St Edmund's Catholic Primary School

ST EDMUND’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th – 13 th February 2003

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ST EDMUND’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST EDMUND’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Nelson Rd Whitton Middlesex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998 St Edmunds RC Primary School - 2

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Team members

23744 Peter Howlett Registered inspector 9519 Sue Pritchard Lay inspector 27426 Terry Aldridge Team inspector 21796 James Walsh Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Edmunds RC Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Edmund’s is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided primary school for boys and girls between the ages of four and 11, located in Whitton in the London Borough of Richmond. A larger than average primary school, it has 408 pupils attending full-time, including 59 children in reception. The school has no nursery and reception children are admitted in the year they are five. Children attend mornings only for the first term. There is a gender imbalance in some year groups but overall there is no significant difference between the number of boys and girls. The majority of pupils come from the local area which consists of a mixture of owner occupied and local authority housing, but some come from neighbouring boroughs. Approximately five per cent of pupils take up free school meals which is below the national average. Pupils come predominantly from a white ethnic background, mostly of UK heritage. There are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

small number of pupils from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Five per cent of the school population come from homes where English is not the first language. Currently there are no pupils at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs (13 per cent) is below the national average. Two pupils have a statement of special educational need. Pupils’ attainment on entry is broad but is generally in line with that typically found nationally.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Edmund’s is a successful and effective school with many strengths. It provides a good education and a happy and stimulating learning environment for its pupils. Pupils achieve well and standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the school. Teaching is mainly good and is very good in Year 6. The school is very well led and managed by a strong, positive headteacher with good support from staff and governors. It fulfils its aims of promoting pupils’ personal development very effectively, its ethos reflecting Christian values and beliefs very successfully. The school deservedly has the full confidence of its parents. It uses its budget prudently and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils do well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by the age of eleven. • Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and the very good teaching in Year 6. • The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and governors promotes a good ethos for learning. • Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong impact on the quality of their learning. • The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development contributes very effectively to pupils’ very good personal development. • The school’s relationships with parents are very good.

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What could be improved

• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in Reception and in Years 1 and 2. • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) could be higher. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

St Edmunds RC Primary School - 5 The school has made good progress since the last inspection in January 1998. It has addressed successfully the key issues identified then: standards in physical education have improved by Year 2, parents are better informed about their children’s progress and provision for reception children and safety arrangements for outdoor activities have improved. In addition, the school has improved in other ways. Standards in English, mathematics and science are higher by the end of Year 6. Standards of behaviour and relationships amongst pupils are judged to have further improved. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has significantly improved. There have been further developments in curriculum provision and assessment procedures. Enhancements to the accommodation include a new ICT suite. The school is well placed for further development.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A A A C well above average above average A B mathematics A A A A average below average C D science A B A A well below average E

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Key

Pupils achieve very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6. Test results in 2002 were well above national averages in English, mathematics and science. In comparison with similar schools, results were well above average in mathematics and science but average in English. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science. The school exceeded its targets in English and mathematics, although these were not particularly challenging. (The school’s targets for 2003 are higher and more challenging). The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was well above average in mathematics and science and above average in English. In mathematics and science, the steady rise in results is generally in line with the national trend of improvement. In English, results have remained fairly consistent and have not matched

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Key

the national trend of improvement. In the national tests in Year 2, results in reading and writing have fluctuated over the past five years between average and above average. In mathematics, results show a significant improvement over the last three years and were above average in the last two years.

