Wickford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School

ST. CUTHBERT’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: February 10 th -13 th , 2003

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ST. CUTHBERT’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full 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. CUTHBERT’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 Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Heyscroft Road, Withington, Manchester

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev Fr. Brendan Curley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 24 th November, 1997 St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 2700 Peter Sudworth Registered inspector Science; Music; Physical education. What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements; How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 9348 Mary le Mage Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development; How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 15292 Jan Pollard Team inspector Special educational needs; Art and design Geography; Educational inclusion. 25509 Judith Clarke Team Inspector English; English as an additional language. How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

14991 Alan Hardwicke Team inspector Mathematics; Design and technology. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 7994 Pam Weston Team inspector Information and communication technology; History; Foundation stage. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Chase Russell Ltd., 85 Shores Green Drive, Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6EJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 6 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 13

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School is a larger than average one-and-a-half-form entry school. It serves the Parish of St Cuthbert, a socially-mixed area just south of the city centre. There are 313 pupils on roll aged 3 to 11 years, including the equivalent of 24 full-time children in the 30 place nursery. Children begin the nursery at any time after their third birthday and most attend full-time. They transfer to the reception class in the September or January preceding their fifth birthday. Seven pupils have English as an additional language three of whom are at an early stage of learning English. Forty-one per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is well above average. There are 27 more girls than boys in the school. The main imbalances are in the reception class and in Year 1. In addition to the nursery, there are 11 classes, some of which contain mixed-age groups. Most pupils are of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

white United Kingdom heritage (93.9%) with small percentages of pupils of other ethnic groups. The school was awarded Beacon status in Sept 2000. Its main Beacon status activities are to show good practice with special educational needs/ inclusion and to facilitate training in the performing arts and sport. The school does outreach work in other schools for special educational needs. The school received an achievement award for improvements in pupils’ attainments in 2001. Attainment on entry is below average. Eighteen pupils have statements of special educational need, mainly because of the integration of pupils with physical difficulties or severe learning problems. Nineteen others are on school action and 26 at school action plus. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above average. There is not a great deal of movement in and out of the school during the year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary is a very effective school in which the pupils make good progress by age 11. It has made significant strides forward since the last inspection. The leadership and management of the school are good. The quality of teaching is good overall. This results in pupils reaching above average standards in English, mathematics, science and physical education by the end of Year 6. Pupils learn well. Pupils who have physical and learning difficulties are well integrated into the school. Pupils enjoy school and behave well. Justifiably parents have a very good opinion of the school. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics, science and physical education by age 11; • The overall good quality of teaching; • The start the children receive in the nursery; • The very good leadership provided by the headteacher and senior management team, and the good work of the governing body and curriculum co-ordinators; • Tracking of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and the use teachers make of these records to help them in planning consecutive steps in learning. • Integration of all pupils with special educational needs and the support they receive from the staff; • The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development and the good provision for pupils’ cultural development; • Pupils’ attitudes to school, their support for one another and their sense of responsibility. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 8

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What could be improved

• The integration of the nursery and reception in to a co-ordinated early years unit with more consistency in the way the children are taught; • The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum; • The accommodation for Years 1 and 2 and the foundation stage; • The arrangements when pupils are withdrawn from lessons for special provision. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good progress since its last inspection in November 1997. The curriculum is much improved for information and communication technology, design and technology and art and design. Pupils are making better progress throughout the school in these subjects, although there is still scope for better use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. Standards are higher in English and mathematics by age 11. Policies are now in place for personal, social and health education. There are better opportunities for extra-curricular activities. Arrangements for assessment are much improved. Pupils with special educational needs make better progress. The quality of teaching has improved. There are improved procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance and a better overall partnership with parents, although the Parents’ Association has disbanded. Reports to parents are of a better quality. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

have improved further. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved. Co-ordinators have a better oversight of standards. The quality and range of resources are better. Given the current staff, the school has good potential for further improvement.

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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 B A* Well above average Above average A B Mathematics A B A A* Average Below average C D Science A C B A Well below average E

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Key

All children in the foundation stage make good progress in all aspects of their learning and most reach, and some exceed, the expectations by the start of Year 1. In 2002, the school met its challenging target in mathematics but just missed it in English. Overall both boys and girls have been doing better than boys and girls nationally in English, mathematics and science, although the school’s girls have been doing better than the boys. In 2002, the percentage of Year 2 pupils reaching the expected level in reading and writing and the St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 9 proportions of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected levels in English and mathematics compared with pupils in similar types of area were in the top 5% of schools nationally.

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Key

Currently pupils’ attainment is above average in English at the end of Years 2 and 6 and pupils achieve well and make good progress. The few pupils with English as an additional language and those with physical, severe and moderate learning difficulties achieve well. Year 2 pupils are making good progress and reaching an average standard in mathematics by age seven and this is above average at age 11. Pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations by age seven in science and above average by age 11. In most other subjects, pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations and pupils make expected gains in their learning and achieve appropriately. The exception is in physical education in which pupils achieve well. Pupils’ attainment is above expectations in gymnastics by age seven and in games by ages seven and 11.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school and take part enthusiastically in lessons and in extra-curricular provision.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave well in school and outside when at play.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils relate well to one another and show good levels of care and concern for those pupils who have physical disabilities and severe learning difficulties. They have satisfactory opportunities to take responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. The attendance of a few pupils is not good enough and, combined with the unavoidable absences incurred by physically disabled pupils for treatment this brings down the overall level of attendance. Most pupils are punctual for school but some pupils are late and miss the start to lessons.

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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; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Overall the teaching in the foundation stage is good, despite a small amount that was unsatisfactory. Teaching is particularly strong in the nursery. The teaching of English and mathematics is good and literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. Teachers match the work well to pupils’ prior attainment in literacy and numeracy and this helps the pupils to make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are taught effectively. Teaching in physical education is a strength and results in above average standards in much of the physical education curriculum and a well disciplined approach to their activities. Teachers do not use information and communication technology enough across the curriculum. In general, teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and research the content well for St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 10 lessons. Teachers manage pupils well and have good relationships with them. They create

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

a good climate for learning and develop the pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. As a result, pupils try hard with their work and contribute well in lessons. They respond well and often enthusiastically with answers to the teachers’ questions. Pupils begin the well prepared activities quickly and make good use of time in lessons which begin promptly. Teachers are clear about the content of lessons because of the thorough planning. Lessons are well sequenced which assists the pupils’ progress. Teachers use resources well in lessons, which helps the pupils’ understanding and the practical activities engage the pupils’ interest. Teachers have good skills in integrating pupils who have special educational needs. Pupils are well trained in class procedures and routines which helps the lessons run smoothly. In some of the work in Years 1 and 2, too much use is made of worksheets and these are of a

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

poor quality and do not demand enough of the pupils’ efforts.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is well organised and provides a good range of experiences for the pupils. There is a good range of extra- curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils are well provided for and good attention is given to their needs. They receive good adult support. The individual education plans are of good quality. On occasions, pupils miss important parts of lessons because of therapy routines.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The pupils are well catered for and make good progress in the acquisition of English and take a full part in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school provides very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development and good provision for pupils’ cultural development. Pupils have very good opportunities for their personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has very good procedures to promote attendance and pupils’ personal development is well monitored. However, child protection procedures need to be reinforced by including lunchtime staff in the training.

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Aspect Comment

The school works well with its parents. They are very supportive of the school’s work and hold very positive opinions of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led by the headteacher. There is a very good partnership with the deputy headteacher and senior management team who play a full part in running the school. Co-ordinators manage their responsibilities effectively. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 11 How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors take a keen interest in the school’s affairs and are very supportive. They have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths. They fulfil their responsibilities in almost every detail.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school analyses the results of national tests effectively and regularly reviews the progress it is making in meeting the priorities on the school development plan.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its financial resources to good effect. The staff is deployed effectively and the accommodation is used to best advantage.

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Aspect Comment

The school has satisfactory levels of learning resources. The accommodation is satisfactory overall but less good in Years 1 and 2 and for the reception classes. It ensures it obtains best value for money when making purchases.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school, are making good progress and work hard; • Behaviour is good and the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible; • The teaching is good; • The school works closely with parents and they find it easy to approach the school with any queries; • They are kept well informed about their children’s progress; • The school is well led and managed; • The school expects the children to work hard and do their best. A very small number of parents state that: • Their children do not get the right amount of homework; • The school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with all the positive views of the parents. The team does not agree with the negative views expressed by a few parents. The amounts of homework are appropriate given the pupils’ ages. There is a good provision of extra-curricular activities. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 All children in the foundation stage, including those with special educational needs and from minority ethnic backgrounds, make good progress particularly in the nursery where the teaching is very good. Pupils with learning difficulties are identified early and they receive good support. From a below average attainment on entry, most children reach national expectations by the end of the reception year. A few are undertaking work which is above that expected for this age and are working on the first stage of the National Curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Foundation stage children are encouraged to become independent and play together sociably. Routines promote self-sufficiency. The well equipped activity and role-play areas encourage high levels of interaction. Older reception children know the class routines and, as activities rotate, they engage in new activities sensibly. The routines in the younger reception class are not as firmly established. Some of these children call out and interrupt when in whole class sessions. On occasions they can be quite noisy and they flit from one activity to another. By the time the children reach the end of the reception year, most are on course to reach the expected goals in communication, language and literacy. The children have very good opportunities to build up their vocabulary and to reflect on their experiences. In the older reception class, all the children have started reading and higher ability pupils are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

able to read simple sentences well. All have a good knowledge of letter sounds and can recognise simple three-letter words. Most make good attempts when they write underneath the teachers’ writing. Higher achieving pupils make good efforts to form their own sentences

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 In mathematics, most children are on course to attain the goals that are expected by the end of the reception year, with a small number exceeding them. Most count to 10 and back to zero. Higher achieving children count to 30 and back and know that one more than 30 is 31. In knowledge and understanding of the world, most children achieve the goals expected in this area of learning by the time they finish the reception year. In nursery, children achieve very well. The foundation stage staff make good use of the local environment and other practical activities to increase the children’s knowledge.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Good improvement has been made in the provision for the outdoor curriculum since the last inspection and this has resulted in improving children’s skills and confidence in their physical development, as when they climb up a rope ladder and walk and slide across a bench. The children are very competent when pedalling on wheeled toys when outside. They use paint, coloured pens, crayons and collage materials appropriately to make designs and pictures and they make music with a variety of percussion instruments.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 Since the last inspection, pupils’ attainment has improved in design and technology, information and communication technology and art and design by ages seven and 11 and in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs are making better all-round progress. In 2002 the school met its challenging target in mathematics but just missed it in English. Over recent years, as nationally, the school’s girls have performed better than the boys in English. The gap has been around the national difference in writing at the end of Year 2 but greater in reading. Year 2 girls have been achieving better than girls in the nationally tested subjects at the end of Year 2. The school’s boys have been achieving better than boys nationally in writing and mathematics and as well as them in reading. Girls have been doing particularly well by the end of Year 6. Whilst both boys and girls have outperformed boys and girls nationally in all three tested

