have a system for assessing how well pupils have met the learning objectives for each unit of work. This system is relatively new but is building up to provide a useful source of information for co-ordinators to monitor the curriculum and standards.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The very imaginative and effective ‘achievement book’ procedure which the school has implemented is a model of its kind. It provides teachers with the opportunity to assess all areas of the curriculum within a normal working week, following this up with comparisons across classes and years. In addition, this is followed by target setting, with pupils closely involved and detailed information going to parents. Written responses from parents indicate that they felt this was a very good way of finding out about their children’s progress and targets. The use of individual targets for pupils, which are stuck on desks and in books, is developing well and consistency in their use is improving. The good leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher has ensured that assessment practice is standard across the school. The ease with which the inspection team could access assessment information attested to the success of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Although all staff are using the new system well, there is less consistent practice with regard to the use of assessment in day-to-day lesson planning. Some teachers use their assessment information, together with their evaluation of lessons, well to plan for and challenge different groups within the class. However, most lesson evaluation comments are still too general to provide all teachers with detailed enough information to assist in good planning. Thus, a mathematics lesson is often evaluated as ‘This went really well and most pupils succeeded with the task’. With a stronger focus on the skills learnt and any groups experiencing difficulties, there would be a sharper focus on what to do next. This, in turn, would aid progress for all groups, particularly the higher attaining pupils who sometimes are not adequately challenged.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs, the use of the results to plan new programmes and the monitoring of developments is a strength. Individual education plans are prepared in detail and there is very good involvement of pupils and parents. The school is ahead of many in this practice. Pupils who have statements of special educational needs have targets well matched to their statement requirements. These are reviewed appropriately, with all interested parties fully involved. Assessments of pupils’ language acquisition are used well to identify those pupils speaking English as an additional language who need support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The parents hold very positive views of the school. The school works extremely hard to foster a strong relationship with parents and fully involves them in all aspects of their children’s education. The overwhelming majority of parents, who responded to the pre- inspection questionnaire, were positive about the progress their children make at school. They are confident that pupils are happy and behave well at school. Most parents are happy to approach the school with questions or problems because they know that they will be listened to. Inspectors confirm these views. A minority of parents stated that they felt they were not well informed about how their children were getting on, do not think that pupils receive enough homework and that the school does not SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 20 provide enough opportunities outside of lessons. Inspectors judge that information to parents is good, that homework is satisfactory but agree that there are few extra-

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The positive links that the school has with parents and their effectiveness in the school are very good. All parents are warmly welcomed into school and many parents help the school in a number of ways. They work in the classroom, help by accompanying pupils on out-of-school activities and feel free to come into school at any time if they wish to discuss their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The quality of information provided to parents about their children’s progress is good. Pupils’ annual reports are extremely well written, are clear and give precise and concise information on the progress pupils make in each subject. In addition, targets are set for improvement. The school brochure is well presented and gives a good deal of information about school policies, the aims of the school and the priorities in the school development plan. Monthly letters give good information about events and activities promoted by the school. The comprehensive arrangements that the school has made to inform parents about their children’s education have a very positive impact on the progress that pupils make. The school holds regular parent evenings to enable parents to discuss their children’s progress. In addition, curriculum evenings inform parents about the latest developments. Parents are regularly informed about their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

children’s progress and given help to know what homework their children should be completing.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. Parents are kept closely informed if pupils have special educational needs. The co- ordinator ensures that she is always available to bring parents up to date, to review individual education plans and exchange observations about individual pupils. Evidence during the inspection week indicated that work with parents is sensitive, detailed and followed up well. This gives parents confidence and, in turn, assists significantly in the pupils’ progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The school has a well-established parents’ forum in which one parent for each class is elected for a two-year period. This group is consulted on matters of school policy and protocol. It is another example of how the school shows its willingness to listen to parents’ views and to have a true partnership. In addition, the parent-teacher association arrange a wide range of social and fund-raising events. Their work is much appreciated by the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Good arrangements ensure that admission and transfer of pupils to the next stage of their education run smoothly. The school holds an induction day for parents of reception pupils and provides them with a well-presented information pack. The school encourages parents of reception children to stay with their child until they settle into a routine. This enables them to make a good start to their school life. Arrangements are developing for staff at secondary schools to meet Year 6 pupils at receiving schools in the summer term.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. The extremely strong partnership with parents has been sustained since the last inspection. The positive way that parents contribute towards their children’s education has a very strong impact on the progress that pupils make.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 21 60. The headteacher provides very good leadership and clear educational direction for the school by setting clear priorities and targets. Since the last inspection, there has been considerable change with major reorganisation from a first to a primary school. This has resulted in major building works which have only recently been completed. This, along with many changes in the teaching staff, has been managed very well so that the school’s positive climate for learning and strong ethos have been very well maintained through her very good guidance. During this period, she has been very well supported by the deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors. Progress towards addressing issues from the last inspection has been satisfactory overall. Issues about raising teachers’ expectations, improving classroom management skills and meeting the needs of pupils of differing abilities still need further attention.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The overall leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are good and promote good standards of achievement. The headteacher and deputy headteacher work very effectively in close partnership. They have a shared vision and work very well together as a team with clear and specific responsibilities. Senior managers and subject leaders make a good contribution to school management and school effectiveness. The co-ordinator for Key Stage 2 has been particularly effective in managing the smooth introduction and implementation of the new curriculum for Years 5 and 6 during the transition from a first to a primary school. The management of the Foundation Stage team is very effective. The headteacher allocates time away from pupils for subject leaders to carry out their management roles. In general, subject leaders support other staff effectively and carry out thorough annual subject reviews

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and write action plans. These successfully feed into the annual school development plan. Most check teachers’ planning and sample pupils’ work through achievement books but this is not always rigorous enough to identify areas for further improvement. Except for English and mathematics, subject leaders have little opportunity to observe teaching, learning and standards in other classes to identify strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The co-ordinator for special educational needs (SENCO) provides highly skilled and committed advice and support for pupils with special educational needs and their families. The management of teaching assistants, the planning and review procedures and links with outside agencies are all facets of an efficient and effective management structure. The variable use of individual education plans by some classroom teachers indicates that not enough training has taken place with regard to planning from the targets set. The support for pupils who speak English as an additional language is managed very well and contributes significantly to the progress these pupils make. Further work is needed to ensure that all staff take full account of how activities can be modified for pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school’s aims and values are very relevant and reflected very well in the work of the school. The school is a welcoming, very well ordered and harmonious community which focuses in its mission statement on enabling pupils to achieve high standards ‘through a curriculum and in an environment which has Gospel values at its heart’. It has a strong commitment to developing relationships, racial harmony and ensuring all are included and valued and is very successful in achieving this.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The school has good procedures in place to identify educational needs and targets and the current school development plan contains clear and relevant priorities. Governors, staff, parents and pupils are active partners and fully involved in the construction of the school development plan through well-structured consultation procedures. This is a major strength and ensures priorities fully reflect the views of those involved in the school. The school development plan is a comprehensive and well-organised document covering all aspects of school life. Areas are carefully prioritised and SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 22 available resources are then targeted on the main concerns for school development. The document clearly identifies the action required, resources and cost involved, success measures and the arrangements for monitoring progress. There is a very good monthly checklist to monitor that actions have taken place. Progress towards

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

meeting the targets is regularly reviewed during the year and reported to the staff and governing body and there is a thorough annual evaluation. Parents are given an annual school development summary once the plan has been approved so that they are clearly aware of what the school hopes to achieve; this is good practice. The action to meet the school’s targets is good.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. There are strengths in the way that the governing body operates but it does not fully fulfil its legal responsibilities. Currently, there are weaknesses in the documentation to support child protection, and health and safety issues which are not securely in place; this is unsatisfactory. Since the last inspection governors have become far more involved in the school and keep themselves well informed about what is going on through regular visits and reports. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, are kept well informed and are supportive. The full governing body meets at least termly and there are regular committee meetings to monitor the school’s performance. They make good use of relevant training opportunities to extend their skills and understanding. There are specific governors responsible for year groups, literacy, numeracy and special needs who regularly visit

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school and provide satisfactory reports to the full governing body. Governors also attend school meetings, concerts, pupils’ activities and assist with school trips. The governing body has absolute trust in the headteacher but there is insufficient rigorous formal monitoring of the school’s statutory procedures, practices and policies. The school finds recruitment to the governing body difficult and it is currently incomplete. It does not fully reflect the diversity of the cultures found within the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Procedures for monitoring teaching are well established through classroom observations, mainly by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Teachers’ planning is also checked. Observations have been made mainly in numeracy and literacy but identified weaknesses in teaching are not always addressed and monitored with sufficient attention to detail or frequency. Hence, monitoring does not effectively ensure teaching has improved and is sustained; this is an area for development. Monitoring does not focus enough on the impact of the teaching and lacks the rigour to eradicate some longstanding inconsistencies in quality; this is unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. Well-established procedures and systems for appraisal and performance management of the staff meet statutory requirements. Responsibilities are effectively shared by the senior management team. There is a clear detailed policy which is consistent with the school’s priorities for improvement and shared commitment to improved performance.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The shared commitment to improving the quality of education provided for all pupils in the school is good. It is testament to the very good relationships amongst all staff, both teaching and non-teaching, within the school. There are good support procedures in place for new staff with a comprehensive staff handbook and mentoring system. This ensures that practices and procedures are quickly understood and, in the main, followed consistently. 69. There is a good number of teachers and support staff to match the demands of the curriculum. Learning support assistants who work with pupils with learning difficulties, contribute very effectively to the teaching in the school and, as a result of the effectiveness of their deployment, pupils make good progress.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. Accommodation is satisfactory enabling the school to deliver a full curriculum with an increased number of classrooms to accommodate the increasing numbers. The SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 23 school is well maintained and has a large number of well-presented displays that celebrate pupils’ achievement. The library is small and inadequately stocked with insufficient fiction and non-fiction books, particularly for older pupils. There is a good ratio of computers to pupils (1:6) and resources in most subjects are at least satisfactory. They are good in music and history. Resources in the Foundation Stage are well used to support learning, although outdoor facilities are in need of development. There are not enough structured, audio and ICT resources at present to support the older pupils with specific literacy and language difficulties. The fact that 60 per cent of the pupils with special educational needs are aged nine to eleven means

