St Columba's School

ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 16 th January 2003

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ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Fr T Singleton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 nd February 1998

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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Team members

11608 Ms A Dawson Registered inspector 9189 Mr J Horwood Lay inspector 20645 Ms R Webber Team inspector

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Team members

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16

St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Columba’s Catholic Primary School is an average-sized school for children from four to eleven years of age on the island of Walney adjacent to the town of Barrow-in-Furness. It draws its pupils from the area that surrounds the school. Most pupils have attended a nursery or a playgroup before they start in the reception class in the year they become five. Children enter the school with a broad range of attainments: in general, their language, mathematical attainment and social skills are average. There are 202 pupils on roll in full-time education, of these 98 are boys and 104 are girls. They are grouped in seven classes. Twenty-six per cent of pupils have special educational needs; most of these pupils have language and learning difficulties. This is above the national average of 22.2 per cent. The percentage of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs, at 2.4 per cent, is above average. The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals, at nine per cent, is below the national average of 18.3 per cent. Most pupils are of white European origin. About two per cent are of mixed race and include pupils from Chinese and white heritages. There are no pupils learning English as an additional language. Ten per cent of pupils leave or join the school other than at the normal times, which is average. The characteristics of the school are broadly similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection in 1998. The school has identified a small number of very able pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school which provides a very good education for its pupils. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and work happily together. The school is very well thought of by the parents and the community. The headteacher provides very good leadership. She is fully supported by the commitment and hard work of the deputy headteacher, most of the staff and the governing body. In response, particularly to the high quality teaching at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils achieve very well to attain well above average standards in English and mathematics. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are high in English and mathematics by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning and the quality of the relationships within the school are excellent. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. • The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for the future, with a commitment to raise standards. • There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. • Parents’ views of the school are excellent. Parents support the school initiatives and their children’s learning very well.

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What could be improved

• The Foundation Stage 1 of learning. • The standards in science of the higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2 . 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

Since the last inspection in 1998, the school has made very good improvement on two of the key issues. The provision and standards in information and communication technology have improved considerably and pupils are currently attaining the nationally expected standards throughout the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 The Foundation Stage of learning refers to the children in the reception class . St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 6 The older pupils use their research skills very well to find out information using books and the computers. However, despite every effort of help and support from the school, the provision for the Foundation Stage is still unsatisfactory. In other aspects, there has been very good improvement in standards in information and communication technology, the curriculum provision at Key Stages 1 and 2 and the learning resources.

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 very high A* English C A A A well above average above average A B mathematics C A* A A average below average C D science D C D D well below average E

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Key

In 2002, standards were well above average in English and mathematics and below average in science compared with standards of all pupils nationally and in comparison with results in schools in a similar context. There has been an overall steady rise in standards in English and mathematics since the last inspection. This is consistent with the national trend for improvement in standards.

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Key

Inspection findings show that pupils achieve very well in English and mathematics. The standards in the current Year 6 are well above average in English and mathematics and pupils are on course to attain or exceed the targets set for them. There are very good standards of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. In science, while nearly all pupils attain the expected levels there is insufficient challenge in the work for the higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2 and too few attain the higher levels by the end of Year 6. The school has set challenging targets and planned to review the curriculum this year to raise standards. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well because of the very good provision made for them and the skilled help they receive from the teaching assistants. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils.

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Key

The current pupils in Year 2 are achieving very well and standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. In the Foundation Stage, although most children are expected to attain the early learning goals, their achievement is unsatisfactory in relation to their starting points. Some average attaining children and the higher attaining are capable of attaining higher standards.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils concentrate and give their best during lessons. They enjoy school and are very keen to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Most pupils behave very well in lessons and in and around the school. Pupils are welcoming and polite to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils show maturity in their relationships. They respect the views of others and play and work happily together. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 7 Attendance Very good. Most pupils have very good attendance. They are punctual.

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Aspect Comment

The constructive approach by the school towards encouraging pupils’ very good behaviour, their positive attitudes to work and respect for self and others, is central to its aims and values.

