St Francis Catholic Primary School

ST. FRANCIS’ CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th - 13 th November 2002

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ST. FRANCIS’ CATHOLIC 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. FRANCIS’ CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Nursery Road Handsworth Birmingham

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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: 2 nd – 5 th February 1998 St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 4

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Team members

17263 Mr Andy Bond Registered inspector 9086 Mrs Rosalie Watkins Lay inspector 25074 Mrs Joyce Cox Team inspector 25623 Mr Ted Cox Team inspector

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Team members

The Schools Inspection Unit School of Education University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT

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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. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 15

St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of pupils on roll 411, larger than other primary schools Pupils entitled to free school meals 52.8%, well above average Pupils on the register of special educational needs 15.3%, below average (Most of these pupils have either speech/communication or emotional/behavioural difficulties). Pupils with a statement of special educational needs 1%, below average

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School serves the Aston ward of Birmingham and caters for children from ages 4 to 11. Social and economic statistics indicate that the school is located in an area with a high level of deprivation. Over the last two years, the school has had a significant change of teaching staff. An average number of pupils leave or join the school part way through the school year. The school is involved in a number of local and national initiatives. It is part of an Education Action Zone, a member of the Birmingham Catholic Partnership, involved in the Birmingham Education Business Partnership and has joined the REAL project, which fosters links between information and communication technology (ICT) and literacy. Attainment on entry to the reception classes is well below average. The school population is drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds and includes African Caribbean, Asian, Vietnamese and white pupils. Thirty per cent of pupils do not have English as their

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

mother tongue and a small percentage are still at an early stage of acquiring English.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. Francis’ School provides pupils with a good education. Pupils attain broadly average standards and make good progress. Standards are above average when compared with other schools where pupils are drawn from a similar background. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The acting headteacher provides the school with very good leadership. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

 The very good leadership and management of the school by the acting headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards.  The very good team spirit in the school and the significant commitment made by all the staff to the good progress made by pupils.  The good, caring school ethos which values the contributions of all pupils and sets high moral and social standards.  The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes.

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What could be improved

 The standards of writing in the school and the opportunities for pupils to develop their creative English in other subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to the parents and carers of all pupils in the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1998. Since that time the school has made good progress. The three key issues for action have been addressed well. The raising of pupils’ attendance levels from 88.5% to 94.9% is a particularly praiseworthy achievement. Child protection procedures are now firmly in place. Standards in most subjects have largely been maintained and in ICT they have improved to average levels. The quality of teaching and learning has improved and pupils now make better progress through Years 3 to 6. The school has improved its own systems of analysis in recent years and this has contributed to its successful development. Standards in writing have declined slightly in the last three years in Year 6 test results, and fewer opportunities exist for pupils to write extended pieces of written work across the range of subjects. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 7

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

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Key

The table above sets out the results in the National Curriculum tests for 2002 taken by pupils at the end of Year 6. It shows that results were well below average in English, below average in mathematics and average in science. Compared with schools where pupils are drawn from similar social and economic backgrounds, the results for English and mathematics were above average and for science well above average. The standards attained by the pupils currently in Year 6 are slightly better than those attained by last year’s pupils. There are fewer lower attaining pupils and fewer pupils with behavioural difficulties. In English, standards are below average, especially in writing, but in mathematics and science they are average.

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Key

In 2002, standards in National Curriculum tests and tasks for pupils in Year 2 were average in writing and below average in reading. In mathematics, results were well below average. Compared with similar schools, results were well above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. The teacher’s assessment of pupils’ attainment in science indicated that standards were below the national average. The pupils currently in Year 2 are judged to be attaining average standards in reading, mathematics and science, but below average in writing. Children enter the reception class with generally well below average standards and make good progress, but even so, their attainment is below average by the time they start Year 1. Girls generally do better than boys in National Curriculum tests. In last year’s tests there were only slight differences in Year 2 results but in Year 6 girls outperformed boys quite markedly.

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Key

Standards have remained broadly average over the last four years. However, compared to similar schools standards are above average by the end of Year 6. The school is keeping pace with the national trend of improving standards. Overall, pupils make good progress throughout the school. They begin from a low starting point when they enter the reception class and complete their primary education with generally average standards.

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Key

There has been a significant improvement in standards in ICT in the last few years. Pupils are now reaching average standards at the end of Years 2 and 6. The improved provision of equipment, the increase in teachers’ knowledge of the subject and the expertise provided by a learning support assistant in lessons have been the factors contributing to this rise in standards.