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

subjects, the school’s girls have done better than its boys in all three. In 2002, the St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 13 percentage of pupils reaching the expected level in reading and writing at age seven against similar schools was in the top 5% of schools nationally and also in English and mathematics at age 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Pupils’ current attainment is above average in English at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils achieve well and make good progress. The few pupils with English as an additional language also achieve well. Pupils with physical difficulties, severe learning difficulties and moderate learning difficulties achieve well. Pupils’ writing is above average. Handwriting is neat and work is well presented. By age 11 pupils write stories at length. They make good use of punctuation and expressive vocabulary. In Year 2 and in Years 3 to 6, pupils use their writing skills well across the curriculum. However, they do not use information and communication technology sufficiently to develop their word-processing skills. Pupils read well by the end of both Years 2 and 6 and show good technical competence, reading with suitable expression and interest. However, their ability to think contemplatively about the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

text could be better. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are good by age 11 and spelling is generally accurate.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Pupils achieve well and make good progress to reach an average standard in mathematics by age seven and an above average standard at age 11. Year 2 pupils know their number bonds well to help them calculate and many have begun to add two and three digit sums. By age 11, pupils have a good appreciation of positive and negative numbers and show above average skill in mental calculation.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 Pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations by age seven in science. They develop a good understanding of materials and their constituents and some of the properties of different materials. By age 11 their attainment is above average. They have a good understanding of the work and are gaining a good appreciation of fair testing and controlling variables. They present their work well and their well labelled and accurate diagrams show good understanding of their work. However, they do not explain their results or reason their predictions enough. Despite this, both their progress and achievements are good throughout the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9 In most other subjects, pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations and pupils make expected gains in their learning and achieve appropriately. The exception is in physical education in which pupils achieve well in most aspects of the subject that could be observed. Pupils’ attainment is above expectations in gymnastics by age seven and in games by ages seven and 11. There are signs of the good quality of movement in gymnastics in Year 2 filtering through into Years 3 to 6. There was little opportunity to observe dance in either key stage but that which was observed was of a good quality. Pupils are developing much better skills in information and communication technology than at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy their sessions in the information and communication technology suite, though teachers do not always ensure that opportunities are taken to use the computers in other lessons.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. The targets are specific and pupils do well over time. However, when pupils are withdrawn from class to work individually or in small groups, they miss specific lessons on a regular basis and over time lose their full entitlement to the curriculum. The pupils work well with the teaching assistants, who intervene appropriately and have positive relationships with all the pupils. Pupils who have severe learning difficulties receive the support they need alongside their peers. When appropriate, they have practical activities to help them with their learning, but they are always made to feel part of the whole class. Pupils who have behavioural difficulties are positively managed. Pupils with physical disabilities are fully integrated into lessons and learn effectively alongside their peers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 14 11 The school encourages pupils who are higher achievers to good effect and those with specific talent achieve well. Pupils’ achievements are celebrated each week in an assembly. At the time of inspection no pupils had been identified as needing special provision for particular academic gifts. Above average pupils make appropriate progress in lessons, particularly in mathematics and English where the work is well matched to their needs.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 The attitudes, values and personal development of pupils in the school are good and have a positive effect on standards attained. This aspect of the life of the school has improved since the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13 Throughout the school, all pupils, including the foundation stage children, show interest and enjoyment in the tasks they are set. Almost unanimously, parents state that their children are enthusiastic about all aspects of school life. Throughout the whole school, pupils have good attitudes to their work. As they move up through the school, pupils generally demonstrate increasing concentration and application and in Years 5 and 6 attitudes to work are very good. Occasional lapses in concentration by individual pupils are dealt with skilfully by the adults in the classroom and only rarely cause disruption to the learning of the class as a whole. Pupils with special educational needs have a positive attitude to school. This is because the way they are integrated with the other pupils gives them confidence in the classroom. Pupils, including pupils in the foundation stage, treat each other with respect and all pupils respond well to the activities provided.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14 Pupils’ personal development is good. From their earliest days in school, pupils are encouraged to reflect on the consequences of their actions and how their conduct may affect other people. They are encouraged to be aware of others and offer help whenever they perceive a need. Relationships are good throughout the school. There are positive relationships amongst all groups of pupils in the school. Older pupils play with younger ones. Boys and girls work and play together well and they show much concern for pupils with physically disabilities. They support and help them in lessons and around the school. Pupils of all abilities co-operate in lessons. The school is a harmonious, united community with mutual respect between all adults and pupils in the school. Pupils respond well to the opportunities they are given to take responsibility for minor jobs around school and the recently formed school council is increasing these opportunities. There are increasing

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

opportunities for pupils to use their initiative and to take responsibility.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15 Behaviour in the school is good and has improved since the time of the last inspection. There have been no exclusions in the last year. Examples of very good behaviour in lessons were seen throughout the school, but especially with the older pupils in Years 5 and 6. Outside lessons, pupils behave well at all times: in the playground, in the dining hall and when moving around the school. No incidents of bullying were seen during the inspection and pupils are adamant that there is no bullying in the school. Nevertheless, pupils are very aware of the way in which they should deal with such situations if they were ever to occur.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16 Attendance at the school is satisfactory, although it is below the national average for all primary schools in England. The rate of attendance is affected by a number of pupils with significant periods of genuine absence for medical reasons. This is inevitable given the school’s commitment to inclusion, which means there is a much higher percentage of physically disabled pupils in the school than the national average for primary schools. A very small number of pupils have very poor attendance, despite many initiatives by the school to improve the situation. The poor attendance of this very small number of pupils has a negative affect on their attainment. The questionnaires completed for the inspection indicate clearly that children enjoy school and want to attend. Levels of attendance have St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 15 improved significantly since the last inspection. Punctuality at the school is satisfactory,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

although each day several pupils arrive late.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17 During the inspection, 70 lessons were observed. Of these, almost all were satisfactory or better. Two lessons were excellent, 13 very good, 30 good and 23 satisfactory. Two lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory. Overall the quality of teaching is good throughout the school. In the foundation stage, whilst the overall quality is good, it is particularly strong in the nursery. It is mainly satisfactory in the reception classes and very occasionally unsatisfactory where routines have not yet been firmly established. During the inspection, the absence of a member of staff, who is normally available to support teachers and groups of children in both reception classes, affected the overall level of help that was available to the children. Proportionately there is more good teaching in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2 though the teaching in Year 2 is a strength.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18 The teaching in the foundation stage is good overall. It is very good in the nursery in all areas of work and occasionally excellent in creative work. The very good teaching in the nursery enables the youngest children to make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19 Literacy and numeracy are taught effectively across the school. This results in both boys and girls making good progress in these subjects, including pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs. Pupils reach above average standards by age 11. The teaching of science is good. All pupils acquire a good factual knowledge base in the subject and the growing attention to pupils doing more organising and thinking for themselves in investigative work is improving their skills in this aspect of science. Teaching in physical education is a strength and results in above average standards in much of the physical education curriculum and a well disciplined approach to their activities. Boys and girls attain equally well in this subject. An interesting range of extra-curricular sporting activities that are also taught well supports their good progress. Pupils have good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

opportunities to engage in team games through these. Teachers show good consideration to issues of health and safety in this and other subjects. Insufficient activity was seen to make judgements about the teaching in design and technology and history. It is good overall in information and communication technology but teachers do not use information and communication technology enough in lessons that do not have a specific information and communication technology focus. The teaching in art and design is good in Years 1 and 2. It is satisfactory with some good features in Years 3-6. There was insufficient evidence to judge the quality of teaching in geography and music in Years 1-2 but it is at least satisfactory in Years 3-6 with some good and very good teaching observed in geography and some good teaching observed in music. In general, teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and research the lesson content well, enabling them to deal effectively with

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils’ questions. In music, in which teachers’ knowledge is less secure, the school is using external expertise and advice effectively to help improve teachers’ knowledge and confidence.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20 All teachers have good relationships with the pupils. They create a good learning atmosphere and develop the pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. They manage the pupils well. As a result, pupils try hard with their work and contribute well in lessons. They respond well and often enthusiastically with answers to the teachers’ questions. Pupils begin the well prepared activities quickly and make good use of time in lessons and they begin promptly. Particularly good use is made of time in physical education lessons. As pupils change for their activities, the teachers remind the pupils of their expectations for the lesson and what they should do when they enter the hall to start the lesson. In other subjects, teachers settle the pupils quickly at the start and get them in the right frame of St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 16 mind. They often share the objectives for the lesson in language that the pupils can

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

understand and this prepares the pupils for what is expected. When teachers begin the lesson, they frequently revise previous learning in the subject. This enables the pupils to pick up the threads quickly of where they were up to in their learning. Teachers are clear about the content of lessons because of the thorough planning. Lessons are well sequenced which assists the pupils’ progress. Teachers make effective use of time reminders when pupils are engaged in a task and such reminders help to ensure the pupils complete their work in the time provided. At the end of lessons, teachers frequently praise the pupils for their achievements and this praise helps the pupils feel good about what they have done and adds further encouragement to them in their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21 Teachers use resources well in lessons. This assists the pupils in their understanding and the practical activities engage the pupils’ interest. In a Year 2 science lesson, all pupils were provided with switches, bulbs and wires to help them put together a simple circuit with the wires connected up properly. Musical instruments are used well in music lessons and placed centrally in the middle of the circle where the pupils are arranged so that they are easily accessible for use. Attention to such details adds considerably to the ordered way in which the lessons proceed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22 Teachers provide a good balance of instruction, activity and opportunities for discussion in lessons and this adds to the quality of learning because pupils’ concentration and interest are retained. Pupils are well trained in class procedures and routines, which helps the lessons run smoothly. This is particularly effective in physical education when pupils get out the apparatus with a great deal of efficiency and support of one another.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23 There are increasingly high expectations of how the pupils should present their work as pupils move up through the school. By the age of 11, pupils work neatly, use rulers for forming tables to record results and label their carefully drawn diagrams accurately. However, in some of the work in Year 1, too much use is made of worksheets that are of a poor quality and these do not demand enough of the pupils’ efforts.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24 Sensitive support is provided for pupils who are not so capable with their work and the work of the teaching assistants is of good quality. The overall quality of the teaching of pupils with special educational needs reflects the good standard of teaching throughout the school. In the good lessons, appropriate use is made of teaching assistants. The support staff are well trained and encourage pupils, giving additional explanations as required. In literacy and numeracy, the work is well matched to pupils’ different needs so that the pupils make good progress. These arrangements allow those with special educational needs to work at an appropriate pace. The support these particular pupils get, and the way they are included, allow them to be fully part of the class group and to work confidently and enjoy school. Members of staff ensure that those pupils whose first language is not English are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

clear about their learning in lessons and are not disadvantaged in anyway. Extra help is given to pupils who need it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25 Teachers make appropriate use of homework. There is a good emphasis on reading and an appropriate selection of other work, such as spellings and the commitment to memory of multiplication tables suited to the age and capabilities of the pupils. This contributes well to the overall good progress that the pupils make. Throughout the school, teachers have suitably high expectations of the work they give to pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26 Teachers make good use of assessment to refine their teaching intentions. They mark pupils’ work carefully and often give developmental points for improvement. They set targets for pupils’ future improvement and these enable the pupils to be aware of those aspects of work where they need to improve. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 17