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Key

In a short inspection it is not intended to make judgements about standards in all subjects. From the work seen during the inspection:

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Key

Junior pupils achieve very well and standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. The school has identified pupils’ writing as an area for improvement and standards are rising. The indications are that a higher proportion of Year 6 pupils are likely to achieve the higher Level 5 in this year’s national tests in English. Standards in ICT in Years 3 to 6 are broadly average. Infant pupils make satisfactory progress and standards in English, mathematics and science in the current Year 2 are average. Children in the reception class make satisfactory progress and standards are fairly typically of those found nationally. In other lessons, there were examples of pupils achieving well in history, physical education and music. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils like coming to school. They are well motivated and take good interest in their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in class and around the school. They are polite and courteous to each other and to adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are mature and sensible, know right from wrong and are keen to take on responsibility. They show good levels of care and consideration for others. Relationships are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils’ attendance is average. Punctuality is good.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ very good attitudes for learning, very good relationships, behaviour and personal development make a significant contribution to how well they achieve.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching is good. Nearly two-thirds of the 30 lessons seen were at least good. Very good relationships are a strong feature of teaching. Teachers create a very positive learning atmosphere through praise, encouragement and valuing pupils’ responses. The national strategies for English and mathematics are well established and teaching of these subjects is good in the Juniors and satisfactory in the Infants. Pupils in Year 6 are grouped by prior attainment in these subjects, enabling pupils to make at least good progress whatever their previous attainment.

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

Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is a strength of the school and a significant factor in pupils’ good achievement. Nearly all of the lessons seen were at least good, including a half very good and one excellent lesson. Teachers prepare lessons carefully, clearly identifying learning intentions and planning tasks that are generally well matched to pupils’ attainment. Lessons proceed at a brisk and purposeful pace. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they have high expectations of their pupils. Year 6 teachers in particular expect the most of their pupils and give them a clear sense of purpose and challenge in their learning. In Years 1 and 2, teachers provide a secure and enjoyable learning environment for their pupils. However, teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and there is sometimes a lack of challenge for the more able pupils. In the reception classes, adults work closely together, providing a secure and safe

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

atmosphere. Teachers have a sound understanding of the needs of the reception children but do not promote their personal development well enough. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. A broad and balanced curriculum meets pupils’ personal and academic needs effectively. There is good emphasis on literacy and numeracy and good planning ensures all subjects are covered in sufficient depth. The curriculum is enhanced by offering modern foreign languages in Year 6, good provision for extra-curricular activities and good opportunities for personal and social education. Provision for the under-fives is satisfactory but opportunities for children to develop their independence are insufficient.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment in literacy and numeracy. Provision is well managed and support is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Excellent provision for pupils’ moral development and very good provision for their spiritual, social and cultural development. The Christian ethos permeates the everyday life of the school and supports pupils’ personal development extremely well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school cares well for its pupils and monitors their progress carefully as they move through the school. The arrangements to track pupils’ progress in English and mathematics are good. Assessment arrangements in ICT are not good enough.

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Aspect Comment

There are very good links with parents and the local community. Parents are very supportive of the school. The quality and range of information provided by the school for parents is good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides strong and positive leadership, gives clear educational direction to the school and promotes high standards. There is a very good sense of teamwork and all staff work well together. Subject co-ordinators carry out their duties well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors meet their statutory responsibilities well. They are well informed and very supportive of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The present headteacher has done much to develop effective systems to evaluate the work of the school. Procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and standards are thorough. Good use is made of information from assessments. Measures to evaluate the impact of the school improvement plan need to be further developed.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school manages its finances efficiently and spends its budget prudently. The school has a satisfactory understanding of the principles of best value. The school’s accommodation is cramped but is used well. Staff work hard to provide an attractive and stimulating learning environment. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 8

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • Children like to come to school. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good and their children make good progress. • The school expects their children to work hard, do their best and become mature and responsible. • The school works closely with parents and staff are approachable. • Children do not get the right amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the parents. Arrangements for homework are good and better than those usually found in primary schools. For example, homework in Year 6 is well organised and supports pupils’ work in class effectively. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 9

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

mathematics and science are well above average.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

1. Pupils achieve very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6. In the 2002 tests, results were well above national averages in English, mathematics and science. In comparison to similar schools, results were well above average in mathematics and science but average in English. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 was well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science. The school exceeded its targets in English and mathematics, although these were not particularly challenging. (The school’s targets for 2003 are higher and more challenging). The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was well above average in mathematics and science and above average in English.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