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

that this is an important area to resource.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. Financial planning is good and supports the priorities identified in the school improvement plan. The school receives a range of specific grants, all of which are used appropriately for their designated purposes and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. At present, the school has a significant underspend which has accrued in the last three years and results partly from additional funds designated as a result of the school’s increasing size. The money is earmarked for the playground development which has been on hold for three years as a result of the building programme. The school subscribes to a local education authority support service that helps it to manage its budget well. The most recent financial audit judged the school’s day-to-day financial controls and procedures as good. Regular reports keep governors well informed and help them to monitor spending effectively. Satisfactory use is made of new technology

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The school applies the principles of best value for money successfully. The headteacher consults widely with parents, and has good communication with the governing body. All staff makes a contribution to identifying priorities for development. The school seeks to gain best value with purchases. However, there are no formal systems for monitoring the impact of spending decisions.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

73. This is a good school that, despite undergoing significant changes to its character its physical environment and to its teaching staff, has maintained and strengthened the positive features identified at the last inspection. The school should now ensure that it addresses the following areas for development which relate mainly to improving consistency:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the progress that pupils make from Year 3 to Year 6 by tackling the weaknesses in teaching that cause a dip in progress in Year 4 and, to a lesser extent, in Year 3. In particular, ensure that teachers have appropriately high expectations of what pupils can achieve and increase the pace at which they work. (Paragraphs 4,6,7,8,20,22,102,103,107,111,118,120,121,127,129,167)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Sharpen procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and the standards achieved by pupils to ensure that identified weaknesses are followed up rigorously. (Paragraphs 66,115,126,130,152)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the quality and consistency of teachers’ day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress so that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers’ marking identifies what pupils need to do to improve; • there is sharper use of assessment information when planning a range of activities to meet pupils’ needs; SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 24 • there is a greater level of challenge across the full range of subjects for potentially higher attaining pupils. (Paragraphs 3,26,51,111,116,125,129,146,152)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Review and update procedures for child protection, health and safety and for monitoring pupils’ attendance to make them more robust. (The school is already addressing these issues). (Paragraphs 44,45,46)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition, governors should ensure that the outdoor facilities for reception pupils are improved as planned.

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Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

74. Overall, the provision for pupils speaking English as an additional language is good; it is a strength of the school’s work. There is good support for the increasing numbers of pupils who are joining the school with limited knowledge and understanding in English.

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Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

75. Within the school, over two-fifths of the pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure has increased since the last inspection. In all, pupils speak 32 different languages. Thirty-three of the pupils who are learning English as an additional language are at a very early stage of English language acquisition. A further 58 are beginning to be accomplished but need significant support. Most of these pupils are in the nursery, reception and Years 1 and 2. School records show that pupils have increasing fluency and accuracy in English as they progress through the school and most of the oldest pupils are totally bilingual. The school has a part-time teacher for the equivalent of one and a half days per week and two part-time support assistants for a total of five days of the week. This support is directed towards the greatest need but the focus is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the pupils. In all, 94 pupils are

p.24

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

76. These pupils make at least good and often very good progress when supported specifically in small groups by the teacher or support assistants. They make reasonable progress at other times when there is no specific additional support in classes, but this is very dependent on the skill and knowledge of the class teachers in using strategies that help pupils learn through visual stimuli.

p.24

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

77. Teaching by the support teacher and assistants is good. For example, an assistant working with a group of four boys from Year 2 was very successful in developing their use of mathematical language such as ‘full’ and ‘empty’ and specific vocabulary such as ‘litres’ and ‘millilitres’ because of the practical approach she took when introducing the concept of capacity. They were encouraged to estimate how many cups could be filled from containers of different sizes and shapes and then tested out their estimates. Throughout, the language of capacity was reinforced as pupils suggested which held more, or less. They watched in amazement as the assistant tipped water from a litre squash bottle rapidly into a measuring jug, and gasped with relief as the water stopped right at the 1000ml mark. This visual demonstration led pupils to an understanding that one litre is equal to 1000ml and they went on to practise filling the measuring jug and

p.24

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

78. The teacher frequently uses computers to help pupils develop their skills. A very good example was seen with two pupils in Year 3 who also have special educational needs. Very good preparation of materials underpinned the success of the range of activities that were experienced in this intensive session. This incorporated reading the story of SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 25 ‘The Lion and the Mouse’ using story props, writing using key vocabulary from the same story, sequencing actions from the same story by cutting and pasting text on the screen, and finished with reading a different version of the same story. Each activity built on the previous one and reinforced key vocabulary. During the lesson, the pupils learnt new words, such as ‘nibble’ and ‘rummage’, practised their wordprocessing skills, including incorporating graphics into the text to illustrate their work, and increased the number of words they recognise by sight. The pace and expression in their reading

p.24

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

improved with careful guidance from the teacher. The two pupils left the lesson with a great sense of their own achievement.

p.25

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

79. In class lessons, pupils concentrate and participate with a level of effort and enthusiasm that matches that of their peers. Teachers’ planning does not refer specifically to the needs of pupils with English as an additional language, and so adaptations for language needs are not prominent in lesson planning. Where classroom teaching is good, teachers ensure that all pupils are encouraged to contribute to discussions. Some teachers are skilled at providing visual stimuli to help pupils make the links between objects and language and so develop their vocabulary. A good focus on learning the key technical vocabulary in subjects such as science, and on visual stimuli, such as using pictures and actions, helps pupils to reinforce and extend their vocabulary. However, samples of pupils’ past work shows that, frequently, older pupils have the same written worksheets to complete as other pupils and this

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Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

does not take enough account of their language needs. The co-ordinator for history and geography has recently identified this as a concern and the EMAG co-ordinator has issued some guidance to staff on how to adapt activities and is currently developing some support packs. This is yet to have a significant impact on teachers’ practice.

p.25

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

80. The school is constantly seeking ways to involve the parents of pupils who speak English as an additional language, many of whom have provided the school with tape recordings of stories read in the pupils’ home languages. In this way the school is building up its collection of dual language story tapes as well as giving a strong message to parents about how their contribution to pupils’ learning is valued. The availability of dual language books has improved since the last inspection and includes a number of home-made books written and translated by pupils with support from their parents. The school actively seeks to ensure that pupils’ home languages and cultures are valued. An excellent feature of provision is the break-time story reading sessions in which pupils read familiar stories from dual language books in both English and in their home language. During the inspection, two parents attended the session in which their

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Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

children read a story in English and Yoruba. They were naturally proud of their children and very appreciative of the school’s efforts to acknowledge and celebrate their culture through its language. One parent read a story herself, much to the delight of the assembled group of approximately 20 pupils and six adults.

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Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

81. Very good management of the support for pupils ensures that it is used efficiently. Assessments are very detailed and clearly focused on pupils’ language needs. Staff keep satisfactory records of the support that the pupils have received. The co-ordinator is also the teacher responsible for the reading recovery programme, but she maintains a clear distinction between the roles and between the language and learning needs of pupils. Where there is an overlap in provision, close liaison between the SENCO and the English as an additional language teacher ensure that pupils receive the right level of support. Close liaison with class teachers ensure that targeted support is well focused and meaningfully linked to the work the pupils do in class. Staff discuss the progress of these pupils termly, at which point the co-ordinator takes the opportunity to suggest ways in which teachers can support pupils. Training in how to support these

p.25

Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language

pupils is part of the induction of staff new to teaching. The headteacher analyses test results by ethnicity and tracks the progress of individual pupils. Although numbers are SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 26 small, and must be viewed with caution, data shows that pupils from minority ethnic groups are progressing at least as well as other groups of pupils. By Year 6 many of these pupils are among the school’s higher attainers. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 27

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 30 437

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 42

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 11

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 111

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 183

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 35

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 28 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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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 2002 24 41 65

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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 22 23 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 40 40 39

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (94) 97 (97) 94 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 21 22 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 40 39 40

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (98) 97 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 182 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 37 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 14 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – African 101 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 32 0 0 SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 29 Chinese 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 30

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.8 Financial year 2001/2002

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30.5

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,009,068

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 20 Total expenditure 1,005,314

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 374.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,234

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 135,737

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 139,491

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 37.5

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 10

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 5

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 31

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 55 38 4 1 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 35 1 0 3