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27 The school provides a good range of valuable learning opportunities that effectively meet the interests, aptitudes and special needs of all its pupils. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. The provision for religious education was inspected separately. The school follows national or Local Education Authority schemes of work in all subjects and this represents an improvement in provision since the last inspection. These arrangements provide a structure to ensure pupils make continuing progress in learning and give helpful assistance to teachers. Mixed-age classes mean that the organisation of the curriculum is complicated, but this has been overcome in many subjects by planning activities over a two-year period. The withdrawal of pupils with a wide variety of special educational needs from the same lesson weekly, in order to receive individual support, however, means that these pupils do not always receive the proper

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

entitlement to all areas of the curriculum. The school makes very good use of a wide range of teaching assistants and support staff. These members of staff are providing very valuable help, which enables pupils with a variety of individual special needs to enjoy the wide curriculum range. Their role could be further developed, for instance through greater involvement in planning and assessing activities, so as to work in fuller partnership with teachers, for the benefit of their pupils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28 For the youngest children, the curriculum is carefully planned to take into account the nationally recommended early learning goals, although the teaching styles in the nursery and reception classes are quite different. In Years 2 to 6, the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been very effectively implemented, following the recommendations for the structure and content of lessons. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education, including the timely and sensitive treatment of sex education and drugs awareness, in line with the clear policy adopted by the governing body. Personal, social and health education lessons, as well as aspects of the science and physical education curriculum, deal with feelings, relationships and personal development. In the Year 6 class, for example, a display of books provided information for pupils under the title ‘Do you worry

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

about….? Anger, Racism, Bullying, Divorce, Bereavement.’ The display also contained a box into which pupils could put private questions. All classes have a ‘worry box’ to make suggestions or express specific personal concerns.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29 The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, in which the pupils participate enthusiastically. These include a wide range of sporting activities, such as cricket, football, tennis and netball, as well as clubs for activities, such as drama, art and information and communication technology. The school participates in local school leagues for football, as well as competing in inter-school athletics and cross-country. An annual residential visit to the Lake District gives Year 6 pupils opportunities for a range of outdoor and adventurous activities.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30 The school has good links with the local community, particularly through the development of Parish links and also with other schools. There is a teacher with responsibility for parish links, and this has resulted in a good range of contacts and activities. A wide variety of visitors come to school, bringing experience of aspects of local life, such as the History Theatre Workshops. There are effective links with training providers. The school offers places for student teachers and work experience placements.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31 The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall. The school has updated its policy for special educational needs to meet the revised Code of Practice requirements and is implementing a policy of early identification. This has resulted in those with complex learning needs receiving good quality additional support that starts in the St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 18 nursery and reception classes and generally enables them to experience a full curriculum. All pupils identified as having special educational needs have an individual education curriculum plan or an individual behaviour plan that specifies their learning targets for each term. Additionally, pupils with physical disabilities have individual programmes to support their specific needs. This enables accurate judgements to be made and pupils can be moved appropriately to the level of support they need on a regular basis. This is a good

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

development since the last inspection. There are ‘catch up’ programmes in place, for example the Early Literacy Strategy that is well organised. Drama for small groups and classes gives pupils good opportunities to reflect and respond about issues that are relevant to their lives and to their social and emotional development. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language are given all the help they need to take a full part in all areas of the curriculum.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32 Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall, and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. The school’s designation as the Local Education Authority’s Roman Catholic ‘Barrier Free’ school for children with physical disabilities has had a major positive affect on the ways in which all its pupils work and play together in a constructive and inclusive way.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33 The consistency with which these areas are developed right through the school makes a very important contribution to the good standards of behaviour seen in school. The spiritual aspects of life permeate the daily work and activities of the school, and many opportunities are taken to celebrate and acknowledge the spiritual dimension. In a ‘Talent Assembly’ seen during the inspection, pupils played instruments, read stories, danced and showed sculptures they had made ‘to brighten up the school’. The teacher ended the assembly by praising everyone for their talents. In other lessons, pupils are given good opportunities to question and reflect on human relationships and achievements, and to explore the feelings and views of others.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34 Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. From the youngest classes up, pupils are clearly taught the difference between right and wrong, and all the teachers, and other adults in the school, provide very good role models. High standards of behaviour, and respect for others, are expected in and around the school. These expectations are emphasised in the school and class rules, which are well known and understood by all. Pupils develop a good awareness of environmental issues, such as pollution, and pedestrianisation of shopping streets, through geography lessons. The discussion of such issues makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35 Pupils’ social development is very well provided for. The school works very hard to ensure that pupils of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, mix and work together. This is particularly important in mixed-age classes. Older pupils are given a range of opportunities to look after the younger ones. For the past year the school has been running a ‘Friendship Squad’ where those chosen are given caps to wear, and a job description setting out their duties. Participation in the annual residential visit gives the older pupils very good opportunities to develop their self-esteem, confidence, and sense of adventure. The good range of extra-curricular activities, both sporting, drama and musical, all help to develop pupils’ understanding of working together, using their skills and abilities for a common purpose. Pupils have also participated in parish and community activities, and

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

have a strong tradition of raising money to support local and national charities. Recently the school has raised money for the local children’s hospice. The school council, which has been in operation for the past year, allows pupils’ opinions to be heard in a democratic way, on issues related to aspects of the school’s life. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 19 36 The school’s promotion of pupils’ cultural development is good. They are given a very strong awareness of their own cultural tradition through participation in church, parish and local community activities. Pupils have visited local cultural centres, such as the art gallery, and participate in activities provided by local groups such as the History Theatre workshops. Pupils have opportunities to learn to play musical instruments, and participate in choir and dramatic activities. In art lessons, they look at the work of famous artists from a range of

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

different cultures. The awareness of the richness and diversity of other cultures is less well developed. The religious education curriculum encourages an awareness and understanding of other religions, their festivals and practices. However, there are few resources or displays to help pupils understand and celebrate the cultural diversity of life both in their own city, and within the whole United Kingdom. The school has made efforts to address these issues, such as through contacts with local Hindu and Muslim communities, though these have not been consistently maintained.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37 The steps taken by the school to ensure the welfare, health and safety of its pupils are good and have improved since the last inspection. This is undoubtedly a very caring environment where the safety of pupils is given high priority and the welfare of pupils is very well catered for in the daily life of the school. The school believes high standards of pastoral care to be essential to the removal of any barriers to learning and is successful in this. The obvious care within the school is underpinned by procedures to ensure all statutory requirements are met. However, a small number of minor safety concerns were reported to the school during the inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38 Child protection procedures are in place, are known by most adults in the school and are satisfactory. Lunch-time staff are still not included in any training in child protection matters, although they do know who the child protection co-ordinator is. This is very similar to the position the school was in regarding child protection at the time of the last inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39 The effectiveness of educational and personal support and guidance in raising pupils’ achievements is very good. The school has very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and very good procedures for monitoring and eliminating unacceptable behaviour. The school successfully uses its aims and values as a focus for the life of the school, establishing a very supportive community. This consistent focus on values underpins the way in which the school promotes good behaviour. It also ensures that inappropriate behaviour does not reach an oppressive stage.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40 The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good. The very good pastoral system in the school ensures that potential barriers to learning, which could lead to poor attendance, are picked up early and resolved. In the very small number of cases where attendance is unsatisfactory, the school and the education welfare officer work very closely developing innovative strategies, which are tailored to the difficulties of the particular pupil, to try to improve the situation.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 The monitoring and supporting of pupils’ personal development are good. Pupils’ personal development is assessed and recorded twice a year against an agreed, whole- school list of qualities. However, these qualities are not always sufficiently precise to enable progress to be assessed clearly. Where staff feel that individual pupils need additional support, it is provided in the school by the Services for Inclusive Learning teacher.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 The school provides a caring and secure environment for pupils with special educational needs. All pupils are valued for their achievements in school and there is a strong ethos of caring alongside encouraging pupils to be independent. All teaching and St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 20 non-teaching staff know the pupils well and contribute to the inclusiveness of the school. Records are kept of special educational needs pupils’ progress. Each teacher has a file for this purpose along with other information related to special educational needs.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43 Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good. The school carries out statutory requirements with regard to assessment. There is consistency in assessment in the core subjects and a clear programme of formal assessment for each age group. In Reception classes, children are assessed using the Local Education Authority baseline test. Teachers use these well to identify learning targets and they measure progress towards these at the end of each term. Throughout the school, teachers carry out regular testing in English and mathematics, including literacy and numeracy, using both national standardised tests and teacher-assessments. In other subjects, they analyse end of topic tests to monitor standards, set targets and track pupils’ progress. The procedures for placing pupils on the special educational needs register are effective. Such pupils have good individual action plans based on careful initial assessment and well staged

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44 The systems for tracking pupils’ progress are effective. Each class maintains individualised pupil profile sheets, which record assessment information. Results are used to identify target groups of pupils so that the curriculum can be adjusted to meet their individual needs. This has allowed the school to provide more effective and focused help for pupils who need it and to improve standards. During one week, usually in the spring term, pupils complete all their work in their ‘Continuity Book’. This enables the teachers to see clearly the progress the pupils have made since the previous year, and gives an opportunity to mark the work in more depth. Detailed files are kept for both literacy and numeracy. Recording assessment for other subjects is less consistent, but generally sound. This is an area of development that the assessment co-ordinator is aware of and there are plans already in hand to raise the standard of recording assessment for other areas of the

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

curriculum. The school is beginning to make better use of assessment information to guide curricular planning. Detailed assessment information is now stored and trends in the progress of individuals and groups can be tracked. There are limited assessment procedures for pupils with severe learning difficulties.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45 There is an effective partnership between the school and the parents. Parents feel this is a very good school. This is an improved picture since the time of the last inspection. The parents’ questionnaires completed for the inspection reveal that parents are most pleased with: • the high expectations the school has of its pupils; • the way in which the school is helping their children to become more mature and responsible; • the way in which any questions or concerns they may have are received and dealt with; • the good quality of teaching in the school; • the progress their child is making in school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

The inspection endorses parents’ positive viewpoints.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46 A very small minority of parents does not • feel that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside of lessons; • feel that their child gets the right amount of homework; St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 21 The inspection team found that amounts of homework are appropriate and that there is a good range of extra-curricular activities.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47 The effect of the parents’ involvement in the work of the school is satisfactory and parents make a satisfactory contribution to children’s learning at school and at home. There is a home/school reading system but parental support is variable in all classes in the school. A significant number of reading diaries show no evidence of pupils being heard to read at home. Parents contribute to children’s learning by accompanying school visits, are very supportive of school functions and raise funds for the school and for charities the school supports. This involvement enhances the learning opportunities available to pupils in the school and reinforces the values of the school. The school values the contribution of the few regular volunteers who work in the school and they make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48 The school brochure gives appropriate information about the provision for pupils with special educational needs. This is an improvement since the last inspection. There is an open door policy for parents. They can see the special educational needs co-ordinator who is always in the playground at the beginning and the end of the three days she works at the school. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept in touch by letter about their children and are invited to formal assessment meetings. Parents have a copy of their child’s individual education plan.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49 The quality of the information provided for parents is good. There is opportunity for regular contact with parents through reading books, homework, school newsletters and three open evenings per year. In addition, parents are welcomed into school at any time to discuss issues affecting their child’s education or general well-being. Class teachers produce curriculum newsletters each term and they give a good overview of what is going to be taught. However, they contain insufficient guidance to parents about how they might support this learning and work in partnership with the school. The annual reports on pupils’ progress are good. The computerised format, piloted in part of the school last year, shows improvements over the standard format. The pilot reports give good descriptions of what the pupil knows and understands in all subjects of the curriculum and contain a clear statement on the progress made in the subject. In English, mathematics and science the computerised