2. In mathematics, results were well above average in each of the last five years. In science, results were well above average in four of the past five years. In both subjects, results have risen generally in line with the national trend of improvement. In lessons and from analysis of pupils’ work, inspectors confirm that these high standards have been maintained in the current Year 6.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

3. Pupils’ performances in tests have generally been better in mathematics and science than in English. In English, test results have remained fairly consistent and have not matched the national trend of improvement. However, the school has identified writing as an area for development. The indications are that standards are rising and the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 is likely to show a significant increase in the forthcoming tests.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

4. Writing skills are well above average in Year 6. Written work in English and other areas of the curriculum is usually well organised. Sentences are generally well constructed and organised into coherent paragraphs. Pupils appreciate the purpose of narrative and non-narrative forms of writing. Their writing is often imaginative with good use of vocabulary. It shows clear narrative structure and pupils’ ability to sustain their ideas in extended pieces of writing. Basic grammatical structures are correct and the use of connectives such as ‘however’ and ‘therefore’ is developing well. Most pupils have a good grasp of spelling rules and common and many polysyllabic words are spelt correctly. Sentences are usually correctly punctuated, using capital letters, commas, full stops and speech and question marks. Pupils take care with the presentation of their work and their handwriting is legible but some pupils have yet to develop a well formed, flowing joined script.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

5. Standards in reading and in speaking and listening are well above average by Year 6. The vast majority of pupils read fluently and confidently and find reading enjoyable. They show a good understanding of a range of reading materials, identifying key features and characters. Most talk knowledgeably about books they have read, commenting on characters and the plots. For example, more able pupils discuss, compare and contrast the merits of different authors. Most pupils use reference books effectively to find information, using the contents and index confidently. Pupils speak confidently and develop ideas thoughtfully, using a good range of words. Most explain their views and opinions clearly. For example, in sharing their ideas and views about ‘Utopia’, they clarify personal values and moral beliefs in mature and thoughtful ways. Pupils listen carefully to teachers and others and make good contributions to discussions.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

6. Standards in mathematics are well above average by Year 6. Pupils’ number skills are high. They use a variety of mental and written methods effectively. They have good skills in mental arithmetic and they can work out calculations in their heads quickly. For example, in ‘chase the number’, a round of mental questions at the beginning of a lesson, pupils enjoyed solving difficult calculations with numbers to a thousand. Pupils work confidently with large numbers and undertake work in all four rules of number. They understand percentages and recognise their fractional and decimal equivalents. Standards in other areas of mathematics are good. Pupils know the different metric units of measure and can convert one to the other. Pupils understand the concept of probability St Edmunds RC Primary School - 10 and use the appropriate terminology to describe their findings. Many pupils can find the mode, mean and median of a set of data. In lessons seen, the vast majority of pupils work confidently at

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

or above the expected levels for their ages. For example, they can measure angles accurately and use their knowledge of the properties of angles to calculate others. The majority of pupils know the angle sum of a triangle and the sum of angles at a point. Higher attaining pupils work with co- ordinates in all four quadrants, plotting carefully both positive and negative numbers. They can plot the co-ordinates of a shape after reflection or rotation.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

7. In science, standards of work seen in lessons and in completed pupils’ work show that the attainment of pupils in Year 6 is well above that typically found nationally. Pupils’ scientific knowledge and understanding are good. For example, in their written work lower attaining pupils demonstrate that they have a secure knowledge of the characteristics of living things. They can group them systematically and know that they have evolved and have different characteristics to suit their habitats. The majority of lessons are based on investigations and pupils develop their skills of enquiry and investigation effectively. For example, in a Year 6 lesson pupils develop their prediction and observation skills in their study of reversible and irreversible changes. They use appropriate scientific terms to describe contexts in which a change of state takes place, for example, condensation and evaporation. Some pupils are developing their understanding that

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

matter is made up of particles bonded together and that these can react differently in solids, liquids and gases.