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 41 10 3 10

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 35 14 1 1

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 29 3 2 1

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 30 1 1 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 48 42 7 1 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 58 38 1 2 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 41 2 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 38 24 5 14

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Parents expressed admiration for the way that changes to the school had been managed. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 32

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. The Foundation Stage is a strength of the school. No clear judgement was made about provision in the previous report but it is now very good. The quality of teaching and learning is very good across the Foundation Stage which is better than that found at the time of the last inspection.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

83. The nursery has an admission limit of 104 children with space for 52 to attend both the morning and afternoon sessions. At present there are 60 children on roll. Children are admitted for half-day sessions the term after their third birthday. In reception, the children are organised into two classes of 30. All children are admitted in the September after their fourth birthday with those children who are born between the beginning of April and the end of August attending mornings only until January after which they attend full time. There are currently 26 children who are already five.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

84. Admission and induction arrangements for the nursery are very good. Home visits are undertaken for all children and a comprehensive questionnaire is completed providing essential information. Parents are invited to see the nursery before their first attendance and there is a further evening meeting for parents towards the end of September. Almost all the children transfer to the reception classes. home visits are conducted for reception pupils who are new to the school.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

85. The purpose-built nursery accommodation is very good, secure and self-contained. It is spacious and contains a very wide range of stimulating activities providing a very good learning environment. There is access to a covered outdoor area where children can work and play during poor weather and a large secure outside play area. This contains a small fixed climbing apparatus with soft safety surface beneath, items of portable climbing equipment and an adequate selection of large wheeled toys. Reception accommodation is spacious and consists of two very well organised classrooms with a well-equipped shared area in between. There is access to the nursery outdoor play area but this is only used regularly at break-times. Both year groups also make regular use of the large hall facilities in the main school for physical development activities. All staff are well qualified and experienced. A major strength of the Foundation Stage is the

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

excellent relationships between all staff who work extremely well together and complement each other. All are fully involved in planning and assessing in all aspects of working with children.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

86. Initial teacher assessments show that many children enter the nursery with low levels of attainment in all areas of learning which is a less positive picture than that at the time of the last inspection. This is because far more children are now entering with low levels of English, an increased number with speech and language difficulties, and more children who are learning English as a second language. Most make good progress but records and inspection evidence show that most are still well below expectations when they enter the reception classes. Although many children continue to make good progress in the reception year, especially in personal and social development, only about half are likely to achieve the targets known as the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, and creative development by the end of reception.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 33 87. The curriculum in the nursery and reception class is consistently very well planned and is based firmly on the early learning goals. All staff work very closely together both in the nursery and reception class, are all fully involved in weekly planning sessions, and know what to do. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management and monitors planning very well. Careful planning, monitoring and assessment across the Foundation Stage ensure that all children receive similar experiences. The very good teaching and learning ensures children, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage and most achieve well. Assessment procedures are well established in both the nursery and reception classes, clearly focused on the recommended early learning goals and ‘stepping stones’. Across the Foundation

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Stage, staff carefully monitor activities children undertake on a daily and weekly basis to ensure a balance is maintained. Each adult takes responsibility for assessing and monitoring an activity, which gives consistency. All children are fully integrated and adults make sure that children have equal access to all activities.

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Personal, social and emotional development

88. Most children enter the nursery with low levels of personal, social and emotional development and this area is given a high priority with consistent and well-established routines. The nursery provides a very welcoming, calm and secure atmosphere. Activities such as self-registration at the beginning of sessions are well planned to encourage independence and build confidence. Children are encouraged to play and work together, sharing materials, showing consideration for others and building relationships in all activities. By the time children leave the nursery, about half put on coats unaided and go to the toilet and wash their hands independently. They learn to sit and talk together as they share their morning snack of milk and fruit listening to stories, singing rhymes and sharing their news. This develops self-control and encourages good behaviour. Across the Foundation Stage adults promote personal development

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

and independence by ensuring equipment and resources are easily accessible. In both groups children follow the clear instructions from adults and try hard to please. Children in reception build on the good experiences learnt in the nursery. Most persevere for extended periods of time at an activity of their own or the teacher’s choosing and they are beginning to collaborate well together showing independence and confidence when playing in the ‘hospital’ or listening to taped stories.

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

89. Teaching and learning are consistently very good in both nursery and reception classes. All staff provide very good role models and children respond very positively to the care they receive. From the time they start in the nursery, teachers encourage children to take responsibility by providing opportunities for choice and by involving them in jobs such as tidying away at the end of sessions. Children develop a clear understanding of right and wrong from the moment they enter the nursery in a firm but positive way. This ensures they develop good attitudes to school and form good relationships with adults and with each other. Staff in the reception class maintain these good relationships providing many opportunities for children to work and play together. This leads to children developing good levels of independence and co- operation by the end of the reception year. Most are likely to achieve the early learning

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

90. Nursery staff place a high priority on developing this area because of the low standard that many children have on entry to the nursery. Many very good opportunities are provided to stimulate speech, such as through role-play in the ‘New Moon Chinese Restaurant’ and the ‘office area’, in matching and counting activities, sharing books, SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 34 and using toys such as ‘Mollie Mouse’, and finger puppets, so that children begin to talk. All adults use every opportunity to encourage children to speak through very good questioning but few are confident speakers when they enter reception. In the nursery, children develop an enjoyment of books through a designated weekly text, such as ‘The Big Hungry Bear’ and ‘Little Mouse’. By the time they enter the reception class most can turn the pages correctly and are beginning to understand that print and illustrations convey meaning. Reception children are taught to recognise the title and the author and

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

enjoy talking about pictures in books such as ‘Big Feet’. At this stage in the year, about a third can recognise and write their own names although many form letters incorrectly. Most are becoming familiar with letter sounds from the weekly television programme and recognising keywords through bingo games. A few are beginning to recognise sounds in their names, initial letters in words, and familiar words through spoken and written activities. Many children in reception are at an early stage of writing, tracing over writing examples such as names and experimenting with whiteboards.

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

91. The quality of teaching in the nursery and reception is consistently very good. There are regular daily opportunities for sharing stories and books and for singing rhymes and songs. In the reception class, shortened elements of the National Literacy Strategy are gradually introduced. In both the nursery and reception classes, adults use every opportunity to develop children’s understanding of language and extend their vocabulary through careful questioning. Imaginary settings and role-play provide very good opportunities for children to engage in conversations with others, to use their imagination, contact imaginary people by telephone and ‘mark make’. These activities are particularly helpful for children at the early stages of learning English. Between a third and a half of the children are on course to achieve the full range of expected standards in communication, language and literacy by the end of reception.

p.34

Mathematical development

92. On entry to the nursery, most children have little understanding of counting, number, shape, space and measures. Staff provide a very good range of well-planned activities to develop these. For example, in the nursery, children count to 12 using a clock face, recite and sing number rhymes such as ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’ and take part in counting and matching activities. Staff help children to see mathematics all around, for example looking for shapes around the classroom. In reception, children are beginning to recognise and name different shapes, count and match objects at least to five. They order numbers through games and songs and counting activities such as ‘Five Funny Faces’. A few currently recognise and name two-dimensional shapes such as squares, triangles and rectangles and are beginning to understand words such as ‘more’ and ‘less’, ‘heavier’ and ‘lighter’.

p.34

Mathematical development

93. The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good across the Foundation Stage. Effective planning and organisation, together with interesting and imaginative activities such as comparing hands and pairing gloves, pairing and counting water creatures in the wet play container and counting and ordering games, ensure that children are well motivated. In the nursery, adults take every opportunity to develop mathematical language, grasping opportunities for reinforcing number activities in other areas. In reception, children are encouraged to record simple additions when filling an egg box and using number lines to count on and back.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

94. Children’s attainment is low on entry to the nursery and, despite very good teaching and well-structured activities and opportunities, only about half are likely to achieve SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 35 expected standards in all areas by the end of reception. In both nursery and reception, children are given regular opportunities to use computers and control what happens on the screen by using a mouse or keyboard. For example they draw pictures on the screen or move shapes to ‘Dress Teddy’. Children are introduced to a wide range of things from the natural and man-made world through displays and structured activities. Natural materials such as sand and water are constantly in use. They use pliable materials such as dough and clay to mould mice and decorate biscuits. Through role- play, children learn about a Chinese restaurant and how it operates. They learn to care for the pet fish and talk about their homes, interests and families. In the reception

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

classes, investigation is encouraged through well-resourced areas where children can explore objects such as mirrors, torches and magnets. They use magnifying glasses to investigate the patterns, lines and textures of their hands, fingers and nails and use globes to find places. They see hyacinth bulbs develop and how worms mix up the soil from observing the wormery. Through religious education lessons, children learn about festivals and celebrations such as Chinese New Year and develop an awareness of other cultures. Children in both nursery and reception classes develop a sense of the past by finding out about present and past events in their own lives and those of their families and friends.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

95. The quality of teaching is very good in both the nursery and reception classes because activities are well planned and organised and build on children’s natural curiosity. Many successful opportunities are provided through direct teaching as well as independent play. Visits and visitors develop children’s understanding of the local area and wider world. A good range of interactive displays in the nursery such as ‘rough and smooth’ and investigating torches in reception, encourages independent thought and investigation and prepares early foundations for scientific enquiry.