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

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

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

Overall the quality of teaching is very good although it ranges from unsatisfactory to excellent. English, mathematics, literacy and numeracy and the basic skills are taught very well and there is very good teaching and learning in English and mathematics. The very effective teaching assistants work alongside the teachers and make a significant contribution to the standards attained, particularly by those pupils who have special educational needs. These pupils make very good progress throughout the school. The average attaining and the higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively in Key Stages 1 and 2 and achieve very well by the end of Years 2 and 6 in English and mathematics. In science, in Key Stage 2, the same work is planned for all pupils. This does not present enough challenge for most of the higher attainers who do not reach the higher level. All the subjects of the curriculum are taught but there is

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

insufficient emphasis on investigatory work in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 2. In information and communication technology, the teaching and learning are good. There was too little teaching observed in other subjects to make a secure judgement. However, in physical education, considerable efforts have been made to help pupils develop their physical skills in lessons and through extra-curricular activities. The best teaching was observed in Years 2 and 6. The teaching in English and mathematics is skilful in placing demands on pupils to develop their problem-solving and thinking skills. By Year 6, pupils solve mathematical problems using a wide range of different methods. In their writing, pupils are taught to write accurately and imaginatively to very good effect. There are good examples of teachers and pupils marking work to help pupils improve. Consistency in this practice between classes and in other subjects

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

is recognised as a current priority. The teaching of pupils’ personal and social development is a strength. The school is working towards improving pupils’ understanding of living in a diverse society. In the Foundation Stage, the teaching is unsatisfactory. The pace of learning is too slow. Opportunities are missed to challenge some average attaining and the higher attainers in their learning. Children’s achievement overall is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a good range of experiences in Key Stages 1 and 2. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities which extend pupils’ skills and interests. However, provision is unsatisfactory for children in the reception class.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The teachers identify learning difficulties early. The pupils make very good progress because of the skilled help they receive, particularly from the teaching assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good. It is good for pupils’ cultural development. The school is working towards developing further pupils’ awareness of diversity in UK society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares The welfare and care provided for pupils are good. Teachers and teaching St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 8 for its pupils assistants know the pupils very well and provide very good personal support and guidance. The procedures for monitoring behaviour, personal development and academic performance are excellent. Procedures for monitoring and improving pupils’ attendance are satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well with the parents. The provision made for pupils to respect and care for others is excellent. There is an excellent liaison with a neighbouring special school which is beneficial to both the schools and their pupils. In spite of rigorous and extensive help, the curriculum for the Foundation Stage is not sufficiently broad or well balanced. This is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school and provides very good leadership. She is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and most of the staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The experienced and knowledgeable governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and fully support its direction for the future. Statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. There are rigorous procedures for improving the quality of teaching, learning and curricular provision. The extensive information on pupils’ attainments and progress is used very well with increasing efficiency to set targets for further success.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The governors and headteacher work closely together to ensure that the school makes the best use of available resources. Spending is very closely monitored to get the best value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The accommodation is satisfactory. The learning resources are good and the staff generally make very good use of them to help pupils learn. There are sufficient well-qualified teachers who are assisted by the very experienced teaching assistants to teach the curriculum.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school, behave well and make good progress. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with queries or problems and the school works closely with them. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children are well taught and expected to work hard and do their best. • Their children are developing maturity and responsibility. • The school provides a good range of extra- curricular activities. • A very few parents felt that their children did not get the right amount of homework. • A very few parents felt that they were not sufficiently well informed about their children’s progress. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 9 The parents hold the school in high esteem and they fully support the aims of the school. The inspectors agree with most of the positive views raised by parents. However, children in the Foundation Stage should be making better progress. Inspectors also feel that although homework varies in quantity

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

between classes, it falls within the expected range for children of this age and it effectively supports learning in lessons. Parents receive very good information about their children’s progress. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards are high in English and mathematics by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Pupils achieve very well by the end of Years 2 and 6 in English and mathematics to attain standards that are well above average. Because the staff successfully identify individual needs, both boys and girls make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress when they are helped in class, in small groups or individually. The very good quality of the teaching and the pupils’ interest and involvement in lessons result in very good learning. Standards in reading are high. The access to good quality resources promotes pupils’ very good attitudes to reading and enjoyment of books. Within the last two years, the staff have increased their efforts in improving standards in the quality of pupils’ story writing and, as a result, standards have improved. The school has been successful in raising boys’ attainment in writing to a level that is similar to that of the girls and well above all