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

reports contain a clear statement placing the pupil’s attainment in a national context, although they do not report on the National Curriculum levels the pupil has achieved. Nevertheless, the context statement provides a very clear indication to a parent of the progress their child has made in relation to National Curriculum expectations. The reports contain clear guidance on what the pupil needs to do next in English, mathematics and science and give a detailed report of the personal and social development of the pupil and their attitudes to learning. The quality of reports has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50 The headteacher leads the school very well. He has a very clear vision for the school. His ambitions for it are very firmly echoed throughout the school and are rooted in the school’s aims. These promote and encourage values such as trust, respect, truth and tolerance so that the pupils are enabled to develop and achieve in an environment that recognises the uniqueness and dignity of each and every member of the school community. As a result, all pupils in this very complex school population develop into confident, lively individuals who want to learn and achieve well. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 22 51 The headteacher’s vision for the school is seen in practice through his determination to provide the very best for all the different educational needs represented in the school. The result is a school that achieves well and reflects positively in the “Barrier free” nature of its population. It is also shown in the school’s achievement of Beacon status and the effective

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

way the school supports and guides other schools to enable them to improve. The headteacher’s very good leadership provides the driving force behind the school’s successes and is reflected in the very good improvements that have been made in the school since the last inspection. He has been very effective in building a team of staff who have common aims and values and are determined to improve and develop even further.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52 The headteacher is very ably assisted, by the deputy headteacher, who provides a very good example of teaching commitment and practice. He has a clearly established role within the school and works very closely with the headteacher in both the management and the leadership of the school. As a partnership they have a very clear picture of the strengths of the school and the areas for further development and are instrumental in bringing about improvements. The school has an effective management structure, which enables the school to function very well. As a result, there is a total commitment in the school for improvement, raising standards and helping the pupils to achieve their full potential, no matter what their educational need. The whole staff supports the management of the school and this has an impact upon the way the school functions and cares for all. The strength of the leadership and teamwork in the school mean that all pupils regardless of race or gender,

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

those with specific learning problems, behavioural difficulties, physical disabilities, as well as the more able, are helped to succeed in this inclusive environment.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 Management of subjects is good. The subject managers are responsible for their subject areas and monitor standards, hold budgets and have release time to enable them to manage efficiently. As a result, they have a clear picture of the development of their subject throughout the school. This is an improved position from that at the time of the last inspection. 54 The governing body provides good support for the leadership and management of the school. The governors have a clear and accurate picture of the strengths within the school and are actively involved in the life and work of the school. They are clear about their need to check the direction of the school and keep themselves well informed by attending relevant courses. They monitor the school budget, gather information and use this knowledge to ensure the school’s educational direction. Statutory requirements are met in almost every detail with minor omissions in the annual report to parents. The Governor linked with special

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

educational needs is very knowledgeable and fulfils her responsibilities well. 55 There are good procedures in place for checking and improving teaching. The headteacher regularly checks the teaching and learning throughout the school. The positive and constructive climate within the school enables staff to be committed to improvement and further development. The school’s strategy for performance management is well implemented. Overall the process of self-review is well established throughout the school. The management of the school gives a high priority to the continuing development of all staff. New members of staff are given appropriate support with established staff prepared to spend time and effort to help new staff to become effective members of the staff team. 56 The special educational needs co-ordinator has taken action on all the issues raised in the last inspection report. The management of the special educational needs is complex as

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

there are three main aspects to this. The ‘Barrier Free’ staff focus on the pupils with physical difficulties, the ‘Service for Inclusive Learning’ staff manages the work of pupils with severe learning difficulties and the special educational needs co-ordinator deals with pupils who have moderate learning difficulties. Issues arise from this and pupils, particularly but not exclusively, in the first category are withdrawn from lessons and assembly on a regular basis. This means that over time pupils do not always receive their full curriculum St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 23 entitlement as pupils are withdrawn from class at fixed weekly times and regularly miss the same lessons.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57 All members of staff who specifically deal with pupils with special educational needs are clear about their roles and expectations. They are a cohesive and caring group dedicated to the work they do. The effectiveness of how well the school takes action to secure improvements in special educational needs can be seen in the good progress made since the previous inspection.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58 The outreach work, for which the school has Beacon status, consists primarily of spreading the good practice that takes place within the school and arranging courses organised by the special educational needs co-ordinator and headteacher. 59 The school is adequately staffed for the number and range of needs in this complex school population brought about by the determined efforts to be an inclusive school catering for a few pupils with severe learning difficulties and those with physical difficulties. The majority of staff were trained to teach in the primary phase and the very small number trained for other phases have acquired the necessary expertise through practical experience. The teaching assistants have clear roles and are often assigned individual pupils to whom they give very good levels of care. There are good procedures to induct new teachers and assistants. Members of staff have good opportunities for further training by

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60 The school budget is well managed and specific grants are used for their intended purposes. The school makes good use of its available financial resources to meet the agreed priorities in the school development plan. The school development plan is an effective tool to help the school; it has a clear cycle of audit, plan and review and leads to effective management. Financial planning is good. The large carry-forward within the budget does not present an accurate picture of the school’s reserves as much of this money has already been spent or planned for. The office staff are efficient and present a very positive welcome to the school for parents and visitors. The school always seeks to get the best value for the money it spends and tracks the effects of its spending well. The headteacher is effective in managing and supervising the budget in a strategic manner. 61 There has been an improvement in the provision of resources since the last inspection

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

when there was little software or control equipment for information and communication technology and limited equipment for mathematics, science, art and design. The school’s resources for pupils’ learning are now satisfactory overall with good resources available for information and communication technology. Although there are sufficient books in the school, some of these are old and the library is only adequately stocked. There are now maps in classrooms and these are actively used for geography. The information and communication technology suite is well resourced with a large number of computers, with facilities available for whole class teaching instruction. The specially designed chairs and writing devices help pupils with special educational needs. Topic boxes are available and these support well pupils’ group and independent research. Class libraries adequately support pupils’ learning. Resources are accessible, available and overall are satisfactorily

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62 The overall quality of the accommodation is satisfactory. The school has worked hard since the last inspection to improve it and there is an ongoing refurbishment programme to make further improvements. The playgrounds have been re-surfaced making them safer for all pupils. The classrooms for Years 3 to 6 have been modernised and corridors added to extend the space. However, the older part of the school, which accommodates the Reception classes and Years1 and 2, is still in need of attention. In some of these classes, there is inadequate space for the number of pupils. Carpeted areas are too small for whole class teaching and become overcrowded. The very high ceilings make the rooms feel cold St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 24 and voices echo. In the Reception classes in particular it is difficult for teachers to provide an attractive early years environment. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 25

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

63 The school has made very good progress since the last inspection in 1997 and justifiably parents have a very good opinion of the school. In seeking to make further improvements, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that there is more consistency in the philosophy and teaching approaches between the Nursery and Reception classes so that the children receive a more unified experience; (Paras 18, 28, 66 )

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Make better use of information and communication technology across the curriculum; (Paras 6, 131 )

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the accommodation for pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in the foundation stage; (Para 62 )

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Revise the arrangements whereby pupils with special educational needs are withdrawn from the same lessons on a regular basis and miss key aspects of learning. (Paras 10, 31, 56 ) St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 3 18 43 33 3 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 one percentage point.

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 290

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 127 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 18

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 44

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 21

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.26

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 Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 27

p.26

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 02 [01] 20 22 42

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

Boys 19 19 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 22

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 [81] 98 [92] 98 [95] at NC level 2 or above National 84 [84] 86 [86] 90 [91]

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 19 19 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 22 22

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 [86] 98 [89] 98 [97] at NC level 2 or above National 85 [85] 89 [89] 89[89]

p.27

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

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

p.27

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 02 [01] 18 23 41

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 14 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 19 22

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 [89] 83 [80] 93 [91] at NC level 4 or above National 75 [75] 73 [71] 86 [87]

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 14 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 18 21

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 76 [91] 80 [83] 90 [91] 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 Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 28

p.27

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.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 6 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 9 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0

p.28

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. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 29

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.6 Financial year 01/02

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 656,031

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 625,414

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 406 Expenditure per pupil 2017

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 68,848

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 128,284

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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

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 12 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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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. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 30

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 52 48 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 76 24 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 62 38 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 43 14 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 38 5 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 38 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 52 43 5 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 71 24 5 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 33 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 48 9 5 0 St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 31

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64 The foundation stage consists of one nursery class and two reception classes, one of which is in operation for spring and summer terms only. There are two stages of entry to both nursery and reception, at the beginning of the autumn term or the beginning of the spring term. Children enter full time nursery once they are three in either the autumn or spring term, depending when their third birthday falls. Older nursery children transfer to the reception class in the autumn term before their fifth birthday, while younger children transfer into the newly created reception class in the following spring term. At the time of the inspection there were 24 children in nursery and 47 children in the two reception classes (23 of these children had transferred to the newly formed reception class in January). Children enter nursery with skills that are below what is normally expected in all areas of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

They make good progress in nursery and enter reception with skills that are in line with what is normally expected for children of this age. By the time children enter Year 1, most are achieving the expectations for children at the end of the reception class known as ‘the Early Learning Goals’ in all areas of their learning and are beginning to work towards the first level of the National Curriculum. A minority of children have yet to achieve the learning goals and a small number of children are working on the first stage of the National Curriculum.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65 At the time of the last inspection all areas of the curriculum in the foundation stage were judged to be good, apart from the provision for the outdoor curriculum. Good improvement has been made in this. The outdoor area has been resurfaced and attractive large play apparatus has been provided. Every effort is made to ensure that the children in the reception classes have equal access to the outdoor area. However, because of the positioning of the reception classrooms, access is restricted. Children in these classes can only use this area when they are specifically time-tabled to do so.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66 Children in the foundation stage make good progress overall, mainly because of the very good quality teaching provided by the nursery staff. Teaching in the reception classes is satisfactory and very occasionally unsatisfactory. During the inspection the absence of a member of staff, who is normally available to support teachers and groups of children in both reception classes, affected the quality of teaching and learning. Added to this the classrooms do not make it easy for teachers to provide an attractive early years environment in which pupils will learn. Ceilings are very high causing voices to sound hollow and to echo, classrooms feel cold and uninviting. Whilst staff do the best that they can, displays do not always stimulate the children and some resources are unimaginative. The improved planning of activities to take account of the foundation stage curriculum allows the children to

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

experience a wide range of activities during the day, but in the reception classes these experiences are not always used to extend the children in their learning as well as they could. In one classroom for example, there is a role-play area with new furniture, but the size of the classroom leaves little space for activities to be attractively displayed or for children to play imaginatively. This is because tables and chairs, arranged for focused learning, take up most of the space. The curriculum itself is good; it promotes well the steps of the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning and development. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and those from other ethnic backgrounds, make good progress overall and have a good start to their education. Learning difficulties are identified early and children receive good support. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 32

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Personal, social and emotional development

67 The quality of teaching in the nursery is very good, and overall it is satisfactory in reception. When teaching is less than satisfactory in reception this is because the teachers have not established behavioural or learning routines, work is not suitably matched to the children’s ability level and opportunities are missed to extend the children’s independence. The majority of children achieve the Early Learning Goals and make good progress supported by the very good start the children receive in the nursery.