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Pupils do very well in the national tests at the end of Year 6 and standards in English,

8. In other lessons, there were examples of pupils achieving well in history, physical education and music. Pupils performed movement and dance routines and sang to a good standard. Year 6 pupils show good understanding about the religious beliefs in Ancient Egypt, comparing those with their own.

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

9. The overall quality of teaching is good. Of the 30 lessons seen, teaching was excellent in one, very good in nine, good in another nine and satisfactory in the remainder. These figures compare favourable with those of the last inspection.

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

10. The school has successfully built upon the good quality teaching of the Junior pupils seen at the last inspection. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is a strength of the school and a significant factor in pupils’ good achievement. All but one of the 16 lessons seen were at least good, including half which were very good and one excellent lesson. Teaching and learning in Year 6 are very good. The effectiveness of teaching is also seen in the analysis of pupils’ work which indicates that pupils make at least good progress. The national strategies for English and mathematics are well established and teaching of these subjects is good. In mathematics and English, pupils in Year 6 are grouped by prior attainment and these arrangements work well.

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

11. Teachers prepare lessons carefully. They clearly identify learning intentions and, by sharing these with their classes, pupils have a clear sense of purpose in their learning. For example, teachers often write out the learning objectives for the lesson for pupils to read: this makes clear what is expected and helps focus attention. They plan activities that are generally well matched to pupils’ attainment. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson, the work was well matched to pupils’ learning needs and all pupils including those with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils were well stimulated by some challenging tasks. Teachers build well upon pupils’ prior knowledge, making good use of assessment information in planning lessons. For example, in a mathematics lesson the teacher used the difficulties that pupils found in the previous lesson on measuring and estimating angles as the focus for teaching in a follow-up lesson.

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

12. Very good relationships are a strong feature of teaching. Teachers have very good skills in managing activities and pupils’ behaviour. They create a very positive atmosphere through praise, encouragement and valuing pupils’ responses. In a very good physical education lesson in Year 5, pupils learnt effectively from observing the good performances of others, creating and developing St Edmunds RC Primary School - 11 dance movements. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. There was a very good and purposeful ethos in nearly all lessons. All lessons proceeded at a brisk pace with a variety of activities that engaged and challenged pupils. In Year 6 teachers in particular constantly challenge and often inspire pupils, expecting the most from them. 13. Teachers have very good subject knowledge. In science, ICT, history and physical education lessons, teachers’ good understanding of and enthusiasm for their subjects have a strong impact

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

on pupils’ learning. For example, pupils’ misconceptions about ancient Egyptian life gained from a popular fictional film were addressed effectively. In the same lesson, skilful questioning encouraged pupils to think carefully about the reliability of historical evidence.

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Junior pupils achieve very well because of the good teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5 and

14. Teachers use homework effectively to support pupils’ learning in English, mathematics and science. For example, Year 6 homework books show that good quality homework is given and marked on a regular basis.

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

governors promotes a good ethos for learning.

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

15. There is a very positive ethos in the school that promotes pupils’ academic and personal development very well. The headteacher and staff work well together to create a purposeful atmosphere that strongly supports learning and reflects the Christian values and beliefs that permeate the whole life of the school. The school is a lively and cheerful place where pupils work hard, enjoy their learning and grow in personal maturity. The school’s very good ethos is underpinned by its very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. Parents believe that the school is successful in promoting high standards of work and behaviour.

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

16. The headteacher provides very good leadership to the school community and manages the school very well. She has high expectations and gives clear educational direction to the school. The headteacher has been in post for less than two years but in this time has had a strong impact on the work the school, showing good commitment to school improvement and good understanding of its strengths and relative weaknesses. She has done much to develop effective systems to evaluate the work of the school. She takes appropriate steps to analyse and evaluate how the school is performing and develop appropriate strategies to tackle identified priorities. For example, effective measures have been taken to improve pupils’ writing and improved target setting has resulted in the setting of more challenging targets at the end of Year 6. Procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and subject provision are thorough. Good use is made of information from

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

assessments. Subject co-ordinators have a good overview of their subjects through a range of monitoring activities. Priorities in the school’s development plan are clearly focused on improving provision and raising pupils’ achievement. However, measures to evaluate the impact of the actions outlined in this plan need to be further developed.