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Key

The school has set realistic targets for pupils’ attainment in Year 6 in English and mathematics for 2003. On the basis of inspection evidence these targets are achievable. The targets for 2002 were largely achieved. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Most pupils enjoy school and have positive attitudes in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils’ behaviour is generally good in school and at break times.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils are friendly and get on well with each other. They use their initiative when they are given the opportunity.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance levels have improved significantly in the last four years.

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

Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory or sound; 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 quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Almost two thirds of all lessons observed were good or better and approximately a quarter were very good or excellent. There were no lessons judged to be unsatisfactory.

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

Teachers form good relationships with pupils and use effective management strategies which ensures pupils listen and concentrate in lessons. They plan thoroughly and share the objective of the lesson with pupils so that they understand clearly what they are expected to do. Learning support assistants make a valuable contribution, giving good support to pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is not the mother tongue. Pupils make good gains in their knowledge and understanding because teachers are knowledgeable and give clear explanations. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well, especially in the reception classes. In some lessons judged to be satisfactory, however, the pace is often only moderate and pupils’ interest levels wane, particularly towards the end of the afternoon.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Sound overall. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are well established but more time could be given to extended writing activities. Learning opportunities are good in the reception classes. The school caters well for pupils of diverse cultures.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are well supported by teachers and learning support assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Extra support is given to pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school provides pupils with a very good range of experiences to foster their personal development. Social and moral education are strongly promoted within the school. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school takes good care of its pupils. Procedures for child protection are firmly in place and systems for improving attendance and the assessment of pupils’ attainment are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The acting headteacher, senior staff and co-ordinators provide the school with very good leadership and management and this has a positive impact on standards. There is a very good team spirit amongst staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Sound overall. The governors are committed to supporting the school and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They ensure the school meets statutory requirements but they could improve some monitoring systems.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school analyses its performance well and sets relevant targets for further improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Sound overall. Financial resources are used properly to support school priorities and the school knows how to get good value from its expenditure.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 The children like school and make good progress  The high expectations of the school  The good leadership and management  The approachability of the staff  The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible and behaviour is good  The good quality of teaching  Some parents would like more information about their children’s progress  The right amount of homework

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

There were 411 questionnaires distributed to parents and 100 replies were received, representing a response of almost 24 per cent. Three parents wrote individual letters or notes expressing their views of the school. Thirteen parents attended the pre-inspection meeting arranged for parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team share the very positive views of parents. Twenty one per cent of parents who replied to the questionnaire felt that they could be better informed about their children’s progress and that the balance of homework was not right. Inspectors did not agree with parents’ negative views. They found that parents received a good level of information and that the school is constantly seeking ways of further improving this area of communication. The arrangements and the quantity of homework set were judged to be good by the inspectors.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

A few parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting were concerned about bullying and the systems for notifying parents when their children were injured in school. Inspectors found no evidence of bullying and pupils said that on the rare occasions it occurred teachers dealt with it fairly. The systems used by the school for notifying parents when pupils were injured were judged to be sound but the school recognises that they could be improved further. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 10

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senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards

1. The acting headteacher took over the reins of leadership from the previous permanent headteacher at the beginning of the autumn term. The transition has been virtually seamless. The well-established management routines have been continued and new school initiatives have been pursued with rigour by the acting headteacher. There is a clear vision for future development.

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senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards

2. The governors’ confidence in the ability of the acting headteacher is clearly evident. They have asked her to continue in post for a whole school year whilst they seek candidates for the vacancy. Teachers also express their support for the leadership being provided during this interim period. Even though the school has experienced the turmoil of significant staff changes in the last two years, it continues to function effectively, with pupils making good progress and standards remaining above average when compared with similar schools.

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senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards

3. The analysis of school performance and the systems for monitoring and improving the quality of teaching and learning are real strengths of the school. The senior management assess school results thoroughly and identify areas of strengths and weakness. The information gained is used to modify the curriculum in English, mathematics and science in order to boost pupils’ performance in the identified areas of weakness. The acting headteacher and senior staff undertake observations of lessons. Teachers are given written and oral feedback which clearly pinpoints strengths in their practice and indicates areas of their work which could be improved. The acting headteacher’s comments on observation proformas are astute and focus sharply on what needs to be done to enhance the teachers’ performance. These systems are proving effective because the quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory and in most cases is good or better.