p.35

Physical development

96. Children enter the nursery with varying standards of ability with many below that expected in handling small items. Standards are still below when they enter Year 1 despite many mark making, painting, cutting and sticking activities provided during the Foundation Stage. Nursery children have regular daily access to a range of outdoor equipment, including climbing, riding and pushing large wheeled toys, as well as small apparatus such as balls which develop co-ordination and their awareness of space, direction and others. A few in the nursery are beginning to co-operate and share large toys. Once a week, they also have a physical education lesson in one of the main school halls. Here they listen well to their teacher and learn to follow instructions as they play games such as ‘Lucy Locket’ and ‘The Farmer’s in the Den’. In both the nursery and reception, manipulative skills are developed through cutting, painting,

p.35

Physical development

sticking and drawing activities and through the use of construction materials and small world play. In the reception classes, provision is currently less well developed for independent daily use of large wheeled toys and opportunities are limited to break- times. However, these children have regular access to the larger apparatus in the hall and enjoy climbing and balancing activities. Children move with developing confidence as they perform rolls on the apparatus.

p.35

Physical development

97. The overall quality of teaching is at least good and often very good. Very good management and control of behaviour ensures that children follow instructions and move safely in the outdoor play area. Good quality adult intervention challenges the more able children and gives support to those with less confidence. Planning indicates that lessons are well thought out and organised. A very good range of well-planned activities teach manipulative skills using pencils, brushes, scissors and small apparatus such as jigsaws and construction toys. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 36

p.35

Creative development

98. On entry to the nursery, most children’s creative development is low. Despite a very good range of activities, about half the children are unlikely to attain the early learning goals for creative development by the time they finish in reception. Children in the nursery have very good access to creative development activities and a very good range is provided. They are given many opportunities to experiment with paint and colour working in small and large scale. Displays such as ‘My Mummy’ pictures, ‘Humpty Dumpty’ hangings and self-portraits show children that their work is valued. They have good access to role-play areas where they engage in imaginative play and act out adult roles in the ‘office’ and the ‘New Moon Chinese Restaurant’ making imaginary phone calls and mark making. Adults provide very good support and join in well to extend children’s language. Very good activities linked to literacy encourage

p.36

Creative development

cutting and sticking, such as when making mice with moving parts linked to ‘Hickory, Dickory, Dock’. Children use a range of malleable materials such as Playdoh and clay to make model mice. Singing in the nursery is a regular and important feature of the day, which extends and reinforces language.

p.36

Creative development

99. In the reception classes they use the ‘hospital’ role-play area very well dressing up as doctors, nurses and paramedics. Children pretend to use the telephone to make appointments and adults join in very well developing and encouraging the use of language. There are good resources for dressing up using a range of multicultural clothes. Children make paper bag puppets sticking and decorating them with a range of materials such as wool for hair and coloured paper for eyes and mouth. They soundly use tools such as scissors, glue sticks and printing materials, both imaginatively and in a more directed fashion, as they make puppets with folded paper for arms and legs. Children are beginning to explore what happens when they mix colours to paint writing patterns. They learn to handle musical instruments carefully and generate sounds as well as singing favourite songs and rhymes in music lessons.

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Creative development

100. Teaching and learning are very good in both nursery and reception classes. This is largely due to the children’s positive attitudes to their work and the planned provision of a wide range of both directed and free choice opportunities, which develop children’s creativity effectively. These include exploration and use of a variety of painting, modelling, collage and printing activities, which are often linked to topics, as well as opportunities for imaginative role-play in designated areas and with ‘small world’ toys. During these activities children are helped very well to develop skills and to express their own ideas with growing confidence through the very good support of adults.

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101. At the time of the last inspection, standards were judged to be in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2. Attainment in Years 3 and 4 was judged to be satisfactory in three quarters of lessons observed and unsatisfactory in the remainder. Since then standards in the end of Year 2 national test results have remained fairly constant over time. Attainment in reading is around the national average. Although a significant proportion of pupils reach expected levels, a smaller than average number achieve highly. By comparison, results in writing are consistently above or well above both the national average and the average for similar schools. Boys do well in writing at this age and achieve slightly higher than boys nationally. The difference between the attainment of boys and girls is otherwise similar to that found nationally. This represents good achievement overall as pupils enter the school with attainment that is

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well below average. There is currently no national comparative date available for the end of Year 6. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 37 102. The standard of work seen during the inspection is similar to that reported previously and reflects a similar pattern to last year’s results. By the middle of Year 2 pupils are achieving at average or above average standards, but by the middle of Year 4, standards are below average. These pupils have not achieved as much as expected considering the standards they attained at the end of Year 2. In particular their handwriting shows signs of deterioration and the grammatical structure of sentences has not improved as expected. The school has been slow to address the cause of this dip in pupils’ achievement in English. However, pupils continue to make good progress in Years 5 and 6 where standards are again in line with national expectations. The school has worked hard to support the individual needs of pupils. This has ensured the

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overall good progress made by the average and lower attaining pupils, those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The school recognises the need to challenge and extend the learning of higher attaining pupils.

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ENGLISH

103. Standards in speaking and listening are average by Year 2. Most pupils are able to answer questions appropriately or to tell part of a story confidently to the rest of the class. In a Year 2 literacy lesson, pupils recited spells with expression and assurance in response to a reading of 'The Jolly Witch'. Responses to the teacher’s questions about the witch's character were often short descriptive sentences that the teacher extended or encouraged. In Years 3 to 4, pupils’ speaking and listening skills were not so well developed. As a result of weaknesses in classroom management, pupils often found it difficult to listen to others, and were reluctant to express their views. By Year 6, standards are at least average in speaking and listening. In one-to-one conversation pupils are confident and articulate, for example when talking about their favourite authors. When Year 6 pupils presented their assembly during the inspection they were

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audible and their diction was clear. In class, pupils confidently and enthusiastically answer questions, but discussions are often led by teachers and this restricts opportunities for pupils to experience debate or listen to a range of viewpoints. In an otherwise good lesson, opportunities to further extend speaking skills by encouraging pupils to read out their work were missed. In other subjects such as science and mathematics, teachers' focus on subject vocabulary ensures that all pupils, including those with English as an additional language, make confident use of technical terminology.

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ENGLISH

104. Standards in reading are at least average by Year 2. Many pupils read at or above the level expected for their age. They practise regularly and are keen to take their books home. Many parents give good support by listening to their children read at home and the majority of reading records include constructive comments from parents. In Year 2, there is a good focus from teachers on developing pupils’ knowledge of letter sounds which pupils use well to work out words that they don’t know. Higher attaining pupils and those with English as an additional language are developing a greater range of strategies to work out unfamiliar words. They have learnt to recognise key words on sight and how to use pictorial clues. When reading aloud, more able pupils are fluent and use developing expression. Most pupils confidently find information from simple non-fiction texts including thematic and alphabetic dictionaries. Less able pupils are

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targeted and very well supported through the reading recovery programme. Pupils with special educational needs are also well supported by a range of 'talking books' which are available in the computer suite.

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105. By Year 6, standards in reading are average. The majority of pupils are confident and well motivated readers who prefer reading silently and do so with a good level of sustained concentration. Lower ability pupils read fluently with developing expression. They occasionally hesitate over more complex words, although they do have the appropriate strategies to work these out. Their research skills are sufficiently developed SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 38 so that they can find key information from a text or Internet search, although they may require adult support or work at a slower pace. Pupils of average ability enjoy reading and express preferences for authors and the subject matter they choose. Higher attainers are generally confident expressive readers who demonstrate a good level of comprehension. They are able to predict story lines using clues from the text, cover illustrations and their prior knowledge of similar books. Teachers give pupils the

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opportunity to use the school library regularly. This effectively develops pupils’ skills, but the range of non-fiction and fiction books for Year 6 pupils is limited.

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ENGLISH

106. Standards in writing are in line with nationally expected levels by Year 2. Pupils' creative writing has progressed from continuous prose to punctuated sentences. More able pupils are taught to use interesting language and phrases, with good use of punctuation, including speech marks for dialogue. Teachers model good handwriting and presentation is consistently good across the ability range. All pupils are attempting to join their letters with varying degrees of success. Simple words are spelt correctly and pupils make reasonable attempts to spell more advanced vocabulary. Pupils are taught to write in a variety of styles, including instructional text and poems with predictable patterns including limericks and alliteration. As a result, a Year 2 pupil was able to write about 'Eight enormous elephants eating Easter eggs'. Story starters for 'Goldilocks' were entertaining and set the scene well. Work is marked consistently in

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accordance with the school's marking policy. It is encouraging and tells pupils what they should do to improve further. However, there are times when there is too little difference in the tasks given to average and higher attaining pupils and this limits the outcomes of the more able pupils’ work.

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ENGLISH

107. By Year 4, standards in writing are below national expectations. Presentation is extremely variable and at times unsatisfactory. While some above average ability pupils have improved their handwriting, there is some deterioration in the presentation and quality of work for lower and middle ability pupils. In handwriting, text is often printed rather than joined and there is evidence of graffiti on covers and inside books. Spelling is weak and high frequency words are often incorrect. Short sentences or paragraphs often make no sense grammatically. This is due to low expectations and weaknesses in marking. For example, developmental points are often the same for all pupils.