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Personal, social and emotional development

68 In the nursery, members of staff encourage the children to become independent and to play sociably together and there are good opportunities for both. Routines are designed to promote self-sufficiency and there are well equipped activity and role-play areas that encourage high levels of interaction. At the end of the day the nursery children choose their own activity and persist for extended periods of time with these activities. They understand the rule ‘only 4 can play here’ and move away without fuss when reminded of the rule. During their ‘Celebration Assembly’ the children show that they can adapt to changes in routines. They happily and confidently take part in presenting and talking about the pictures that they have painted. Older reception children know the routines in the classroom and as activities rotate they do so sensibly. At snack time they sit together, choose which milk they

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Personal, social and emotional development

would like and drink their milk without fuss. Younger children are not as firmly established in class routines, because they are new to the class. When sitting on the carpet they have a tendency to call out and interrupt. On occasions children are quite noisy and they flit from one activity to another.

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Communication, language and literacy

69 Teaching is good in nursery and satisfactory in reception. By the time the children reach the end of the reception year most are on course to reach the expected goals in communication, language and literacy. In nursery the children make good progress because the teacher provides well structured learning opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills. They are taught and supported well by all adults when working both individually and in small groups. In circle time they begin to hold conversations and develop the ability to take turns. When they come into school they work with their parents to practise writing their name for registration. Once they have completed this they place it on their milk cartons, later at snack time, they identify their name before drinking their milk. Class books show that the children have very good opportunities to build their vocabulary and to reflect on their

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Communication, language and literacy

experiences. They are beginning to make meaningful marks on paper as they write for example, reasons why ‘I am special’. Higher achieving children have good hand control and are beginning to form letters such as n, o, and w. accurately. They enjoy listening to stories, join in with repeating phrases and handle books with care.

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Communication, language and literacy

70 In reception teaching is satisfactory and progress overall is satisfactory. In the older class all children have started reading. Higher ability pupils are able to read simple sentences well. Most are beginning to use picture clues to help them when reading. All have a good knowledge of letter sounds and can recognise a good number of simple three- letter words. They are confident when recognising sounds at the beginning of words and can suggest words beginning with for example, ‘f. Most make good attempts writing underneath the teachers’ writing and show by their pictures that they have understood what they have written. Letters are beginning to take shape and show consistency in size. Higher achieving pupils make good attempts to form their own sentences while younger pupils ‘write’ their own storybooks making marks on paper. These children show good recall of stories, for example the story of Goldilocks. Children work unsupervised using the

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Communication, language and literacy

computers and headphones. They use the mouse correctly to operate a reading program and listen well to taped stories. In circle time the classes are split between the teacher and teaching assistant to give children more opportunity for conversation. Despite this St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 33 opportunities in general work to extend the children’s speaking and listening skills are often missed because the teaching, on occasions is too direct and children are not encouraged to engage in conversation with adults. Sometimes activities are not explained clearly enough and lower achieving pupils are unsure of what they are to do. In both reception classes management of the literacy sessions does not allow time for the teacher and children to read the Big Book as planned.

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Mathematical development

71 In mathematical development most children are on course to attain the goals that are expected by the end of the reception year with a small number exceeding them. The children achieve well overall and make good progress in their learning. Teaching is very good in nursery and satisfactory in reception

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Mathematical development

72 Children in the nursery achieve very well. This is because the teacher provides for the systematic development of skills through a range of appropriately organised activities. Most children are able to count to 10 and then backwards to zero. Higher achieving children count to 30 and then back to zero and know that one more than 30 is 31. Most count 5 objects reliably with higher achievers counting reliably to 10. Younger children work with two-dimensional shapes sorting by colour or shape. The teaching assistant carefully encourages the children to look closely at patterns and shapes and because of this the children are able to make good attempts completing their own patterns. Computer programs are well integrated to complement teaching and learning for example, during the inspection a student supported younger children to complete simple shape patterns.

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Mathematical development

73 In reception children achieve satisfactorily. Most children recognise and can name a square and a triangle and make repeating patterns using two colours. Higher achieving children extend their learning to work with three colours and to include rectangles. They place items in order by size when for example they match different sized cups, beds and chairs to daddy bear, mummy bear and baby bear. Their learning is reinforced when they play in the ‘Three Bears cottage’. Most can count accurately and sequence numbers to 10 and some beyond. They are learning to know the value of numbers to 10. In small group activities most sort and count objects correctly and use them to solve simple problems. A good number recognise coins, their denomination and some of their properties. Children enjoy singing number rhymes such as ‘Five Currant Buns’ and ‘The Elephants went out to play’. The repetition of number sequences in songs and the adding on and counting back in

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Mathematical development

mathematical games helps children to develop an understanding of number.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

74 In knowledge and understanding of the world, most children achieve the goals expected in this area of learning by the time they finish the reception year. In nursery children achieve very well because the teacher has very good management skills and very good understanding of the needs of young children. The local park is used very well to observe the first signs of spring. Here the children delight in using a magnifying glass to examine the first shoots of the snowdrops as they peep through the soil. The children are beginning to note features of creatures and their homes. They make good attempts to describe creatures such as a snail and a tortoise. Some know that worms are helpful to plants because they look after the soil, while others know that bees live in hives. Higher achieving children know that squirrels live in a drey. This area of learning is used well to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

75 Teaching and learning is satisfactory in reception. This area of learning is linked well to other areas of the curriculum. For example the ‘Three Pigs’ topic allows the children to explore what materials make a good home for the pigs and to make comparisons with other St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 34 homes. They consider the homes of, for instance, the native Americans and Eskimos. Some remember their work on native Americans and make their own tepees using constructional materials. Others investigate the use of ice to build a home as the Eskimos did. Using ice-cubes the children observe change as the ice melts and they are able to give reasons why this occurs. They can name and label parts of the body and list healthy foods. Children use computers to practise their learning. For example, they use a mouse to draw pictures on screen. Higher achieving children are beginning to add text to their picture.

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Physical development

76 Overall teaching and learning is good. In nursery the teacher supports this activity well by encouraging children to develop their physical skills for example, climbing up a rope ladder, walking and sliding across a bench. The children are very competent when using wheeled toys, tricycles and scooters. They enjoy playing with these toys and show satisfactory gross motor coordination. They use space well and have a good understanding of where they can and cannot go and know not to use the equipment roughly. The teacher encourages the children to show each other what they can do and they are happy to do so. She deliberately uses vocabulary such as over and under and because of this the children develop a good understanding of the language used. There is a clear routine for tidying toys away and all children take part willingly.

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Physical development

77 In reception, teaching and learning overall are satisfactory. Staff plan well for children to practise and refine their manipulative skills. They use resources such as scissors, paintbrushes and pencils well. In outdoor games activities, the children know to stop when the whistle is blown and follow instructions such as walk, run and skip. They show awareness of space as they move around the playground. However in games there is some pushing and shoving. Children regularly use the interesting outdoor playground facilities. Here they explore the climbing frames and successfully improve balance and co-ordination. They use the wheeled toys to good advantage, with increasing control and confidence and with due regard to safety. They share the toys fairly and take turns. On occasions the children do not respect the garden and run over it.

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Creative development

78 The quality of teaching and learning is very good in nursery and sometimes excellent. The teacher provides a very good range of experiences for children to explore and experiment, using paint, coloured pens, crayons and collage materials. She builds on every opportunity to extend learning and to support the children. Consequently, in music for example, the children’s use of language is very good. They know the names of instruments such as maracas, claves, triangles and sleigh bells and can say what they are made of. They are able to play their instruments loudly, softly and to stop and start following the teacher’s signal. Pupils with special educational needs participate in this lesson particularly well.

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Creative development

79 Teaching and learning in reception are satisfactory. Staff teach children the basic techniques to enable them to use and control a good range of materials. They provide satisfactory opportunities for the children to experience for example techniques such as printing, cutting and sticking. Children paint regularly and enjoy experimenting with the effects of paint and colour. For example, they mix two primary colours to give secondary colours and then produce their own ‘hand print’ paintings. They make collages and pictures, using a variety of materials confidently. They learn a good selection of songs and rhymes, which they enjoy performing enthusiastically. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 35

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ENGLISH

80 Standards in English are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to be average. In the 2002 National tests for pupils in Years 2 and 6, the pupils achieved results which, were overall above average. These results reflect the good levels of achievement seen throughout the school with teaching and learning being effective. Teaching is very effective in Years 3 to 6. As a result of this high quality teaching the pupils learn well, and achievement is good with the pupils making consistently good progress. The school has a small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language and these pupils achieve well as they have good support from the staff. Throughout the school, the pupils who have special educational needs make significant gains in their achievements. The pupils who have specific learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural problems make

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ENGLISH

significant gains in the ‘Barrier free’ atmosphere within the school. This is achieved through the commitment and dedication of all members of staff.

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ENGLISH

81 There are other contributory factors to the present good level of pupil achievement. The English subject manager and all staff have worked together to look at ways of improving the pupils’ attainment. This has involved an intensive input into groups of pupils identified for extra additional support. The National Literacy Strategy has been well implemented. The school has also begun to look at the needs of the boys and reflect subjects that will particularly interest them in their lessons. The school has had a big push on improving the pupils’ writing skills and this has been successful. Writing in other subject areas and sessions where the pupils have the opportunity to write for extended periods of time, have all had a beneficial effect upon the achievements of the pupils. The school is, however, mindful that, whilst the emphasis has been upon improving writing skills, reading skills must

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ENGLISH

develop appropriately alongside. The subject manager is keen to ensure that the pupils not only read the text but also importantly understand the underlying theme of the stories.

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ENGLISH

82 Speaking skills are developed through effective teaching and the opportunities the teachers create to enable the pupils to develop their speaking skills. As a result pupils make good progress and their speaking and listening skills are above average. The teachers encourage the pupils to answer questions and to talk about their learning, share their work with others and give their ideas and suggestions. For example, in an assembly session one of the Year 4 pupils stood and read one of her stories to the pupils. Whilst in Year 6 the pupils spoke confidently about their reading preferences and which particular books they enjoyed reading the best. Part of the school’s Beacon status is linked to performing arts and the pupils have drama lessons. The pupils have good opportunities to develop their ideas and learn to express themselves. As a result of the positive commitment within the school the pupils become more confident and sure of themselves.

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ENGLISH

83 Year 2 pupils are doing well with their reading. Pupils take home their books and share them with their parents or carers. Parents and teachers complete the pupils’ home- school diary and a constructive dialogue is established between home and school, which benefits the pupils. At the meeting with parents, parents were pleased by the pupils’ reading standards but felt that the pupils’ books were not changed often enough and the pupils read each book at every level. The inspection found that the pupils were reading books at the appropriate level but that the pupils knew quite clearly which was the next book they would read as they tracked through the scheme. The school recognises that there is more to do to keep parents informed about the strategies the school uses to promote and teach reading and is to implement improvements in this area. In Year 2 the pupils talk confidently about their reading, they talk about their books and use a range of strategies to help them read.