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senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards

4. The acting deputy headteacher makes a valuable contribution to the smooth running of the school by maintaining a high profile in day-to-day management. She works closely with teachers, dealing with issues which arise on a daily basis at playtime, lunchtime or in the corridors. Her prompt, effective actions mean that teachers are able to concentrate on their teaching role and that valuable learning time is not wasted.

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senior staff and subject co-ordinators in promoting high standards

5. The co-ordinators of the subjects, including the Foundation Stage and Special Educational Needs co-ordinators, fulfil their roles very well. They are instrumental in maintaining high standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and in ICT. They are particularly knowledgeable and have a very good grasp of their subjects. The monitoring systems used, such as reviewing planning, scrutinising pupils’ work and observing lessons in their subjects, enable them to build up a clear picture of standards. They report to governors on a regular basis and formulate subject action plans which dovetail into school improvement plans. They manage their own budget and undertake audits to ensure learning resources are adequate and directed towards improving standards. The school ensures that new co-ordinators have appropriate expertise and receive proper training for their roles. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 11

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

6. Despite a significant number of staff changes in the last two years, the acting headteacher and senior management team have built up a strong team spirit. Adults employed by the school are drawn from many diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and work well together as a team by supporting pupils’ learning and promoting high standards of attainment in the school.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

7. Teaching staff working in the same year group plan their teaching together, ensuring that there is a consistent approach to the content of their lessons and that all pupils have the same opportunities. Teachers work in an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual trust. There are accepted and established systems for reviewing and assessing each other’s work and observing and making critical assessment of colleagues’ teaching. Co-ordinators report back their findings on the quality of work in their particular subjects to full staff meetings and use their expertise to lead in-service training sessions with the whole staff. These procedures enhance the working ethos and bring benefits to the school and its pupils. The staff give their time generously to many after-school clubs, which helps to build up pupils’ skills in physical, creative and technological areas. Residential trips and day visits to places

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

of educational interest are also well supported by staff. This enhances pupils’ social skills as well as furthering their knowledge of curriculum topics.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

8. Learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to the good quality of teaching and learning. They are clear about how lessons will unfold because they have briefing meetings with teachers before the start of the school day. During introductions they sit close to pupils, ensuring that they listen and maintain concentration. They build up a good rapport with pupils and become fully involved in the task sessions, usually teaching small groups of lower attaining pupils. Praise and encouragement are used regularly to inspire pupils and well directed questions make pupils think and use their reasoning skills. The learning support assistant who supports teachers and pupils in the computer area is particularly skilful. She has a high level of expertise and gives pupils very good guidance on developing their ICT skills. Her contribution to raising standards in ICT is significant.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

9. There have been a number of benefits from the school’s participation in ‘Excellence in Cities’ project. The partial funding of learning mentors has given the school the opportunity to develop systems for raising attendance and improving behaviour. The school has grasped the opportunity enthusiastically and learning mentors now work closely with pupils, parents and senior staff. They set up systems to improve pupils’ self-esteem and reduce instances of negative behaviour in the school. In the infant classes, good behaviour is rewarded by a ‘positive patch’ that gives pupils reward points and this contributes to a half termly class competition. In the junior classes, pupils are given advice on how to cope with peer-group pressure and how to resist joining gangs. Individual pupils with specific behavioural difficulties have the opportunity to discuss their feelings with learning mentors and together they try to form a strategy to remedy anti-social behaviour. The mentors are

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

developing stronger, more positive relationships with parents by making regular individual contact and by arranging workshops, explaining to parents how behaviour difficulties can be tackled. There is close liaison between the mentors and the acting deputy headteacher in the monitoring of punctuality and attendance by promptly following up instances of poor attendance and lateness. The impact on improving pupils’ attitudes through the use of these systems is becoming increasingly apparent; attendance has risen, lateness decreased and behaviour throughout the school is improving. Permanent exclusions have fallen: there were none in the last school year, although the school still feels it can reduce temporary exclusions even further.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

10. The school office staff are friendly and welcoming. They are usually the first point of contact for parents and visitors and set the tone for the caring, positive ethos that is found St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 12 within the school. The administrative and financial systems are efficient and effective. Procedures are well established and this allows teachers to concentrate on their teaching role. Monies and registers are collected from classrooms with minimal distraction to staff and pupils.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

11. The governors value the caretaker and cleaning staff. They keep the school clean and tidy. The caretaker has a good range of expertise in building maintenance and he uses his skills effectively to undertake many minor repairs to the school site, which reduces the cost of employing building contactors.