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

17. There have been a number of recent appointments that have helped to strengthen the management of the school. Most key posts are filled by experienced and knowledgeable staff. For example, the special education needs co-ordinator manages provision in her area well and has a good understanding of her role and responsibilities. Subject co-ordinators for English, mathematics, science and ICT are effective in their roles. They have good expertise and take very positive roles in moving their subjects forward.

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

18. The governors are knowledgeable, supportive and involved. They have established an effective committee structure that enables them to fulfil their responsibilities successfully. Financial management is good. There are effective decision-making processes in place and the budget is prudently spent. There are good relationships between governors and staff and the whole school community work together as a team for the benefit of the pupils. The headteacher and governors are constantly trying to improve the school’s accommodation. Although the accommodation overall is cramped, it is well used and the staff work hard to provide pupils with an attractive and stimulating learning environment. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 12 19. The school promotes a very good ethos for learning through a broad and balanced curriculum that enables pupils to make good progress in their academic and all round personal and social

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

education. The curriculum is well planned with good cross-curricular links. A range of additional features enhances provision. For example, a major strength is the teaching of French and German in Year 6. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for music is good and pupils show real enjoyment in musical activities, including hymn practices, extra-curricular choir, recorder groups, school musicals and visiting musicians. 20. The school cares well for its pupils and provides them with very good support so that pupils feel valued and comfortable and confident to be at school. Procedures for their health and welfare are good. Assessment arrangements are good and the headteacher has established effective systems for tracking the progress of pupils in the core subjects. Provision for those pupils identified as having special educational needs is good overall. Pupils receive good support in literacy and

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The headteacher provides very positive leadership and with the support of staff and

numeracy and individual education plans are in place with sound targets for all pupils who require them. Support services are used effectively when necessary.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

impact on the quality of their learning.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

21. Pupils’ very positive attitudes, very good relationships, behaviour and personal development contribute significantly to the good standards achieved. Parents believe that their children like coming to school and that the school expects their children to behave well and is successful in helping them become responsible and mature.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

22. Pupils have very good attitudes for learning. They are keen to come to school and their punctuality is good. Pupils want to learn, are well motivated and take a good interest in their work. For example, Year 6 pupils’ responses to mental arithmetic questions were brisk and keen. In lessons, pupils listen well to their teachers and respond well to opportunities to engage in discussions. They show good levels of application and settle to work quickly and productively. Pupils take pride in their work and a high level of effort is apparent in their work on display throughout the school and, for example, in the quality of homework in Year 6.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

23. Standards of behaviour and the quality of relationships amongst pupils have further improved since the last inspection. Pupils are polite and courteous. Throughout the inspection, pupils’ behaviour both in lessons and around the school was very good. In class, pupils’ relationships with one another are very good, working well together. They co-operate very well when working in pairs and in groups. For example, in a physical education lesson, pupils planned and performed different dance movements in groups, evaluating their own performance and that of others. Pupils of all ages show good awareness of the school’s expectations for their conduct when moving around the school. In the playground, pupils engage in energetic play but do so in a friendly and cheerful way and arguments are settled quickly. During the inspection there were no incidences of aggressive behaviour. There were no exclusions in the past year. The school is a calm, orderly and

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

harmonious place. These very good relationships permeate the life of the school and promote the pupils’ consciousness of the school community as a whole.