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ENGLISH

The higher attaining pupils talk confidently about the context of the story. Older pupils in Year 6 speak about the choice of books in the school, indicating that the new biographies of famous people’s lives are very interesting. They speak about their favourite books and St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 36 authors, Roald Dahl and J.K. Rowling being firm favourites. The pupils read fluently with good levels of expression and understanding. They read a wide range of books and use a range of strategies to help them with their reading.

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ENGLISH

84 Year 2 pupils achieve above average standards in writing, they write for a range of audiences and purposes expressing their ideas and thoughts. Pupils’ handwriting is generally neat with a clear print style. The development of a cursive style of handwriting is started in Year 2 but as yet is not consistently seen in their written work. The pupils are confident writers and work hard to improve their own and the teachers’ writing. They identify that ‘nice’ is not a very descriptive word and that they could improve the sentences by choosing more effective words.

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ENGLISH

85 Older pupils in Year 6 have written extended stories entitled ‘The perfect day’. They plan their writing and show a good sense of the overall structure of a story. The pupils are prepared to work extremely hard and remain focused on their learning. The results are evident in their writing which show good ideas, clearly written with good use of punctuation and expressive vocabulary. The pupils are given good help by the teachers and use their guidance to help them to improve their work. In all classrooms there are aids for the pupils to use to help and encourage each individual to improve. As a result pupils throughout the school show good levels of enthusiasm for their work and a clear determination to improve. Pupils pay good attention to the presentation of their work, which is generally neat and well presented. Their work shows that they make good progress with vocabulary and an increasing accuracy in punctuation.

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ENGLISH

86 Pupils use computers both in the computer suite and in the classroom to aid their English work. The pupils regularly use a program to help them with their spellings and find this very enjoyable. They also word process stories and poems. Year 6 pupils write about their visit to Ghyll Head and present their work with photographs to aid the descriptions.

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ENGLISH

87 Teaching and learning are good for the pupils in Years 1 to 2 and very good for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Teaching for the older pupils is extremely focused with a very clear sense of purpose. Very clear planning of lessons with a very visual content, engage the interests of all the pupils. The pupils are very clear both about their learning and what they have to do. Teachers have good levels of knowledge and understanding of the teaching of English and they teach the basic skills well. There is a very clear development of the teaching of phonics and spelling. Very good planning means that the pupils’ work is well matched to their individual needs. This is particularly evident in Year 4 where the very wide range of abilities of pupils in the class is very well catered for. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils and manage pupils during lessons well. For example, in a Year 5 lesson, the

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ENGLISH

excellent working atmosphere generated by the classteacher ensured that the pupils worked hard and achieved well. The needs of the boys have clearly been identified and the teachers work hard to ensure that they are fully engaged and want to learn. For example, in Year 1 the pupils were looking at a book about firefighters and writing their own sentences about what firefighters wear and do. In Years 3 and 4 the pupils write about making sandwiches. In Year 4 they write their own posters about volcanoes. These examples demonstrate how the teachers are effective in choosing relevant and interesting subjects so that the pupils are clearly engaged in their learning. As a result the pupils are interested, show good attitudes to their work and work hard. Homework supports learning in English with pupils taking home written work, spellings and reading.

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ENGLISH

88 The schools’ system for keeping a check on the pupil’s achievements enables the teachers to keep a very good watch on the progress the pupils make and target specific help where it is needed. The teaching assistants give very valuable assistance to the teachers and pupils. They are well trained, very well deployed and as a result they help the pupils make good gains in their learning. The teachers conscientiously mark the pupils work in a St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 37 supportive manner and they also point to where the pupils need to improve to make further gains in their learning. The pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. This is evident throughout the school and is seen in the way the pupils get on with their work and always try hard during lessons.

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ENGLISH

89 Subject leadership in English is good. Resources are satisfactory. The library facilities in the school have improved since the last inspection and the quality of books in the libraries is good although the numbers of books held is satisfactory. Some of the reading books in the school are old and worn and in need of replacement. There have been some new resources to supplement the school stocks but there is more to do in this area.

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ENGLISH

90 The quality and range of learning opportunities in English are good. There is a good, well balanced English curriculum in place, which is underpinned by and delivered through good and often very good teaching. The breadth and balance of this good provision ensure that the pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 in a good position to continue making good progress as they transfer to their next school.

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MATHEMATICS

91 Year 2 pupils have made good progress from generally below average levels of attainment on entry, and are on course to attain standards in line with those expected nationally, by the age of 7. Pupils in the juniors also make good progress, and by the time they leave the school at the age of 11, their attainment in mathematics is above the nationally expected standards for their age. The school’s success in promoting high standards in mathematics is a strength, both in terms of the very high results achieved in national tests, and the good progress, and high standards achieved in the subject as a whole.

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MATHEMATICS

92 The school has successfully adopted and implemented the National Numeracy Strategy, and this ensures that pupils of all abilities undertake a wide range of activities in all areas of mathematics. The curriculum provided is well balanced and broad, and all areas are given appropriate coverage. There is a need, which the school acknowledges, to improve opportunities for pupils to use and apply the mathematics they have learned. In all year groups, for example, pupils work on shape, space and measures, such as properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes, and how different shapes have different lines of symmetry. Teachers ensure that correct mathematical language is used, and they expect their pupils to understand and use such vocabulary appropriately. Pupils also make good use of their mathematical skills in other subjects, such as science and occasionally in information and communication technology.

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MATHEMATICS

93 By Year 2 most pupils can recognise odd and even numbers, and remember addition and subtraction facts up to 10. Some are beginning to add and subtract two and three digit numbers by written methods. In the Year 6 class a significant proportion of pupils are working at higher levels than those expected for their age. They show above average skills in mental arithmetic, and are keen to answer the teacher’s questions as quickly as possible. This is shown, for instance when they work on squaring numbers. There is a good spirit of friendly rivalry and this gives them good practice of their mental calculation skills. They can use and interpret co-ordinates involving positive and negative numbers, and understand how shapes can be reflected symmetrically. A significant number of pupils are already working confidently beyond the levels expected for the end of the year. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 38

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MATHEMATICS

94 Throughout the school the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers are good at gaining and maintaining pupils’ interest and enthusiasm, and there is a consistent, shared commitment to achieving high standards. They make mathematics fun and interesting, provide a good variety of worthwhile activities so that pupils are very well motivated, and so make good progress. In a Year 5/6 lesson, for example, pupils use mirrors to look at the reflections of two-dimensional shapes. The investigation of symmetry is challenging and enjoyable, and all the pupils join in and learn well. The very good teaching enables all pupils to improve their understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

95 The work is very well planned at all stages, and pupils are very well managed, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Lessons are conducted at a good pace, and teachers make good use of resources to help their pupils learn. Teaching assistants are well used, and make a valuable contribution, ensuring that the pupils they work with are fully included. Teachers follow the nationally recommended lesson format closely, and praise and question their pupils well, so as to keep everyone involved. They give good opportunities for their pupils to explain their thinking, and practise what they know by working together. They provide a well structured and varied range of activities for the different ages and levels of ability in their classes. This is particularly important in mixed-age classes. They challenge the higher attaining pupils, and, in conjunction with learning support and teaching assistants, sustain and include all those pupils who need additional help.

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MATHEMATICS

96 At present not enough use is made of information and communication technology as a tool for learning. Computers in classrooms are often left unused, when they could make worthwhile contributions to the lessons. While some examples were seen of appropriate software being used to good advantage, these occasions were rare. The school needs to look at ways to share good practice in this area, so that a more systematic use of the computers is achieved.

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MATHEMATICS

97 Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons are good. Mathematics is a popular subject with the great majority of pupils, and they respond well to their teachers, sharing and working well together, often without the need for intervention. The group activities and discussions make a useful contribution to pupils’ basic language development, while learning to work together harmoniously makes a very good contribution to their social and moral development.

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MATHEMATICS

98 Resources for the subject are satisfactory, and funds have been allocated sensibly, in line with the school’s priorities, to update and replace resources. The subject manager is well qualified and experienced, and has a good overview of standards throughout the school. Group targets are provided, so that pupils know what they need to do in order to improve, and effective booster classes have been provided to address identified areas of difficulty. Subject management is very good overall. Teachers use day-to-day assessment very well. They often look at the progress made in one lesson, and amend their plans for pupils’ next steps in learning. Very good use is also made of a wide range of more long-term assessment information. Strengths and weaknesses are very well identified and appropriate action taken. The overall quality of assessment is very good.

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SCIENCE

99 Pupils’ attainment in science by age 11 has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils’ overall attainment at the end of Year 2 is average. Most pupils are expected to reach the expected level at the end of Year 2 and about one-third the higher level. At the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment is above average. Most pupils are expected to reach the expected level and about one half the higher level. Pupils achieve well in both key stages from a below average attainment on entry. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 39 100 By the end of Year 2 pupils know that objects are made from different materials and they can sort objects into groups by their appearance as when they sort paper into smooth, shiny, dull and rough categories. They characterise other objects by their composition, such as objects made from wood, plastic, metal, glass and paper. They know that some materials are magnetic and others are non-magnetic. Through melting and cooling chocolate they

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SCIENCE

understand that some materials change their state and revert to their previous state. They know that there are natural and man-made objects. They can discuss some of the uses of electricity and make simple electric circuits using a battery, wires, a switch and a bulb. They are made aware of the dangers of electricity. Pupils begin to understand the concept of a fair test as when they find the place to melt their ice cubes the quickest. Whilst pupils often predict the outcome of their investigations they rarely reason their predictions nor do they account simply for the conclusion of their results. Some of the work in Year 1 could be more neatly presented.

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SCIENCE

101 By the end of Year 6 pupils know something of the major organs of the body, such as the heart and lungs and their functions. They know that the body is based on a skeletal framework which supports muscle tissue and that muscles operate in pairs by contracting and expanding. They study food for its healthy properties and know that some foods are healthy and others less so. They appreciate some of the activities which constitute a healthy life style and others that can be damaging to health. Pupils understand the effects of gravity and the direction of forces such as pull and push. They further their knowledge of fair testing so that by the end of Year 6 they can set up their own experiments with a good appreciation of fair testing. They still do not reason their predictions or conclusions enough in their written work. The pupils present their work neatly and label their diagrams to show their

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SCIENCE

understanding. Occasionally there is some good use of mathematics as when the pupils plot the results of their pulse rates after exercise on graphs.

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SCIENCE

102 The almost consistently good teaching in both key stages enables the pupils to make good progress. Teachers prepare their lessons well and make good use of learning resources that help pupils’ understanding. In a Year 2 lesson all pupils were given the components to make a simple electric circuit and the practical experience enabled them to be able to draw a diagram of a simple circuit later. In a Year 6 lesson pupils were asked to explore three ways in which differences in sound are made and were provided with several guitars for their explorations. Teachers have a good knowledge of the content they teach. They revise quickly on previous learning and in so doing question pupils effectively to assess their understanding of previous work. They then build on the pupils’ understanding.