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the staff to the good progress made by pupils

12. The very good school team spirit and the strong commitment to improvement are having a favourable impact on raising standards. Even though many children enter school with well below average standards or join the school part way through their primary education and live in an area which has many social problems, they make good progress to reach broadly average standards by the end of Year 6. It is the collective effort of the adults who work in the school, the positive school ethos and the very good leadership that is responsible for these achievements.

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moral and social standards

13. The school provides a good, caring ethos based on Christian principles. The school motto of ‘truth and love’ is the cornerstone of the education it provides for pupils. Pupils are drawn from diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds but all are welcomed into the school family and given the same opportunities to mature and make progress.

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moral and social standards

14. Prayer is a regular feature of school life. It takes place at the beginning and end of school sessions as well as during acts of collective worship. Pupils are taught to think of others. In a Year 1 class assembly the teacher provided pupils with red paper hearts and asked them to compose a short prayer about love. One pupil said ‘I love my Mum and Dad and today I’m going to be good and make my teacher’s eyes shine’. Teachers encourage pupils to respect each other and their views. Non-Christian festivals are celebrated as part of the school calendar of events. As a governor explained in an interview, ‘We celebrate the diversity of culture in this school’.

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moral and social standards

15. Pupils are taught right from wrong. They are given clear guidance on avoiding anti- social behaviour, such as strategies to deal with bullying and aggression. At the beginning of the school academic year the school has a ‘Behaviour Week’, which focuses on school and class rules by laying down sensible guidelines for pupils to follow. Pupils who find it difficult to work with the school community are supported and given behaviour targets to aim for by the learning mentors and class teachers. Supervision levels by adults at playtime are good so that misdemeanours are picked up quickly and corrected before they get out of hand. Pupils are rewarded for good attitudes to work, for helping others and good behaviour. They accumulate house points for their allotted team and receive a range of certificates for valuable contributions to school life. Achievement is celebrated in assemblies and this encourages pupils to strive for higher standards.

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moral and social standards

16. The school provides positive role models by choosing visitors from the ethnic minority community to speak in assemblies. Learning support assistants are drawn from African Caribbean, Asian, Vietnamese as well as from white British backgrounds. They set good professional standards and provide encouragement for pupils to succeed.

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moral and social standards

17. The school encourages pupils to think of others less fortunate than themselves and to make contributions to charities. The school council is growing in importance and is becoming more involved in channelling pupils’ views into school action. The senior staff wisely seek pupils’ views about playground conditions and this has resulted in changes to its St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 13 layout and the facilities being provided. Pupils’ social development is also fostered through ‘fun days’, after-school clubs, Christmas productions and educational and residential trips. These activities broaden pupils’ learning opportunities and strengthen the sense of co- operation through working together towards a common goal. Lunchtime monitors who help to clear away after meals and playtime ‘buddies’ also make a useful contribution to raising pupils’ awareness of social responsibilities.

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moral and social standards

18. Pupils’ cultural development is fostered well in school through art, music, literature and dance. There are opportunities for additional lessons in guitar, violin and recorders. Sport is also an important element of school life with professional sportsmen visiting school to coach the pupils. Successful black and Asian writers, sportsmen and politicians are portrayed in school displays as a stimulus for pupils’ aspirations. After-school clubs, supported by the school, also give pupils opportunities to develop their expertise in ICT and Vietnamese.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

19. Children receive a good start to their education in the reception classes because the school provides a well-tailored, rich curriculum which allows children to make good progress in their first year of schooling. The quality of teaching is good and children develop good attitudes to learning.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

20. Children enter school with well below average standards, especially in language and literacy. Most children have had some pre-school experience, but a few enter school with little preparation for learning. However, children soon form good relationships and develop positive attitudes to school life.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

21. Teachers plan their work thoroughly using the recommended Early Learning Goals 1 . They liaise closely with learning support assistants so that all adults in the classroom follow a consistent approach to teaching. They maintain very good assessment records of children’s progress so that activities can be well matched to their stage of development. Classrooms are bright and lively with a good range of stimulating activities available for children to develop their skills. In one lesson where the focus was on children’s mathematical development they were adding cut-out ducks to an imaginary pond and counting from one to six as they did so. Another child was ordering numbered cardboard bottles from 1 to 10 on a wall accurately. Teachers make learning enjoyable so that children’s interest is maintained. They develop basic literacy skills through the use of Letter Land 2 . In unison, children describe each letter through the use of characters such as ‘zig-

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

zag zebra’. This helps them to recognise and produce the initial sounds of words.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

22. There is good support for those children in reception for whom English is not their mother tongue. Learning support assistants work with small groups and offer some expertise in a range of non-English languages which helps children to express themselves. Children are integrated well and share equipment sensibly. Circle time 3 sessions reinforce very good social and moral standards.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

23. The school has maintained its good quality provision for children in the reception class. The school outdoor play areas still require further development but the range and quality of play equipment has improved. Children have access to bikes, scooters and tricycles on a daily basis. The curriculum is reviewed regularly to ensure that the school keeps abreast of current developments in the provision for children under five.