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ENGLISH

108. By Year 6 standards in writing are in line with nationally expected levels. Pupils' vocabulary is beginning to become more adventurous and most sentences have capital letters and full stops. Characters are established through dialogue and description. Handwriting is generally joined and even and presentation is good. There is a good pace to the work of pupils in Years 5 and 6 and they have produced a good volume and variety of work since the start of term. Teachers have successfully developed pupils' skills in writing in a number of different styles and formats. For example, pupils are able to adapt a text to a script, write in a journalistic style and use formal vocabulary in a complaint letter. Year 6 teachers have placed an increasing emphasis on the quality of the work rather than the length. The best work is engaging, imaginative and well punctuated. Descriptive phrases are used effectively when setting a scene, for

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ENGLISH

example ‘The rain patted heavily on the hard concrete road'. However, the work of average attainers frequently contains repeated errors in grammar that reflect pupils’ spoken language, along with simple spelling mistakes.

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ENGLISH

109. The school provides a comprehensive programme of extra literacy support. In Years 1 and 2 teachers and teaching assistants identify those pupils who need a more intensive programme of early literacy support. This is particularly beneficial for pupils who are learning English as an additional language and helps them to achieve a higher level of English fluency. Additional literacy support is offered to targeted pupils in Years 3 and 4 who have fallen behind in literacy, but who would not otherwise receive any additional SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 39 support. The school plans to introduce further literacy support in the summer term for pupils who are still not making the expected progress in literacy by Year 5.

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ENGLISH

110. The development of literacy skills across the curriculum is satisfactory. Pupils use wordprocessing soundly to draft and edit their work; for example, more able pupils used laptops to design formal invitations in Year 6. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to write at length in other subjects such as history and geography, or to try different approaches to recording work in science. Teachers clearly value pupils' work and there are many examples of pupils’ writing on display around the school. Poems and stories have been carefully bound to produce books. In Years 1 and 2, classroom displays are also a valuable resource for pupils. Word wheels, word walls with high frequency words, words of the day and phonic word lists aid pupils with spelling. Similarly, there is a considerable quantity of information around classrooms in Years 5 and 6 to help pupils with the structure and genre of their writing.

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ENGLISH

111. The quality of teaching is good overall but there are inconsistencies across the year groups. In Years 1 and 2 no unsatisfactory lessons were seen and three quarters of lessons were good or better. However, the lesson seen in Year 4 indicated weaknesses in teaching and a lack of rigour in tackling the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not make enough progress in writing from Years 3 to 4. Scrutiny of pupils’ written work shows that the progress they do make is uneven, including between classes in the same year group. There is too little emphasis on teaching pupils a range of spelling strategies and there is no coherent approach to handwriting and presentation. Handwriting is not consistently joined and fluent and low expectations do not instil pupils with a sense of pride in their work. In Years 5 and 6 no unsatisfactory lessons were seen and on occasion teaching was very good or excellent. Where

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teaching is very good it is often as a result of very good pace leading to sustained pupil interest, good subject knowledge and good use of resources to support learning. Written work is marked regularly. Examples of very good marking have a good mix of praise that is balanced well with specific guidance on what pupils need to do to improve, but this level of marking is not always consistent across classes or year groups.

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ENGLISH

112. The good features of teaching in Year 2 and considerable strengths in the teaching in Years 5 and 6 help pupils to make up the deficit in their previous learning. Lessons are well planned to make good links between reading and writing skills and a brisk pace keeps pupils engaged in the activities. Pupils’ attitudes and level of behaviour are consistently very good in these lessons. In Year 6, good strategies for involving all pupils, such as working in pairs to draft sentences together on mini whiteboards, ensure a good level of participation and offer useful opportunities for the teachers to check on pupils’ understanding. These strategies are also useful for developing the speaking and listening skills of pupils with English as an additional language. 113. The lesson planning seen during the inspection was satisfactory overall with activities at different levels to broadly match the learning abilities of different groups of pupils.

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ENGLISH

However the work in pupils’ books shows that there is often a lack of challenge for more able pupils. Occasionally, teachers’ explanations for independent tasks are not clear and pupils are not sure what it is they have to do. In a Year 4 class, pupils who were asked to write definitions for a noun simply wrote sentences which included the noun. At times, lower attaining pupils in Years 2 and 3 lack the skills to be able to maintain the expected level of concentration and need more help with the tasks they are given. This occurs when they are working without direct adult supervision.

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ENGLISH

114. Assessment procedures are very good and the information is used well to identify pupils for target and revision groups. The optional national tests are carried out in Years 3, 4 and 5 and are used to predict pupils' performance at the end of Year 6. Detailed SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 40 monitoring of annual test results has identified areas of common weakness that need further development. In addition, results are monitored against gender and ethnicity to highlight any potential differences in pupils' achievements. Year 6 pupils have recently taken mock national tests. The results have been analysed to identify weaknesses and shared with parents who are being encouraged to support their children.

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ENGLISH

115. Leadership of the subject is very good. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained despite changes to the curriculum and frequent changes in teaching staff. The co-ordinator clearly has very good subject knowledge and teaching is led by example. Teachers have received comprehensive training in how to teach using the National Literacy Strategy framework and this is leading to a greater level of consistency. A clear action plan for raising standards guides developments in the subject. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has a very clear picture of standards across the school and the differences in expectation and quality of teaching between classes. An up-to-date portfolio of assessed work sets expectations of standards. Lessons are monitored on a regular basis and feedback is given with recommendations for improvement. However, the weaknesses in Year 4 have not been

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addressed with sufficient rigour. The co-ordinator regularly reviews resources and has arranged for all guided reading books to be colour coded according to nationally recognised levels of difficulty. The co-ordinator has rightly identified the need to develop the school library to promote higher levels of literacy for the older pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

116. Results of National Curriculum tests in mathematics at the end of Year 2 are average when compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools. The proportion of pupils gaining higher levels of attainment in tests is below those of similar schools. Over a three-year period the results of boys and girls are very similar. Standards seen during inspection were broadly average. Although many pupils work within the levels expected, more pupils could be challenged to attain higher levels.

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MATHEMATICS

117. There is no data for the performance of Year 6 pupils as the current year group are the first cohort that the school has had. Inspection evidence shows that standards are likely to be in line with the national average with a significant number of pupils working within the expected level but too few working at a higher level.

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MATHEMATICS

118. All pupils achieve well during their time in the school but evidence shows an uneven pattern. Pupils are achieving well in Years 1 and 2, progress slows in Year 3 and standards fall in Year 4 only to pick up again in Years 5 and 6. The rate of pupils’ learning is sometimes affected in less effective lessons in Years 3 and 4 by weaknesses in classroom management that bring about lower levels of concentration. In these lessons, teachers’ explanations are not sufficiently clear and questions and group work are not closely enough matched to different levels of ability.

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MATHEMATICS

119. Pupils in Year 2 use their knowledge of number bonds, table facts, doubling and halving competently to solve number problems. They successfully count up to, and some beyond, 100 in tens from starting positions other than nought. Pupils estimate and discover measures through practical investigation.

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MATHEMATICS

120. By Year 6, pupils select appropriate methods to solve number problems. They carry out inverse operations and use this knowledge to check the accuracy of their answers. They understand symmetry and plot co-ordinates in four quadrants to produce pictures and designs. They can round up or down to one decimal place and use brackets correctly to show the order of operations in a calculation. By Year 6, pupils are able to choose the most appropriate mental, paper and pencil or calculator, methods to solve SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 41 calculations. There is a good pace to pupils’ recorded work in Year 6, which is well presented and accurate. However, in Year 4, there is evidence of strategies from the numeracy strategy being taught but pupils’ poor presentation leads to errors and misunderstandings. The pace of pupils’ work is slow and often opportunities to practise a method are too few.

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MATHEMATICS

121. The quality of teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 and in some classes in Years 3 to 6. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during inspection but pupils’ past work in Year 4 tells a story of low expectations. Where lessons are good or better, teachers’ explanations and demonstrations are clear and well paced. Well-focused questions draw out and develop pupils’ understanding and are varied in difficulty to match pupils’ different learning needs. Group work is well matched to pupils’ different abilities and classroom support is used effectively in both whole-class and group activities to support pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Teachers are careful to use the correct mathematical language and pupils follow their example.

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MATHEMATICS

122. Practical activities are used well. For example, in a lesson on capacity in Year 2, the teacher made effective use of everyday containers and asked the children to estimate how many were needed to fill a one litre measuring cylinder. The teacher then marked, with an elastic band, how much the level of the water in the measuring cylinder was raised as each container of water was poured in. The pupils were questioned well and allowed to amend their estimates as they saw just how much difference each container made. The pupils made good progress as a result.

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MATHEMATICS

123. In a good Year 5 lesson, pupils were being taught how to use a protractor to measure acute, obtuse and reflex angles. The teacher explicitly shared the learning objective with the class and she gave general feedback on their efforts from the previous lesson so they could build upon that. She also reminded them of previous knowledge that they could use, for example ‘Why will the nine times table be useful?’. Her own knowledge was very secure and she used correct vocabulary. Pupils observed the teacher modelling very clearly the skills they were expected to learn and use, with the appropriate resources with which they were provided. Work set for group work was appropriate to the pupils’ ability and the support provided by teaching assistants was of high quality and allowed the pupils to take as full a part in the lesson as possible.