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

pupils nationally by the end of Year 6. This has been achieved through the skilled teaching in all aspects of English. Pupils’ choices from a wide range of reading materials have been met and the provision of exciting and stimulating texts is used in lessons to capture boys’ interests and imagination and promote their skills in storytelling. Pupils are further motivated by enthusiastic teaching and frequent rewards and praise. For example, when asked to write about a train journey, a boy in Year 6, within a few minutes wrote as an opening for a story about a train journey, ‘The hooting got louder and louder and suddenly a bright green steam engine came gliding into the station through the dark tunnel. The train stopped dead’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. In mathematics, the good emphasis placed on the development of problem-solving skills throughout the school means that the pupils are continually challenged to question and develop their thinking to find out solutions to problems. The pupils are confident in their understanding of pattern and relationships between numbers and their operations.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Since the last inspection, the school has improved its resources, staff expertise and the curriculum in information and communication technology and standards have risen. A new computer suite is used regularly by all classes to teach new skills. The staff have been trained well to use the new resources and scheme of work. They are more confident in teaching the subject, and learning, and have made rapid strides with the improved resources and the facility to teach skills as a class lesson. Skills that are taught in the suite are being applied to other subjects as pupils access relevant programs in their classroom computers. As a result of these improvements, standards have risen considerably in Key Stage 2 from unsatisfactory to a position where the pupils are now attaining the expected standards.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and the quality of the relationships within the school are

4. The Christian ethos and excellent relationships within the school create a successful learning environment. The pupils are not afraid to speak out and ask questions confidently when they want to find out information or don’t know the answer. The staff are quick to respond and, by their answers, build pupils’ self-esteem. All pupils are consistently praised for their efforts and the staff ensure all pupils are consistently helped in their learning. They take particular care to involve pupils with special educational needs and encourage these pupils to develop a healthy attitude to exercise by participating in the extra-curricular activities offered. The school is fully St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 11 committed to including all pupils within their school community. There is an excellent relationship between the school’s pupils and those from a neighbouring special school for pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties. The pupils from the

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and the quality of the relationships within the school are

special school regularly attend lessons and join fully in the life of the school. This successful project has benefited the pupils from both schools. For example, the pupils from St Columba’s have become sensitive to the needs of the special school pupils and learn to write picture books for their friends. The staff usefully exchange resources ideas for teaching and learning. Because the pupils at St Columba’s are happy, settled and valued by the staff for the contributions they make, they learn very well. The pupils’ eagerness to learn is reflected in pupils’ very good attendance and recognised by their parents who feel that the school makes every pupil feel special. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they are becoming effective communicators, giving mature and well thought out answers to questions. For example, when asked their views about the school, the pupils in Year 6 felt it was important that they are kind to

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and the quality of the relationships within the school are

one another and that they are all friends. They said the school gives them a good education.

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

pupils with special educational needs achieve very well.

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

5. English and mathematics are taught very well. The basic skills of these subjects are often applied effectively in other subjects. There is strong emphasis given to teaching personal and social skills. This contributes well to pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning and gives them confidence to answer and ask questions. In the very good lessons, teachers move learning along at a rapid pace. The pupils make very good progress because they frequently revisit their existing knowledge, which they apply in their new learning. The teachers successfully question pupils to test their understanding. Because the expectations of the staff are high, the pupils are challenged very well to meet the targets set and know how to improve their work. In mathematics, there is a good emphasis placed on the development of problem- solving skills. Pupils are continually challenged to question and develop their thinking

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

to find out solutions to problems. The teachers question them closely to explain their thinking and make astute interventions to develop pupils’ ideas and initiative. This stretches the higher attaining pupils and keeps them focused on developing their knowledge and skills in their given tasks. In English, in Year 6, pupils work together to mark each other’s work. This not only focuses their attention on the learning objectives to be assessed but also successfully develops their thinking further, gaining different ideas, as they appraise the work of their classmates. This strategy is to be integrated into other subjects. Where teaching and learning are not quite as good, the learning is less focused in developing pupils’ individual targets and the pace of learning is slower.

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

6. In Years 2 and 6, very good use is made of the assessments of pupils’ work to group pupils according to attainment, and then plan work precisely to the correct level. This has been successful in raising pupils’ attainment, particularly that of the lower and higher attaining pupils with additional help from other staff. In Year 6, there is well thought out liaison with the secondary school where most pupils transfer. Additional teaching resources are shared and ‘bridging’ teaching units at a higher level are used effectively to challenge pupils further and to ease their transition to the next phase of education.