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The good start given to children’s education in the reception classes

1 The Early Learning Goals set out what children should achieve by the time they reach the end of the reception year in primary school. 2 Letter Land is a scheme for teaching children the letter sounds. 3 Circle time is a time when pupils are encouraged to discuss their feelings and concerns in an open and secure environment. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 14

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their creative English in other subjects

24. The school’s National Curriculum test results for English in 2002 for Year 6 pupils showed a fall from the previous year in the percentage of pupils attaining the average level 4 or above, dropping from 83 per cent to 68 per cent. Results in the reading element of the tests were close to the national average, but in writing they were well below average. Less than half of Year 6 pupils attained the average level in writing.

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their creative English in other subjects

25. The analysis of pupils’ writing in Year 6 shows that pupils are developing their handwriting appropriately. Most pupils use a fluent style with letters well formed to a consistent pattern and size. Their work is generally well punctuated with full stops, commas, exclamation marks and question marks. Speech marks are being used correctly. Standards of spelling are also average in Year 6. Most commonly used words with regular patterns are spelt correctly.

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their creative English in other subjects

26. The main weakness in writing lies in the lack of adventurous language used by pupils and their inability to develop their ideas into lengthy, sustained pieces of work. There are examples of the use of exciting verbs, such as ‘headed for’ and ‘zoomed’ in pupils’ creative writing, but too often mundane phrases are used which do not conjure up excitement in the passages being written. Many pupils lack the breadth of vocabulary to embellish their writing. Adverbs and adjectives are not used enough to bring pupils’ work alive. The use of complex sentences is rare and when they do occur they tend to be joined with ‘everyday’ conjunctions such as ‘and’ and ‘so’. When pupils produce longer pieces of written work they do not have a clear understanding of how to use paragraphs properly.

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their creative English in other subjects

27. In Year 2, although almost all pupils attain average standards in writing, the 2002 results show that they do not attain above average levels. A similar pattern exists as at the end of Year 6; pupils are technically competent but they lack the richness of vocabulary to enliven their writing. Pupils tend to use simple, unimaginative language and higher attainers are not at the stage of using complex sentences. When pupils have the opportunities to write independently on topics, both in English and in other subjects, the completed work is quite brief.

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their creative English in other subjects

28. Opportunities for developing writing skills in other subjects are limited. In science, pupils rarely record their own findings from experiments. Recording takes the form of inserting phrases into diagrams or answering questions in comprehension type activities. Younger pupils often complete cloze procedure 4 exercises to record their results. In history and geography books there is little evidence of pupils expressing their own views on the subject, such as eyewitness accounts of life in Victorian times or conditions in the rainforest. Too much emphasis is placed on acquiring knowledge and understanding of the topics and not enough on developing skills, especially in literacy.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

29. Inspectors recognise the good level of improvement made by the school since the last inspection. To improve standards further the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Raise pupils’ standards in writing and create more learning opportunities for extended writing activities across a range of curriculum areas. (Paragraphs 24, 26, 27, 28)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4 Cloze procedure – an exercise in which pupils insert missing words in a written text. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 6 22 33 39 0 0 0 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 five percentage points

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 411

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 217 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 59

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 95

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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 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 16

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 30 30 60

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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 25 26 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 26 25

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

Percentage of pupils School 82 (93) 87 (89) 82 (96) 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 26 26 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 25 25

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (88) 85 (91) 85 (88) 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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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 27 30 57

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 15 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 24 29

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

Percentage of pupils School 67 (83) 67 (66) 86 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 13 16 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 25 29

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (76) 71 (73) 84 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 17

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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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 20 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 14 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 10 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 22 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 61 5 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 12 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) 16 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,062,660

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 1,077,584

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 367 Expenditure per pupil 2,687

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 103,145

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 88,221

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent. St. Francis’ Catholic Primary School - 18

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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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 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of questionnaires returned 24

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 47 46 1 1 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 35 52 6 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 34 17 4 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 37 14 7 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 50 31 11 3 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 31 6 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 32 45 10 5 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 43 41 4 4 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 44 7 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 46 6 2 8

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