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MATHEMATICS

124. Teachers plan effectively in year groups. This ensures a pooling of teachers’ combined knowledge of the subject, similar coverage across the year group and equality of opportunity. Planning is based soundly on the National Numeracy Strategy. Work in books is well presented and adequately marked. There is some evidence of lesson plans being amended as a result of ongoing assessment of pupils’ learning. This good practice enables the focus of the lesson to be directed at pupils’ learning needs. In most instances, however, the week’s lessons tend to follow the planned sequence regardless of the ongoing development of pupils’ understanding. This sometimes results in pupils moving on before they fully understand work.

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MATHEMATICS

125. In some classes, group work is not sufficiently different for the different levels of ability and planning takes too little account of pupils’ prior levels of understanding. The application of ICT in mathematics is satisfactory though not extensive, and there is scope for more regular use in lessons. Pupils’ attitudes to learning mathematics are too variable and closely allied to the quality of the teaching. Where teaching is good or better, pupils are actively involved, eager to respond to questions and demonstrate sustained concentration on tasks that are well planned to match and challenge their levels of ability. Where work is not clearly explained, the pace of the lesson is slower and teachers do not actively involve all pupils in the whole group session. As a result, SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 42 pupils rapidly lose interest and behaviour deteriorates. Where group work is not well

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MATHEMATICS

matched to pupils’ levels of ability or they do not fully understand the task, pupils often complete too little work.

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MATHEMATICS

126. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The current subject co- ordinator has only been responsible for mathematics for a little over a year. She has increased her own subject knowledge by attending training and is a good model of teaching. The numeracy strategy has been implemented well and this has brought greater continuity and progression with it. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and evaluations but, at present, has insufficient opportunities to identify, at first hand, the strengths and weaknesses of the teaching across the school. A good assessment system is now in place and tracking of pupils’ performance identifies those who require further support. The results of tests are analysed carefully and used to set targets as well as to identify areas for development.

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SCIENCE

127. Attainment in science, in lessons observed and seen in work inspected, is broadly in line with the national expectation in Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 but make unsatisfactory progress in Year 4 where the work seen during the inspection was below the standard of work expected from pupils of this age. Achievement is good in Year 5 and especially good in Year 6.

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SCIENCE

128. In Year 2, the results of the 2002 National Curriculum assessments were broadly in line with the national average, although only a small proportion of pupils were assessed as having attained a higher level. In Years 1 and 2, pupils are able to relate their work to domestic and environmental contexts. In Year 1, pupils explore materials to understand their characteristics and record their findings appropriately. They understand fair testing and use appropriate terminology. In Year 2, they know about circuits and about the dangers of electricity. In Year 6, pupils build on the work in Year 5. They understand the conditions needed for fair testing, develop their skills of prediction and carry out investigative work. Pupils show an appropriate knowledge of science when, for example, discussing what happens when chemicals are mixed. They pay good attention to health and safety. Pupils make appropriate use of diagrams but make

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SCIENCE

insufficient use of graphs and ICT to record their findings. Pupils in Year 6 are predicted to obtain test results at least in line with the national expectation. 129. Teaching is satisfactory overall; there is some good teaching in most year groups but there is unsatisfactory teaching in Year 4 which restricts pupils’ progress. Very good teaching in Year 6 is helping to raise pupils’ standards. When lessons are good, teachers show good subject knowledge in well-organised lessons that use well- prepared resources so that time is used effectively. Lessons are carefully planned to cope with the range of attainment in classes; the approach and content relate closely to pupils’ needs and the requirements of the National Curriculum. Pupils who work more slowly and pupils with special educational needs make good progress supported by teachers and classroom assistants in meeting targets set for them, but higher attaining

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SCIENCE

pupils could be challenged more by extended work. Learning objectives and teachers’ instructions are very clear so pupils know what they have to do so that most work productively, keep on task and work with interest. Pupils’ positive attitudes and good behaviour support learning. Most enjoy science; they are keen to participate in lessons and answer questions. Class management is usually very good, especially in Years 5 and 6. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good and pupils are open and friendly. They treat resources and each other respectfully, often supporting each other’s efforts; skilful use of praise and questioning by staff stimulates interest and helps maintain orderly classes. Pupils follow instructions and sustain their concentration in individual or group work. Marking is up to date but does not always make it clear how SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 43 pupils might improve their work. The pace of lessons is usually suitably brisk and

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SCIENCE

expectations are high; homework is set but it is not used systematically to extend learning. Low expectations, too slow a pace, insecure pupil management and lack of rigour characterised the unsatisfactory teaching seen in Year 4.

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SCIENCE

130. The management of science is satisfactory and documentation is well organised. Curriculum content is appropriate and there is satisfactory assessment of pupils’ work. The time allocation for science is lower than average and needs increasing to raise standards further and increase the use of ICT. Monitoring of teaching by the co- ordinator is informal, as time does not allow for more structured support. Resources are satisfactory and well used with careful attention to safety. Science makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education: pupils experience the joy of science, for example when seeing chemical reactions; are taught to care for the environment and offered useful social opportunities, for example when working in groups. Cultural opportunities, for example in learning about important scientists, are less well developed. The curriculum in science is enhanced by visits to the Science

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SCIENCE

Museum, the Year 4 field trip, Shell workshops, the Schoolworks Interactive Exhibition, links with the Young Peoples’ Trust for Environmental Education and the summer term science club. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, especially in assessment.

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ART AND DESIGN

131. It was only possible to see one full lesson of art and design in Year 3, one short session in Year 2 and a group activity overseen by a classroom assistant in Year 1. However, samples of past work show that pupils attain standards that are similar to those expected for their ages at Year 2 and Year 6. They achieve satisfactorily. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the standards of the oldest pupils were below expectations and their progress was unsatisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

132. Drawing skills are well represented in the pupils’ work and a useful portfolio of work samples, compiled during the last academic year, illustrates the good progression in pupils’ observation and drawing skills from reception to Year 5. Pupils have clearly been taught to look closely at the objects they are drawing which show careful attention to detail. Their skills in drawing are developing well. For example, pupils are learning to shade with pencils of different hardness to show form in an object and use the techniques of shading and blending to add depth to the images. Currently, pupils in Year 6 are experimenting with techniques that help portray movement in figure drawing. Portraits drawn by pupils in Year 1 are in line with expectations for their age, with reasonable shape and colour-matching of the pupils’ skin tones. In Year 2, facial features are well drawn.

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ART AND DESIGN

133. The pupils say they like art and design and talked enthusiastically about their experiences. Discussions reveal that although much of their work is two-dimensional there are opportunities to use materials such as clay. Painting, printmaking, textile work and collage are soundly represented in the planned curriculum. The pupils use sketchbooks to collect ideas, and to plan and practise techniques. However, their knowledge of artists and of their techniques is not extensive. Pupils recall having looked at the work of artists such as Dali, Monet, Van Gogh but cannot recall the features of their style. They have used computer packages to draw and design images.

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ART AND DESIGN

134. Displays around the school show that art skills are used frequently for illustrating pupils’ work in other areas of the curriculum but rarely celebrated in their own right through displays of pupils’ artwork. However, the mosaics in the hall produced with a company who provided workshops for the pupils effectively recreate key scenes from the Bible. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 44 The collage of tiles of pupils’ faces gives a positive message about belonging to the school community and is a visually effective representation of a diverse but harmonious community. The school has a broad range of resources, including a good range of posters of artists’ work, but there is little in pupils’ past work that reflects a study of art from other cultures.

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ART AND DESIGN

135. Teaching is satisfactory with strengths in the way that drawing skills are taught. Teachers’ past planning shows that lessons are soundly based on units of work from a national scheme and the notional time for art and design is similar to most schools. The good lesson seen in Year 3 was structured well to build up pupils’ skills in a step- by-step manner that helped pupils of all abilities to achieve some success. The teacher’s good demonstration of how to get correct proportions in a figure and how to shade correctly helped all pupils to improve the quality of their work. The teacher talked to individuals as they worked, giving useful feedback on their work as it progressed and encouraging them to think about techniques, about proportions, and about the shape of the figures they were drawing. This emphasis on good quality work and on learning through getting it wrong and trying again was a strong feature of the lesson and had a

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ART AND DESIGN

positive impact on pupils’ attitudes and efforts. Initially lacking confidence, the pupils maintained a good level of perseverance, as did the Year 1 pupils who were weaving strips of paper. The short session in Year 2 was not successful in maintaining pupils’ concentration and they were restless at the end of the day. The pupils did not have enough practical involvement to sustain their efforts.