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

7. The teaching assistants are deployed very well to meet the needs of the pupils with special educational needs throughout the school and consistently liaise with the teachers to plan their work. The excellent relationships that the assistants have established with the pupils are particularly effective in boosting pupils’ confidence in St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 12 learning and answering questions. The assistants are skilled in interpreting the content of the lesson so that pupils are studying the same curriculum as the other pupils in the class. Pupils learn very well because they are prompted to answer in class or questioned and given explanations to help them make progress. They are well trained for the work they do by the local education authority and gain considerable help both in resources and expertise from the staff at the local special school. This help given to the pupils enables them to succeed in tasks that otherwise may be too

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The quality of teaching and learning is very good in English and mathematics and

difficult for them and allows the class teacher to support the needs of others. However, in the Foundation Stage, opportunities are missed to improve the provision by sharing ideas and planning children’s work with the teaching assistants. The assistants are underused as they are not involved in helping to plan the children’s work and have little advanced knowledge of planned activities for the day. However, the support for pupils with statements of special educational needs is very good. Detailed records of achievement are kept and individual tasks are tailored to meet their needs.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

the future with a commitment to raise standards.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

8. The headteacher provides very good leadership. All members of staff with responsibilities work together very well to carry out their roles. This results in a direction that implements the school’s aims of providing high quality education aiming for the pupils to become independent, self-motivated and self-disciplined, having respect for others. Most staff work very well together with shared vision and a commitment to improve provision and to raise standards further. The parents and pupils are fully informed and consulted in the school development planning process.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

9. The school’s self-evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses and the commitment of the whole-school community to succeed are good. Since the last inspection in 1998, there has been very good improvement in provision and standards in information and communication technology and pupils’ skills in independent learning. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and kept pace with the rapid changes in information and communication technology. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored well in English and mathematics to ensure that staff are meeting the needs of all pupils. The results of the monitoring, along with the teachers’ assessments of pupils’ progress, aid lesson planning and target setting. However, despite additional rigorous support and training provision by the headteacher, governors and the local education authority advisers, the curriculum

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

provision and the quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage have insufficiently improved since the last inspection.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

10. There are rigorous procedures for assessing pupils’ work to find out if the standards are high enough and where improvements can be made in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Data analysis is used well in these respects. The school identifies strengths and weaknesses from the results of national tests, which are compared with national and similar schools. Pupils’ achievements are tracked through school year by year and help is placed where it is needed most. This year, in Key Stage 2, where the standards of the higher attaining pupils are not high enough in science, the priority is to raise the standards of these pupils.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

11. The system for performance management is fully in place. The headteacher is keen to find out about new initiatives and to train her staff in the most up-to-date methods. The school improvement plan is an effective tool which is used well to aid the continuing development of the school. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 13 12. The priorities of the school and individual staff expertise and needs are linked to training opportunities. The headteacher is keen to provide training for staff to raise standards further. The school makes best use of the expertise of the teaching assistants and promotes their professional development. The quality of the work of the assistants contributes significantly to the pupils’ very good achievement.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

13. The knowledgeable governors are very supportive of the school. They are fully informed by the headteacher and the staff and fulfil their statutory responsibilities well. Financial spending is frequently monitored alongside the school priorities and the standards pupils attain. The school development plan is an effective tool, which is used well to aid the continuing development of the school. The educational provision is enhanced by the successful outcomes of bids that are made. For example, there have recently been successful bids to fund resources for information and communication technology and to improve the accommodation. The governors seek best value for money, considering the benefits to the pupils and the curriculum priorities before committing to expenditure. Evaluation of expenditure is at an early stage of development.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

14. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. The family values of the school are strongly represented in the everyday life of the school.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

15. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual development through the curriculum and acts of collective worship is very good. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their religious beliefs and for quiet reflection in assemblies and notably during class discussion times. The provision of a quiet room is a valuable resource used by the pupils when they need some time for reflection and prayer. In class assemblies, the oldest pupils listen to music and have time to think quietly about problems they might have and how to care for others. For example, the pupils discussed the meaning of ‘peer pressure’ and, in doing so, developed well their understanding of social and personal responsibility when making decisions. Visits from local clergy and the association that the school has with other churches and parishes promote well the Christian values that permeate school life. Spirituality is also promoted well through

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

close links with the parish priests who take classes, lead worship and work with the children to deepen their understanding of religious issues.