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Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, relationships and behaviour have a strong

24. Pupils respond very positively to the strong Christian ethos in the school. Pupils clearly know right from wrong and are well aware of the effects of their actions on others. Pupils show high levels of consideration and sensitivity. They think of others, showing concern and care for each other’s feelings. They show high levels of maturity and are willing to take on responsibilities. When given tasks to perform they carry them out sensibly.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

contributes very effectively to pupils’ very good personal development.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

25. The school’s very good provision for spiritual, social and cultural development gives rise to a culture in which everyone’s efforts are valued and recognised. The everyday life and routines in school support pupils’ moral development extremely well. A further strong feature of the school’s ethos is its reflective nature. Pupils are continually encouraged to think and reflect on the beauty St Edmunds RC Primary School - 13 of the world, to celebrate success and to remember their achievements with fondness and pride. Provision has significantly improved since the last inspection, particularly that for pupils’ spiritual and moral development and the opportunities for learning about Britain’s multicultural society.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

26. Because of the very good provision for it, pupils’ sense of spirituality enhances the quality of learning in school. In lessons and assemblies, pupils are given very good opportunities to display a sense of empathy and compassion and to understand the feelings of others. They are given time for stillness and quiet reflection on such qualities as friendship, joyfulness and prayer. During the inspection week, for example, a box of treasured family heirlooms in an assembly provided an effective reminder to pupils of how today’s happy events soon become tomorrow’s fond memories.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

27. The provision for the pupils’ moral development is excellent. Adults help children to understand the difference between right and wrong through very clear, simple rules and by showing them what is expected. Staff are fair and firm in their dealings with pupils and are very clear about what good behaviour means, particularly in terms of telling the truth, being kind and not harming others. Pupils who have difficulty following the code of conduct know what is expected even if they do not do the right thing every time. Teachers unfailingly recognise and encourage pupils’ personal efforts, however small that step might be.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

28. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Contributing to the school council or taking on the role of a house or school monitor assists pupils in expressing their thoughts clearly and confidently whilst realising the need for good manners and goodwill to others. The older pupils quite naturally care for the younger ones. They see it as their responsibility to seek help for a friend who might be upset or injured. There is strong encouragement for pupils to co-operate and work well together. Pupils of all ages are asked to help the teacher from time to time, for example by taking responsibility for selecting and using resources, choosing activities or taking registers to the office. There are minor inconsistencies in the way teachers organise these routines, more so at the lower end of the school. As a result, some pupils take longer to find ways of using their initiative to help them overcome problems and obstacles in their learning.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

29. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Lessons in citizenship, literature, history and religious education contribute particularly well to this. In literacy, pupils reflect on the significance of poetry through cultural imagery and language. Their work on winter festivals for example showed how well pupils understand and relate to festivals in the church calendar alongside those of other religions. The high standard of information imparted through displays helps extend pupils’ awareness of the lives of famous artists and authors, including those from the Black and Asian community. Teachers are highly skilled at helping pupils evaluate and associate their own moral values to that of other races and cultures. One very good example of this was seen in a Year 6 history lesson, where pupils compared the Ten Commandments to that of the 42 Egyptian sins.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

The school’s relationships with parents are very good.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

30. Parents’ views of the school are very positive. The analysis of parents’ responses to the questionnaire and their comments in the meeting held prior to the inspection show that parents hold the school in high esteem. They are appreciative of the work of the school and the opportunities it provides for their children.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

31. Partnership with parents is very good and parents are very supportive of the school. For example, parents are well represented at class assemblies. Parents support the school well in fundraising: there is a very supportive parents’ association that arranges popular social events for pupils and raises funds for, among other things, a school minibus. There are very good links with the church and the school features strongly in the life of the parish.