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ART AND DESIGN

136. Subject leadership is satisfactory. The subject is currently overseen by the headteacher while the co-ordinator is on leave. However, it is clear that the co-ordinator has put in place satisfactory systems for planning and assessment and for the maintenance of the subject during her absence. Pupils’ work is monitored through collecting samples and teachers evaluate the success of units of work. Their comments are used to set action plan targets for development. The action plan targets were all met prior to her departure. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 45

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

137. By Year 2 and Year 6, pupils achieve standards that are broadly similar to those expected nationally. Achievement for most pupils, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, is satisfactory. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

138. Progress since the previous inspection, when design and technology was identified as a key issue for action, has been good. Standards in Years 3 to 6 have improved and the school has introduced a carefully structured subject progression using national guidance. Sound subject training has been provided which has meant expectations and classroom management skills have improved. Teaching is now satisfactory across the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

139. Standards at age seven are similar to those expected nationally. From looking at teachers’ planning, talking to pupils and looking at finished products and photographs, pupils experience a satisfactory range of activities. These are soundly planned to develop the stages of designing, making and evaluating. This was clearly seen in Year 2 where pupils were designing and making a small picture, practising cutting and sticking skills as a small focused practical task. This was part of skills development leading to making and decorating ‘Joseph’s Coloured Coat’. In a previous lesson, pupils had investigated ways of joining using sewing, gluing and stapling and had evaluated the best method for different purposes. Pupils were enthusiastic as they worked independently on their pictures showing sound cutting and sticking skills. Year 1 pupils also worked enthusiastically on making playground toys from straws, pipe cleaners,

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

sticky tape, string and card after a visit to a local playground to see how swings and climbing frames were made. They used their imagination well in their designs and most followed these closely taking care in their work. In their evaluations at the end of the lesson, many showed a sound understanding of strengths and weaknesses and how they could improve their models.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

140. In Year 6, the quality of the slippers made were similar to that found nationally. From discussions with pupils they had sound opportunities to look at how slippers were made and joined. From the range of slippers seen, pupils had access to a wide range of materials. They practised skills of joining, including sticking and sewing before completing their slippers. However, some pupils lack knowledge and understanding of the planning and designing process and designs were not always sufficiently detailed. This meant that major adjustments had to be made during the making process. Weaknesses in planning were also seen in a Year 5 class where pupils were designing and making a moving toy with a cam mechanism. Although they had made a moving toy, a significant number were unsure how the cam mechanism was to be used. Pupils clearly enjoy their design and technology lessons. Good opportunities are provided to

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

promote relationships and personal and social development as pupils work individually, in pairs or groups discussing and sharing what they are doing. This also provides quality opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

141. Teaching in the four lessons seen was satisfactory and there are many good features. Weekly planning, discussions with pupils and samples of work show that teaching is sound overall with strengths and weaknesses. In lessons seen, teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding and use this well. Most give clear explanations so that pupils know what they are to do and provide a satisfactory range of materials and resources. Lessons usually proceed at a good pace and adults provide good support and encouragement. Because of this, most pupils have a good attitude and behaviour is usually good. However, planning does not always clearly indicate what pupils are expected to do and learn in lessons. In some classes, there is not enough SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 46 opportunity for pupils to investigate and evaluate familiar products and items through disassembly. Not enough emphasis is placed on practising skills through small

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

focused tasks before making the final product. Expectations and monitoring of the designing, planning and making stages are not always high enough to ensure a quality final outcome. Discussions with older pupils shows that they do not always have sufficient time or opportunities to complete final products which were then finished at home.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

142. The subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and manages the subject well. She has a clear idea of what needs to be done to raise standards and gives good support to colleagues. She undertakes a thorough annual subject review and produces a clear evaluation which contributes to the school development plan. Teachers of similar aged pupils plan lessons carefully together, using national guidance, so that their pupils receive similar experiences. There is some informal monitoring of planning and checking standards through sampling pupils’ work. However, there is no monitoring of teaching and learning to identify strengths and weaknesses. Sound assessment procedures are in place and the co-ordinator is developing a folder of examples of previous work. However, these are not levelled to help teachers make accurate assessments. There is a satisfactory range of materials, tools and resources, including

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

construction kits, to support pupils’ skills in designing. Resources for developing control technology and the use of ICT need to be developed further. Satisfactory use is made of literacy and numeracy skills in recording and measuring and links are developing between other subjects such as art and design .

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GEOGRAPHY

143. During the period of the inspection no geography lessons were taught. However, scrutiny of the pupils’ work, displays, photographs and discussions with pupils show that standards in geography are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Teachers plan for a broad and balanced curriculum that covers the required elements of the National Curriculum. Pupils, including those with special educational needs as well as those who speak English as an additional language, achieve satisfactorily throughout the school. This is a similar picture to that found at the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

144. Pupils of all abilities in Years 1 and 2 learn about their immediate environment through making maps of their school and route to school and through visiting the police station, church and a local leisure facility. Year 2 pupils also imagined taking ‘Barnaby Bear’ to the seaside. This involved introducing the pupils to the use of keys in mapping and producing a map of the seaside with specific features such as rocks, seaweed and deckchairs marked on them. This was also done with a map of Mitcham where features such as the school, fire station and local supermarket were indicated. The use of the four-point compass was also introduced.

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GEOGRAPHY

145. By the age of eleven, pupils are able to discuss the water cycle, which they had researched using the Internet, the formation of waterfalls, deltas, gorges and valleys and how they change shape. They discuss environmental issues such as pollution. As a result of the study of flooding, eleven-year-olds had written and displayed pamphlets, which made good use of their literacy skills, on how best to protect yourself and property in case of flooding.

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GEOGRAPHY

146. Although no geography lessons were observed during the inspection, it is clear from a scrutiny of pupils’ work that teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers' planning ensures that all aspects of the subject are taught. Teachers make good use of national guidelines to organise lessons so that pupils develop their knowledge and SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 47 understanding in a sequential manner. Numeracy skills are developed soundly through the presentation of results in bar graphs using computer programs. Opportunities to use literacy skills are variable across the school. A strength of teaching is the regular use of visits and visitors that helps to bring the subject to life. A general weakness of teaching is the lack of difference in the way the work is presented to pupils of varying needs and abilities. In particular, higher attaining pupils have too little challenge in some

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GEOGRAPHY

147. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has introduced a nationally recommended scheme of work that guides teachers effectively when planning and which ensures that all aspects of the subject are taught as pupils move through the school. Although teaching is not monitored or evaluated throughout the school, teachers' plans are checked and useful feedback is given. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. The pupils’ work is monitored as part of the school’s termly ‘achievement week’ and teachers assess how well the pupils have met the learning objectives of the termly units of work.

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HISTORY

148. The skills and knowledge of seven- and eleven-year-old pupils in history is in line with national expectations. Progress for all pupils is good overall. In general, teaching is good but it varies from unsatisfactory to very good. In two lessons with older pupils observed during the inspection, teachers did not provide the appropriate opportunities for the development of research skills and understanding of the past. This was a pity, as pupils report considerable enjoyment of history and demonstrate good retention of facts and a growing involvement with earlier times. Pupils’ past work suggests that teaching is mainly good. The school has made a satisfactory level of improvement since the last inspection.

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HISTORY

149. Two very good lessons with seven-year-olds demonstrated many of the best teaching skills. The topic focus was the condition of hospitals in the Crimea before the arrival of Florence Nightingale. The teachers used very good dramatic and role-play skills to place the pupils back in time and in the role of a wounded soldier. Very good teacher- pupil relationships, excellent pace and a very real understanding of conditions and issues, allowed the teachers to explain the situation clearly and evocatively. In response, pupils took on the character of the soldier and showed very good knowledge of conditions, linking dirt and germs well to disease and death. Most impressively, these young pupils were able to think and respond like a young boy hundreds of miles away 150 years ago. In addition, at least two pupils related it to experiences of friends and family in the last century. This was a real achievement and summed up how good

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HISTORY

history teaching is in the majority of classes.

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HISTORY

150. A very good Year 5 lesson saw the classroom set up as a research department preparing a class museum. Some pupils were asked to develop replica artefacts from the Indus Valley, while others provided the research teams, using the Internet, laptops for labels and a range of books for detailed descriptions of the objects. Once again, the very good knowledge and understanding of the teacher, coupled with her excellent relationship with the class ensured total commitment to the task. Within minutes of being given the task, pupils were producing replica tablets, identifying good websites and checking out what was needed as captions for displays. This was research of a very high quality. During this lesson, it was clear that all pupils understood the nature of evidence, had a clear idea of chronology and had developed a very real sense of wonder at the achievements of civilisations many years ago. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 48

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HISTORY

151. However, not all teaching reached these high standards. Two of the six lessons seen during the inspection were not satisfactory. In a lesson in Year 3 and another in Year 5, pupils were not fully involved, resources were not available, or used inappropriately, and there was a lack of clarity about what the teacher intended the pupils to learn. This meant that both learning and behaviour deteriorated.