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SCIENCE

103 Lessons proceed at a brisk pace, supported by the distribution of resources before the lesson starts so that no time is lost when they begin their activities. Teachers often prepare extra tasks to challenge pupils who complete their work early and they make good provision for pupils with special educational needs so that they take a full part in lessons. Pupils with physical or severe learning difficulties or who have other special educational needs take a full part in lessons. As a result these pupils are confident to answer questions and the other pupils and the teachers respect their answers even though they might be incorrect. Teachers are very clear about what they want to achieve in lessons. They have high expectations of how pupils present their work and as a result this is good with neat writing and well labelled diagrams, although pupils might reason their predictions and conclusions in

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SCIENCE

more detail. Teachers do not assume pupils understand scientific terms and constantly check and re-check their understanding and this enables the pupils to grasp their meaning and develop a scientific vocabulary. Teachers manage pupils well. They make satisfactory use of numeracy across the curriculum and good use of literacy. Boys and girls equally enjoy their lessons. They listen attentively and contribute well to discussion listening respectfully to the responses of others. They work co-operatively in groups and support one another in their activities. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 40 104 The co-ordinator has good skills and subject knowledge and is managing the subject effectively. The school fulfils the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in science. She has a clear understanding of the current work in the subject and monitors standards and planning throughout the school effectively. She is aware of the need for a more detailed

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SCIENCE

record of pupils’ developing skills in the subject. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

105 Standards in art and design are in line with those found nationally at the end of both key stages. Throughout the school pupils make satisfactory progress and those with special educational needs make good progress. In the last inspection it was judged that pupils were making suitable progress in the areas of painting and drawing, but standards were below those expected across the broad range of experiences required by the National Curriculum. The findings of this inspection show that there is now an appropriate range of interesting and worthwhile activities that provide effective coverage of all aspects of the curriculum for art and design. Overall there has been good improvement in developing the subject since the last inspection and the standards have improved.

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ART AND DESIGN

106 By the end of Year 2 pupils have experienced an appropriate range of media, styles and materials. They have a developing knowledge of line, colour and pattern making. Pupils develop their cutting and gluing skills through the making of stick puppets. They paint story characters in bright colours freely and boldly showing careful use of paint and brushstrokes. Pupils’ portraits show good use of colour and their representations show many details capturing features by careful use of line and form. Parts of the face are accurately drawn and placed correctly on an oval form. Key features of the faces show details, such as eyes with pupils and eyelashes, noses with nostrils and mouths with teeth. Pupils have good opportunities to look at textiles in detail using a magnifying glass. They draw careful patterns based on what they see. Weaving, using paper or textiles is well undertaken with pupils understanding the difference between warp and weft. They explore

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ART AND DESIGN

visual and tactile qualities of different materials and the techniques of cutting, ‘scrunching’, folding and pleating when making a collage. Tie-dying gives pupils an opportunity to create patterns in fabric and these show careful work.

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ART AND DESIGN

107 In Years 3 to 6 pupils consolidate and develop their skills further. Their drawing of portraits is an example where their skills are improved through using crayon and pencil to show a realistic view of colour and facial features. Some draw hair that shows a style and details of facial features are carefully included. A small number of pupils have above average sketching skills, which are shown in their still-life work. These demonstrate good observational skills, good use of colour and tone against a black background all of which give a three-dimensional quality to the objects they draw. Three-dimensional work is well represented in the curriculum. Younger pupils make a group sculpture, and decide where this should be placed to enhance the school environment. Satisfactory use is made of a range of materials and the sculptures show different forms. Through evaluation pupils are able to explain what they had made giving good descriptions of what each represented, with

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ART AND DESIGN

reasons for their descriptions and ideas for improvement. The sculptures were then put in their chosen places around the school. Older pupils explored the purpose and function of containers, using clay, papier-mâché, mod-roc or balloons. They design their container either by drawing it or making a simple basic form in paper and then work intently to realise their designs. Some pupils added surface design creatively. There is limited use of computer paint and design packages. The use of sketchbooks is inconsistent across the school and this is a similar finding to the previous inspection. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 41 108 The quality of teaching across the school is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory with good features at Key Stage 2. This is similar to the judgements made in the last inspection. Teachers show a sound knowledge of the subject and the lessons are thoroughly planned with resources well prepared. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and manage

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ART AND DESIGN

their behaviour well. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included and are well supported by committed support staff who intervene appropriately. Pupils are interested in what they do and they concentrate on their tasks and are motivated towards the subject. Effective links are made with other subjects and art is used well to support work in history on Henry VIII, for example, in geography with the project on water and in literacy to illustrate pupils’ writing.

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ART AND DESIGN

109 The displays round the school are attractive and reflect teachers’ efforts to celebrate pupils’ artistic achievements. All displays are well mounted and show a variety of pupils’ work and cover a wide range of subjects and materials. Pupils’ work shows care and effort. It is celebrated in assembly.

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ART AND DESIGN

110 The management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has worked hard to raise the profile and standards of the subject and has an action plan. There is an art club which is popular and pupils enjoy attending. Good use has been made of visits to the art gallery; one outcome of this is the development of pattern work in Years 1 and 2. There is an appropriate policy and the scheme of work used has been adapted from the national guidelines for art and design. A two-year programme has been devised to take account of the mixed-age classes and this appears to work well. Assessment practices are weak currently and there is no skills based record or portfolio of work to monitor attainment over time. The co-ordinator does not have the opportunity to monitor class teaching and to share good practice. Resources are satisfactory overall and are appropriately used.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111 It was not possible to see any design and technology lessons during the inspection, and so judgements had to be made from pupils’ work, displays around the school and discussions with teachers and pupils. On the basis of this evidence, standards were found to be in line with those expected at the ages of 7 and 11.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112 From the youngest classes pupils are given a range of worthwhile experiences, often linked to work in other subjects, particularly art and design. In the infants they learn about a range of materials, and how they can be shaped, assembled and joined. They learn the basic skills of cutting, fixing and measuring, with increasing accuracy. They learn the importance of planning their work, and evaluating it in relation to its purpose. They are also taught to have due regard to safety.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113 In Year 2, for instance, pupils studied puppets. They looked at the different ways in which they are constructed, and how they can be made to move. The use of examples from a variety of countries, made a useful contribution to their cultural understanding. By the time they reach the older classes pupils have continued to develop their skills. Pupils in Year 5, for example, made ‘Wish Containers’ using paper and card. They were encouraged to ask questions in order to evaluate their work, such as ‘What do you think about the shape, colour, texture, of the containers?’

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114 The work seen, and discussions with teachers and pupils, show that the school provides a satisfactory range of activities, and that pupils attain the expected standards at the ages of 7 and 11. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when the curriculum was insufficiently broad and balanced; pupils made unsatisfactory progress, and standards were below expectations at the ends of both key stages. However, although St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 42 much progress has been made, there is still a need to continue the improvement. Plans are in hand to give greater focus to the subject next year, and these need to be pursued vigorously, so as to ensure a more systematic progression in the subject throughout the school. Pupils enjoy the practical activities, and work well together in groups.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115 The subject is effectively managed, in line with the school’s priorities, and resources are sufficient. Proper consideration is given to safety aspects. The national guidelines for the teaching of the subject have been adopted, and a combined science and design technology week was held last year to give the subject a boost. The subject manager has visited other classes to observe the work, and has begun to draw up assessment sheets related to the different units of work.

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GEOGRAPHY

116 At the last inspection standards in geography were in line with expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards are currently similar and have been maintained; satisfactory progress has been made since then. No geography lessons were seen in Years 1 and 2 during the inspection, but evidence from pupils’ work, planning documents and discussions with pupils and teachers confirms that standards by Year 2 are in line with what is expected for their age group.

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GEOGRAPHY

117 Pupils make satisfactory progress, including those with special educational needs during years 1 and 2. Good use is made of the locality and through this pupils develop mapping skills and become more confident and knowledgeable about where they live and their home address. They plot their route to school and draw this on their map. They have used a local street map and made a bar graph to show how they travel to school and they learn the differences between a village, town and city. They have walked in the locality and studied the local buildings and the traffic. They have made a visit to the zoo. Pupils have recorded this in their books and can discuss where they live and how they travel to school.

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GEOGRAPHY

118 Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have good skills for investigating and researching when undertaking their project related to world weather and holidays. They have identified hot and cold places on a world map and could respond to questions about the effect of weather on physical features. They made a booklet on a holiday destination, using the appropriate books, atlases, brochures and previously learned information and work collaboratively with others. They wrote in appropriate detail and illustrated their work. The Internet was also used to find information. The older pupils in Years 5 and 6 made comparisons between their local High Street and that of Buxton through the use of a school made video. Pupils are able to make their own notes and list the advantages and disadvantages of closing the High Street to traffic. Pupils are able to discuss and give their ideas and suggestions with confidence making use of the traffic survey they have undertaken.

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GEOGRAPHY

119 No judgement can be made about teaching in Years 1 and 2. The evidence in Years 3 to 6 from teachers’ planning, the lessons seen and pupils’ work shows that teaching is at least satisfactory with good and very good teaching seen. When teaching is very good, there are good and relevant resources used well that encourage positive learning, good relationships are well established, with the teacher well organised and having very good subject knowledge. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning including those with special educational needs and they co-operate well. Pupils learn good strategies during the lesson that help them to work independently or with a partner.

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GEOGRAPHY

120 The co-ordinator has continued to develop the subject. There is some monitoring of pupils’ work with criteria to establish pupils’ progress and attainment. Team teaching takes place on occasions during the year. There is a policy for the subject and the national St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 43 guidelines for geography have been adapted to take account of the mixed-age classes. A two-year programme has been devised and this results in a broadly based curriculum. Pupils in Years 3-6 have fieldwork outings to develop mapping skills through orienteering and outdoor pursuits. There is a satisfactory range of resources that are accessible and are used in the classes regularly.

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HISTORY

121 Standards at the time of the last inspection were found to be in line with expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. This is still the situation, although the curriculum and planning have improved and some of the pupils’ work, particularly in the upper years, is of a good standard.

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HISTORY

122 By the end of Year 2, pupils show a developing understanding of the passing of time by using appropriate vocabulary and placing events in order. For example, in their work on famous people, many are able to say that Florence Nightingale lived a long time ago but that the Fire of London happened before that time. Because the teacher very effectively uses the idea of an imaginary time machine, the pupils are able to understand the principle of going back in time from the present day. This very successful teaching strategy is used to enable the pupils to go back in time to visit the Great Fire. Before climbing into their make believe time machines pupils reflect for a brief moment, picturing the scene that awaits them when they do arrive at their destination. The setting of the scene, the anticipation, all adds to the pupils’ excitement and understanding as they travel backwards in time. Pupils of all ability

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HISTORY

make good contributions describing the scene as they emerge from their time machine and how they feel. This particular lesson is a very good example of the very strong contribution that the subject makes to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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HISTORY

123 By Year 6, pupils have a much wider knowledge of aspects of the history of Britain and the wider world. Younger pupils write at length about the Tudors showing considerable knowledge and understanding. Higher achieving pupils use books to help them to find further information. They are able to describe some of the main events, people and changes, the reasons for those changes and the effect on peoples lives. In their work on the ancient Greeks, they make comparisons between the lives of the Greeks and that of the Spartans, looking closely at aspects such as voting, education and city life. Higher achieving pupils extend the activity further by making comparisons with present day Greece and recognise the many changes, for example, the currency was called drachma and is now called euro.