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

32. The school has a range of measures to encourage parents to support the school and the values it promotes. The range of information to parents is good and helps to enhance the positive relationships with them by helping those parents who do not have the opportunity of coming into St Edmunds RC Primary School - 14 school regularly to see and understand what is happening in school. Reports on pupils’ progress to parents have improved since the last inspection. In addition, reports are supplemented very well by the ‘Golden Books’ (examples of pupils’ work across the subject range) which provide an excellent way of helping parents understand the progress their children are making. Newsletters are sent out every Friday and are informative and attractively presented. Although a few parents are unhappy with current homework arrangements, these are good and better than those usually found in primary schools. For example, homework in Year 6 is well organised and supports pupils’

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The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development

work in class effectively. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved and kept well informed through regular review meetings. They also receive copies of pupils’ individual targets so that they can support their children at home. The school office deals with parental concerns efficiently, but in a friendly and polite manner.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

33. The results of national tests at the end of Year 2, analysis of pupils’ work and observations of teaching and learning indicate that pupils in reception and in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress but are capable of achieving higher standards overall.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

34. National test results at the end of Year 2 provide a mixed picture. Results in reading and writing have fluctuated over the past five years between average and above average. In mathematics, results show a significant improvement over the last three years and were above the national average in the last two years. In reading and writing, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 was in line with the national picture in 2002, whilst in mathematics, the percentage was a little higher than average. Standards in the current Year 2 in English, mathematics and science are fairly typical of those found nationally.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

35. The school’s results in the national tests over the last two years when compared with those of similar schools were below expectations in reading and writing and average in mathematics. However, there is insufficient additional evidence available to judge the progress pupils make from entry to the school to the end of Year 2. There is little reliable statistical evidence to make comparative judgements on the attainment of pupils generally on entry to the school. The school has started to extend its systems of tracking pupils’ attainment and progress to include pupils from reception and Year 1. However, it has not been helped in its efforts to demonstrate that it adds value to pupils’ education in the early years of schooling by lack of useful ‘baseline’ assessment. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of work in the current reception classes are similar to those found nationally.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

36. In the reception classes, the curriculum is satisfactory and is based appropriately on the Early Learning Goals 1 . The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, enabling the children to make satisfactory progress. Adults work closely together, know the children well and provide a secure and safe atmosphere for them in which to learn. They manage children well and relationships are good. Lessons are soundly planned, although the range of activities are often too teacher directed. There are too few opportunities for children to undertake self-chosen, purposeful investigational activities that develop their independence in learning and challenge their natural curiosity. Sometimes adults do too much to help children, for example in cutting up their food at lunch-time and helping them dress rather than letting them try for themselves. Teachers’ assessments are insufficiently focused on all the recommended ‘stepping stones’ and they make

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

insufficient use of assessment to ensure that children are sufficiently challenged.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

37. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. The teaching of music and physical education is good. Teachers provide a secure and enjoyable learning environment for pupils. Their relationships with pupils are very good and pupils work well together. However, work

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

1 The standards that children are expected to achieve or exceed by the end of the reception year. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 15 is not always appropriately matched to pupils’ learning needs. For example, in a science lesson on similarities and differences between people, the teacher provided tasks that were the same for all pupils and were not challenging enough for higher attaining pupils. Analysis of pupils’ science work shows a light coverage of topics, limited examples of opportunities for scientific enquiry and overuse of photocopied sheets.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

38. Teaching of English and mathematics is satisfactory but expectations are not always high enough; sometimes there is a lack of challenge for the more able pupils. Some lessons were conducted at a brisk pace but in others the pace of lessons was a little slow with the introductory part of literacy lessons sometimes too long. Lesson objectives are usually but not always shared with pupils. The effectiveness of the concluding part of lessons varies. At its best as in one mathematics lesson, it reinforced and extended the lesson objectives. In others, it consisted merely of a review of pupils’ work. There is insufficient focus in mathematics lessons on the teaching of mental arithmetic skills. Some literacy lessons are too short and take place at the very end of the day when pupils are not as attentive. Teachers have been successful in ensuring that pupils produce a good range of written work, although their expectations of higher attaining pupils could be higher. Pupils’ work

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

is regularly marked but teachers do not sufficiently indicate to pupils how they might improve.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

39. Standards in ICT in Years 3 to 6 have improved since the last inspection and are broadly in line with those typically found nationally.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