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HISTORY

152. The co-ordinator provides good leadership; she has ensured a rich history curriculum is provided through a good range of texts, artefacts and videos, as well as visitors, such as the ‘Tudor lady’ and visits to places of historical interest such as the Imperial War Museum and the local heritage centre. She is continuing to resource new work in an imaginative way and this aids the exciting nature of much of the history teaching at the school. She is aware that, in some classes, there is too little difference in the challenge of the work given to pupils of different abilities and has begun to address this concern. The monitoring of teaching and the development of clear history skills guidelines are two targets for the current year. These are needed to ensure that all teachers develop the analytical skills and empathy displayed by pupils in the very good lessons seen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

153. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Then, pupils overall made satisfactory progress and resources were adequate. Now, progress for all pupils is good and the new ICT suite means that resources are good, encouraging pupils’ involvement and respect. Pupils speak highly of the ICT curriculum, enjoying Internet information on the Chinese New Year, the water cycle and mathematical games and quizzes. They demonstrate good knowledge of when and how the computer can assist in research and presentation of information.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

154. By Year 2, pupils have a high level of confidence. They wordprocess well. Even the youngest pupils write their illustrated news sheets using the computer: ‘on the holdey we wen to d islad’. As they grow older they begin to write poems and stories for topics such as ‘Remembrance Day’ and to back up literacy work. They use paint programs to produce a range of pictures in the early years, using lines, shapes, spray and scribble effects. They replicate coloured weaving patterns following work on ‘Joseph’s Coloured Coat’ and have developed early skills in programming floor-based robots. There is good use of the Internet, enabling pupils to cut and paste pictures and Clipart for topics such as ‘Florence Nightingale’.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

155. Pupils’ progress continues to be good as they move through the school. By Year 6, all pupils have developed a satisfactory range of skills in data handling, converting numbers to bar graphs and pie charts to indicate animal habitats around the world. Accounts of the Blitz and evacuation in World War Two are accompanied by information from the Internet and photographs they have chosen. Control skills have developed well to the point that they can command screen-based robots and organise the furnishing of a room using control programmes. Wordprocessing continues to improve and all pupils feel able to write in newspaper formats, use a wide range of fonts, colours and illustrations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

156. Teaching in the suite is consistently good, enabling pupils to develop their skills at a good rate. In a good Year 2 lesson, pupils worked from a horizontal shopping list and used the return key to produce a vertical one. The teaching showed good knowledge and understanding, good management within the ICT suite, using a data projector well for demonstrations, and excellent teamwork between the teacher and the ICT technician. Planning was detailed and consistent between different classes in the same year. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 49 157. Similarly, a good lesson with ten-year-old pupils saw the teacher model the process for finding information about a pop star on the Internet. Pupils, working in pairs, displayed good logging on and search skills. They knew when they had made a mistake and set about correcting it in a methodical way. By the end of the lesson everyone had found an appropriate website, cut and pasted a photograph into a wordprocessed notebook and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

added text and captions of their own. The lesson was characterised by very good co- operation, respect for the equipment and a very high level of enjoyment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

158. This good standard of provision and progress arises from good management within the subject. During the current year, the subject is being led by the ICT technician who displays very good skills, excellent relationships with pupils and a very high standard of planning and advice. The training programme for class teachers has ensured a consistent level of knowledge and understanding among staff. This results in the good use of ICT in many subjects, such as geography, literacy and history. An outstanding development has been the annual residential week. For this, pupils in Year 4 stay and work at a study centre. Mornings see them working on computers, while the rest of the day is taken up with activities such as abseiling and archery. The imaginative dimension of the week is that ICT is used in so many ways, from recording archery scores on graphs to measuring heart rates during abseiling.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

159. This subject is settling down well and just beginning to make full use of the suite and software across the full curriculum. Assessment procedures are developing soundly. There is a need for more monitoring and sharing of good practice so that all staff can match the good practice observed during the inspection. Acceleration of the use of computer-based activities in all subject areas and within all classrooms should now be a priority to ensure that the skills being learned by pupils are put to the best use throughout the working week. More attention could now be given to computer-based programs to support pupils with specific literacy difficulties.

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MUSIC

160. Pupils enter the school with below average attainment in music and the teachers’ assessments confirm this. Pupils’ achievement is good at all levels so that by Year 2, when pupils are aged seven, standards have improved and are broadly average with most pupils working at about Level 2 of the National Curriculum. By Year 6, when pupils are aged eleven, standards are just above average with most pupils working at about Level 4. Pupils sing regularly, confidently and enthusiastically; they develop good technique with appropriate breathing, expression, diction and posture, as seen in lessons using BBC programmes with younger pupils or an African song with Year 6. Pupils sing regularly in assembly and many pupils join the choir in school, which strengthens work in the classroom. Pupils play a range of instruments, for example when developing their own compositions, and can successfully combine polyrhythms.

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MUSIC

Pupils listen very respectfully to each other when performing and to recordings such as ‘Hary Janos’ and use appropriate terminology when appraising.

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MUSIC

161. Teaching is mainly good and, in some lessons, is very good. All lessons are taught by a specialist teacher who makes good use of her expertise so that teaching is confident. Good accompanying skills support pupils’ achievement. Instructions are clear and teaching is energetic; the pupils always understand the learning objectives. Schemes and the content of lessons are well thought out to involve all pupils in making music through performing, composing, listening, appraising and often movement, so that they enjoy lessons. Expectations are high and, as a result, pupils are challenged and work productively. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are well integrated and make similar progress to the other pupils. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 50 Lessons are very well organised and pupil management is very good so that lessons are orderly, time well used and pupils acquire skills, develop ideas and increase their

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MUSIC

understanding. As a result, relationships are excellent and pupils are good-humoured and make a good effort to work well. The most musical pupils are challenged, for example when directing performances, but pupils, especially those receiving instrumental lessons, could make more use of their own instruments to support their tuition and strengthen work in the classroom. Lessons start briskly and maintain a lively pace and pupils remain focused. The assessment of pupils is very supportive and encouraging; it shows them clearly how they can improve. Pupils use equipment sensibly. They are attentive and very supportive of each other, for example when working in groups. Pupils are keen to answer questions and the most enthusiastic involve themselves in musical opportunities offered in and outside school.

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MUSIC

162. Leadership and management of music are very good. Music is very well organised. There is good monitoring and evaluation of the subject’s performance. Schemes of work, assessment schemes and the strategies to develop the subject further are well thought out and constantly under review with a view to improving pupils’ skill levels and increasing the numbers involved in extra-curricular activities and instrumental tuition. Music has very good resources. The music room is spacious but there is a shortage of practice and storage areas. Since the last inspection, standards, teaching, resourcing and the management of music have all improved.

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MUSIC

163. Sixteen pupils receive instrumental lessons from visiting teachers in guitar or percussion. The range of tuition and the number involved is less than average for a school of this size. It was not possible to see any of these lessons but pupils do not have practice books so that their work, effort and progress are not so easily monitored and supported by parents and teachers. There is a newly formed and promising choir of keen pupils with good standards. Singing is accurate and expressive. There is a large, well-motivated recorder group. The quality of teaching in these activities is good. The school promotes regular concerts involving large numbers of pupils and visits to concerts locally and to London. Workshops in school given by musicians further broaden the wealth of opportunities of these pupils. Music groups perform in assemblies and the regular use of a wide range of recorded music in assemblies and

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MUSIC

at lunchtime helps create a positive ambience. Music makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Music is a strength of the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164. Pupils reach the expected standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. They achieve soundly in response to satisfactory teaching. This is an improvement since the last inspection where teaching and progress for children older than seven were judged to be unsatisfactory. The pupils’ attitude and behaviour in lessons were good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165. Although the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, it is inconsistent and ranges from unsatisfactory to good. Good teaching was seen in two Year 2 lessons and in a Year 5 class. In these lessons teachers had high expectations of achievement and behaviour, tasks were appropriate as were the progressions in skills taught. Teachers kept lessons moving at a brisk pace, made sure that pupils were active for most of the lesson and gave good demonstrations and explanations that helped pupils focus on the quality of their actions. They also encouraged pupils to be creative. Consequently, pupils made good progress, enjoyed participating and developing ideas and their behaviour was good. SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School - 51 166. In the Year 2 class, pupils were reminded of previous lessons so they would be able to build upon that knowledge. They were able to link movements together showing variations in shape, height and speed. In the Year 5 class the pupils built successfully

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

upon previously taught striking and fielding skills to create a small game situation in pairs.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

167. Where teaching was unsatisfactory in Year 4, the weak class management by the teacher and strategies used to maintain discipline, along with inappropriate progressions in activities, resulted in poor behaviour by a few pupils which caused disruption to the learning of others. In Year 3, the over control of the teacher reduced the time available for pupils to practise and develop their gymnastic skills. Pupils spent too long waiting to have a turn on the apparatus.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

168. Where pupils were given activities that were appropriate to their ability and where they were active for a high proportion of the time, class control was at least satisfactory. This resulted in good behaviour and attainment by the pupils that was at least satisfactory. Where support staff were observed in lessons, they were well deployed to enable all pupils to participate. This enhanced the learning experiences of the pupils and aided the teacher with the assessment of their work. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. Teachers make ongoing notes of pupils’ achievements and skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

169. A broad, balanced curriculum is provided. Teachers follow a nationally recognised scheme of work that guides their planning of activities for the pupils. This ensures that all aspects of the subject are taught as the pupils move through the school. However, at present, there is little to extend the curriculum. The co-ordinator is seeking to establish links with two local football clubs and the school took part in the Nike Run. Links with the co-ordinators of other local primary schools have been set up and inter- school competitions are planned for the near future. The Year 4 residential trip to Osmington Bay has a significant element of outdoor physical education that includes archery and abseiling, which adds to the pupils’ experiences. The co-ordinator recognises that an increase in the range and number of extra-curricular sports clubs would enhance the pupils’ learning experiences in physical education as well as

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

contributing further to their personal development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

170. Subject co-ordination is satisfactory although the subject has not been a high priority for development for the school recently. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning but few lessons have been observed to identify where teachers might need more support or training. The co-ordinator does not have a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses in provision that would help to focus on areas for further improvement.

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