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HISTORY

124 As only one lesson was seen, it is not possible to make an informed judgment on the quality of teaching and learning. However work seen and pictures taken during previous activities suggests that all teachers are confident in teaching the subject and that children enjoy the lessons. Teachers mark the pupils’ work giving encouragement when necessary but do not set targets for improvement. There are good links to other subjects, in particular art, literacy and speaking and listening. There is little evidence that information and communication technology is being used either in the classrooms or for further research.

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HISTORY

125 The coordinator satisfactorily leads history. The school is now making good use of a published scheme. The curriculum is very well enriched by such activities as Victorian or Tudor days and by trips to local museums and places of interest. The coordinator monitors planning so that she knows what pupils are being taught. Staff complete assessment sheets at the end of each topic of work and know what the pupils have understood and what they have not understood. The coordinator has plans to develop recording of pupils’ achievements further so that areas for development can be identified. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 44

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126 Information and communication technology is given a high priority. Currently standards of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 are satisfactory, with a small number attaining a higher level. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were judged to be below national expectations. There is now a well resourced computer suite and all classes use this teaching area at least once a week. The school has moved on considerably since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are becoming confident when using computers. In Year 1, they use a word processor to practise writing their names. They change the font and size of their writing. Pupils in the mixed-age range class add clip-art to give their work more impact. Pupils in Year 2 use art packages successfully and confidently as they create their own pictures showing for example, feelings of anger in the style of well-known artists.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128 Pupils in Years 3 to 6 build on their experiences. In word-processing they alter the type, colour and size of font for the best emphasis, and cut and paste when editing text. Work is saved on individual files for alteration later. Year 4 pupils produce newspaper reports about school events. They compose headlines, edit their work to fit into a particular space and organise their writing to fit into columns and paragraphs. They use a database to produce bar charts showing their favourite crisp flavour. Higher attaining pupils extend the activity by branching into pie charts. Year 5 pupils extend their previous experiences of using control equipment, so that they design patterns, using a series of repeated instructions. By Year 6, pupils produce Power Point presentations about different countries. Higher achieving pupils develop their skills further. They provide information about the school to the class, through their own very well prepared presentation. These pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

demonstrate their ability to combine text, graphics and sound into a multi-media presentation. Information and communication technology makes a good contribution the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129 Pupils with special educational needs and those from other ethnic backgrounds work very well alongside others in the class. There are very good working relationships with pupils often working in pairs and when this happens they are happy to help each other. All pupils are fully included with good support given when necessary.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130 Overall teaching and learning are good. All teachers are becoming more confident in teaching information and communication technology and it is clear that pupils enjoy working with computers. Pupils are very familiar with correct computer language and this is because all staff are careful to always use the correct language. In the very good lessons observed, teachers keep the lessons moving at a good pace, they have very good management skills and relationships with the pupils. As a result of this, the pupils are able to work at different levels very successfully. Although the work is challenging for some, they do not feel threatened because the teacher is constantly moving around the room making sure that all pupils understand what they have been asked to do. Work is well planned to build on previous learning, because pupils are assessed regularly on the work that they have covered. Pupils know that they are being assessed and because the teacher gives clear

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

instructions and explanations, they all feel confident to proceed with their tasks. The teacher emphasises that the object of the lesson is to find out what the pupils are unsure of, so that they can re-visit these skills next term. At the end of the lesson they are able to identify for themselves the areas that they need to re-visit. When lessons are less successful this is because they are rushed. When this happens pupils are allowed to commence their work before being settled and fully understand what they are to do. Work is very demanding for some pupils and because of this they lose interest or need a great deal of the teachers’ attention, lessons can go astray and loose direction. All teachers make very good use of the overhead projector to demonstrate skills to the pupils. St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 45 131 Information and communication technology is well managed and the school has moved on considerably since the last inspection. Apart from the new computer suite they

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

now have a progressive and systematic scheme of work for teachers to follow. All teachers have received training but there are still some areas in for example control, which some staff are uncomfortable with. The co-ordinator has identified this as an area for further development and for additional resources. At present assessment is not consistent across all classes. Again this has been identified and there are plans in hand to improve this across the school. Computers in classrooms are being upgraded as money becomes available and more network will be available through cabling. Because of difficulty with the networking system, email is not yet firmly established as a tool for learning. Although all schemes of work identify the use of information and communication technology to aid teaching and learning, there is insufficient use made of this in day-to-day teaching and learning. As a result pupils are missing out on the essential opportunities to practise the skills that they are

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

being taught. Little use is made of information and communication technology in science, for example to write up experiments or to make tables to record their results.

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MUSIC

132 Music is an improving subject in which pupils’ attainments across the school are at an expected level and pupils make sound progress. Standards are similar to those at the time of the previous inspection. The school makes good use of Local Education Authority advisory staff to support teaching in the subject and to develop teachers’ confidence and expertise. This is helping to improve the quality of work.

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MUSIC

133 By the end of Year 2, pupils tap their body parts and stamp their feet in time to follow the pulse of the music. They clap back a rhythm. They understand the term ostinato. They know some of the names of the percussion instruments they use and respect the instruments. Pupils listen well to music and they tell the difference between a high and low sound and between music of different volume and speed.

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MUSIC

134 By the end of Year 6, pupils sing enthusiastically and with good control and sensitively use differences in volume to match the words. They maintain the melody, sing tunefully and with good harmony. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils performed songs from the ‘Rock Gospel Show’. They sang well. Individual pupils were confident to sing solo in front of an audience. Pupils sing short phrases of musical notation including crotchets and quavers with a good level of accuracy and clap back the rhythm accurately. They sing two notes at a time from short phrases using the tonic sol-fah scale with a good ear, although they have more difficulty when beginning from a lower note and singing a higher note. They work well in groups to compose rap vocals and perform these back for the rest of the class. They listen well to classical excerpts such as Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ and use their arms and hands to replicate the pulse, tapping their bodies with their hands which

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MUSIC

135 Insufficient teaching could be observed at Key Stage 1 to make an overall judgement. In the one lesson observed, the pace of teaching was affected by a faulty tape recorder and the teacher did not have a good technique to ensure all pupils began together when they sang or clapped back rhythm responses. Overall teaching is good in Key Stage 2 with a range from good to satisfactory. Lessons begin promptly and resources are well prepared and set out in advance. Teachers retain the pupils’ interest with a good balance of activities that includes singing, listening and composing. They manage the pupils well, praise their efforts and support improvement. They use a good range of techniques, for example body tapping and arm and hand movements to replicate the pulse and action songs. These methods help to retain the pupils’ interest and promote their enthusiasm. Teachers make St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 46

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MUSIC

good use of appropriate musical terminology. On occasion they make good use of music from across the world as in a Year 5 lesson which incorporated African music which the pupils sang movingly. All teachers boost the pupils’ confidence by praising their efforts and this helps to create a good climate for learning and encourages the pupils’ efforts. Teachers have clearly understood arrangements for stopping activity to which pupils respond quickly.

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MUSIC

136 The co-ordinator has worked hard to improve the quality of work in the subject and uses the Local Education Authority music service to good effect. This use has helped to improve the quality of teaching in this subject and resulted in teachers gaining confidence to teach the subject more effectively. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and promoted the school’s participation in a local festival with ten other schools at the time of the Commonwealth games in the City. A few pupils took on singing parts in a recent pantomime at the Northern College of Music. A few pupils learn the violin and guitar and it is hoped to promote other instruments such as trumpet. The school is well resourced for basic percussion instruments but the range could be extended. Resources are of good quality. There is no current facility for information and communication technology work in the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137 Pupils’ attainment in physical education is above expectations by the end of Year 2 in gymnastics and games activities and by the end of Year 6 in games. It is in line with expectations in Year 6 in gymnastics but there are signs of the above average standards in gymnastics filtering through into Key Stage 2. Dance was not observed in either key stage and so its quality could not be judged. Pupils achieve well in both key stages and make good progress thus sustaining the judgement made in the previous report.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138 By the end of Year 2 pupils invent their own jumping movements and the quality of their movement is good. They effect good finishing and starting positions and barefooted work enhances the overall quality of movement. They can jump from one foot to the other and make two-footed bouncing jumps. They pull themselves along benches and roll in different directions. They make sequences of movements incorporating curled and stretched movements. Pupils make tucked, forward and backward rolls. Boys and girls perform equally effectively in lessons and good arrangements are made to include pupils with physical and learning disabilities, as when they take part in skill sessions passing a basket ball to one another.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139 By the end of Year 6 pupils make curved and straight balances close to the floor and high up working on the floor and on and around the equipment. They hold a balance and move from one balance to another using different movements to effect a smooth sequence. They make good use of space. Pupils are confident on the apparatus. They hold positions upside down. They effect sequences of balance, jumps and rolls. In games they show good control in bouncing large balls, changing hands and direction whilst on the move. They shadow a partner and gain good skills in defence and attack in games situation. Most pupils can swim at least 25 metres by the end of Year 6. In both key stages pupils show good confidence on the apparatus and transfer movements they have tried on the floor on to the apparatus and work with purpose.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140 Teaching throughout the school is of an above average quality in this subject. In both key stages it ranges from excellent to satisfactory and is mostly good. It is good overall. Teachers and pupils are changed appropriately for activity. Teaching is characteristically enthusiastic, promoting confidence and good skills in the pupils and a sense of enjoyment. Lessons are very well planned and teachers make good use of the scheme of work. Most teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations. In the very small number of lessons that do not reach the same high standards teachers do not get the pupils to refine their movements enough, such as good landing techniques and there is an imbalance St Cuthbert’s RC Primary - 47 between floor and apparatus work. They teach skills well so that the quality of pupils’ movement is good. They make good use of critical and supportive evaluation, often

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

involving pupils themselves and this leads to improved quality of movement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141 Lessons proceed at a good pace and allow time for pupils to experiment and improve their movements. Teachers’ commentaries and good use of praise motivate the pupils and help them to try hard. They make very good use of time. Whilst pupils change they remind the pupils of health and safety procedures, encourage quality in their movements through discussion of techniques and prepare them for their immediate activity on entering the hall. They are reminded of the three working rules ‘safely, silently and sensibly’ which they abide by. Pupils proceed in an orderly way to the hall and immediately begin work. They respond quickly to teachers’ instructions. Teachers have well established and safe routines for moving equipment which is set out very well in the hall enabling all pupils to be kept constantly active. Pupils handle the large equipment in an exemplary way and have excellent, safe and economical routines for getting it out and putting it away. Teachers

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

manage the pupils very well. Pupils are very well disciplined and supportively critical of one another’s movements and so help each other to improve. They work very enthusiastically in lessons because the teachers praise, comment on, encourage and challenge pupils in their movements as they work. Pupils use space well. Teachers make good use of pupils who are unable to take part by getting them to observe and comment on their peers as they work.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142 The co-ordinator manages the subject well and provides an excellent teaching example for her colleagues. She has provided in-service training for other staff, which has helped to improve the quality of teaching in the subject. The subject fulfils National Curriculum requirements, including swimming provision. The school overcomes its lack of on-site playing field space by making very good use of the hard surfaced area, which is well marked out for skills training, and the local park. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities that covers a range of sports and in some of which the school competes against other schools. These various activities promote pupils’ social development and personal confidence. The school makes good use of specialist coaches in various sports. Physical education is a strength in the curriculum.

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