40. The headteacher has raised the profile of the subject and, as a result of recent improvements, provision for the subject is better that at the last inspection. A new ICT suite was opened in September 2002. The subject co-ordinator has worked hard to produce appropriate curriculum guidance and as a result the school now has a well-planned curriculum in place with some good links with other subjects. Staff training has been effective and teaching in the Juniors is good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. They are confident in teaching ICT skills and are knowledgeable about the software. Lessons are well planned and organised. Pupils are keen and interested, stay well focused on tasks during lessons and make steady progress. However, appropriate assessment arrangements to record the progress that pupils make in the development of skills are not yet in place. In consequence, teachers’ planning does not take sufficient account

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

of pupils’ differing levels of attainment, although in many lessons activities are sufficiently challenging for most pupils.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

41. Despite these improvements, pupils’ skills remain unevenly developed and many pupils are capable of achieving higher standards. There is little evidence of pupils achieving above expected levels for their ages and many pupils’ skills are not secure. Teachers have provided pupils with opportunities to experience a sound range of ICT skills in the current year but the amount of work produced is relatively small and not always in sufficient depth. For example, there is limited development of word processing skills and use of multi-media packages.

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

42. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils drew well on what they already knew from their mathematics lessons about angles when inputting a series of commands to control an on–screen turtle. Pupils showed good levels of application in their investigations, using trial and error strategies with varying degrees of success to decide upon sequences of instructions to draw regular geometric shapes. Some showed good understanding of the procedures and were able to formulate command sequences that produced a variety of shapes. A few grasped the relationship between the angle size of the turtle turn and the number of sides of the regular shapes. However, many showed a lack of experience in this, not always sure of which commands to change and by how much in order to alter the shape. Pupils in Year 3 follow the class teacher’s instructions to access the Internet but weak keyboard skills meant that typing an email was a slow, laborious process. An

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Teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving could be higher in

example of good cross-curricular links occurred when Year 4 pupils followed teachers’ instructions in using a search engine to find Islamic patterns. They learnt to use the symmetry tool in an art program to create their own Islamic pattern. Some pupils showed confidence to experiment, finding which tools were the most suitable. Year 5 pupils have a sound understanding of St Edmunds RC Primary School - 16 spreadsheets and can enter data into cells, setting out information in appropriate manner. However, many need support to enter formula and reordering their spreadsheets. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) raise the achievement of pupils in reception and Years 1 and 2 by:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring children in reception classes have sufficient opportunities to develop independence in their learning;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• making better use of assessment information to ensure that activities and tasks are matched to pupils’ levels of attainment, particularly those of the higher attaining pupils; and

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing further its systems for tracking pupils’ performances from entry to school to the end of Year 2.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(ii) improve the development of pupils’ skills in ICT by:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• putting in place procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievements against key objectives; and

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using the results of assessments in planning the next steps in pupils’ learning and matching tasks to pupils’ levels of attainment.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraph 40) St Edmunds RC Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.20

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 three percentage points.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 408

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 55

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 16

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 St Edmunds RC Primary School - 19 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 20

p.20

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 31 27 58

p.22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.22

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

Boys 30 30 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 25 25

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 95 (86) 97 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.22

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 30 31 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 25 24

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (92) 97 (97) 95 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.22

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

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

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 23 22 45

p.22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 19 21 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 21 22

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (89) 93 (87) 100 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.22

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 18 21 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 21 22

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (80) 93 (82) 100 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.22

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 21

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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

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 23 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.2 Financial year 2001/02

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 906,886

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 876,403

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 174 Expenditure per pupil 2,213

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance brought forward from previous year 15,618

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 46,101 St Edmunds RC Primary School - 22 .

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 9

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Edmunds RC Primary School - 23

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 46 5 0 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 48 2 0 0

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 42 17 5 3

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 47 12 1 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 36 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 58 37 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 40 49 9 1 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 53 42 3 0 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 41 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 44 9 2 3

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