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

16. The staff set a good example to pupils in their relationships with pupils and other adults. Praise and rewards for good work, behaviour and thoughtful acts of helpfulness and kindness promote good attitudes to work and responsible and caring attitudes to others. The teachers encourage pupils to reflect on moral and social issues that concern them in whole-class discussions known as ‘circle times’. Pupils discuss, resolve and form a greater understanding of the issues that concern them with the help of their teachers. The very good relationships extend into playtimes. Anti- social behaviour is very rare and promptly acted upon by the headteacher. The shared high expectations of behaviour are upheld by the whole school. The pupils feel responsible for their actions and know that their opinions and concerns are valued. Year 6 pupils, as the oldest pupils, have a particular responsibility to help others abide

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The leadership of the school is very effective. There is a clear and shared vision for

by the school rules and to help with the smooth day-to-day running of the school. For instance, they help the younger pupils overcome difficulties in relationships at playtimes. Pupils’ social development is extended by their participation in sporting events when the pupils mix with pupils whom they do not usually meet. Links with pupils from a nearby special school extend pupils’ social skills. These experiences make a significantly positive impact on pupils’ personal and social development. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 14

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Parents’ views of the school are excellent. Parents support the school initiatives and

17. There is a very good partnership between the school and home and this has a beneficial impact on pupils’ attainment and their attitudes to learning. The majority of parents are wholly supportive of the work of the school and they value the educational opportunities provided for their children. At the meeting for parents, there was agreement that a strength of the school was that staff raised pupils’ self-esteem, giving them confidence in all aspects of school life. Parents say the school promotes family values very well and that their children are encouraged to do their best in everything. The saying that ‘nobody is good at everything, but everybody is good at something’, is a cornerstone of the school’s approach to teaching and learning. Parents hold the school in high esteem and the inspection team agrees with their very positive views.

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Parents’ views of the school are excellent. Parents support the school initiatives and

18. The school benefits considerably from the efforts of a thriving and successful parent- teacher association. It organises social events throughout the year and raises a considerable amount of extra money for the benefit of the children. A number of parents and members of the community help regularly in classes and this helps teachers to teach more effectively.

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Parents’ views of the school are excellent. Parents support the school initiatives and

19. Parents are regularly consulted about what the school provides and there is a positive response, from which the school is able to feed issues into the school development plan. In addition to those parents who help regularly in school, the vast majority take a keen interest in their children’s education. They monitor homework such as the projects and topics that the older pupils’ research from computers and books and by listening to their children read. The school’s partnership with parents is a significant factor in its success.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. The teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are not satisfactory. The planning for day-to-day activities does not sufficiently build on what children know and can do. In the longer term, some activities are repetitive and mundane. The curriculum provision is narrow and there is little excitement in children’s discovery of new learning. The planned provision does not cover in sufficient depth all aspects of the areas of learning for communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. As a result, average attaining and higher attaining children are unchallenged and could do better.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. Children are not sufficiently extended in their thinking, communication and language skills through well-planned, purposeful activities. Role play is minimal. The resources to promote role play are bland and do not motivate the children to develop their vocabulary and express their ideas through meaningful play. Although children’s listening skills are good, planned interventions by staff are limited. Consequently, children find difficulty in expressing their ideas and feelings through acting out ‘roles’.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. In knowledge and understanding of the world, there are few opportunities for children to choose to explore and play with a wide range of natural and made objects and materials. Planned activities are heavily directed by the staff. There are insufficient opportunities for children to investigate, question and develop skills to seek solutions St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 15 and answers. The children do not sufficiently know how to initiate investigatory activities to find out about the world around them.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. Too much emphasis is placed on the acquisition of basic skills. The children listen to instructions very well. They respond to questions satisfactorily when asked. Their social skills are well developed. Most are very well behaved. They play very well alongside one another and are learning effectively how to share resources. Most are developing reading, writing and mathematical skills that are appropriate for their age. However, a few average attaining and the higher attaining children could achieve more. The time allocated to indoor and outdoor activities is not well balanced. The outdoor environment is used infrequently in all areas of learning. There are insufficient planned outdoor activities for children to learn about the world outside the classroom and feel the benefits of physical exercise. There is not enough large-scale equipment such as wheeled or pushing toys and climbing and balancing apparatus for outdoor

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

use. These resources are planned to be provided in the near future.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. ‘To improve the balance of the curriculum for under-fives by increasing opportunities for participation in structured play and creative activities’ was a key issue for development from the last inspection. Creative development is still an underdeveloped area of learning. The teacher-led activities are not planned to encourage the children to develop their own ideas, select their own materials or tools. As a result, children lack confidence in talking about their work and planning projects to freely express and develop their creative ideas. Not enough improvement has been made in this key issue since the last inspection.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The standards in science of the higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. By the end of Year 2, pupils achieve very well in science and standards are high. In the 2002 teacher assessed tasks, 97 per cent of pupils attained the expected standards. At the higher level, pupils also achieved very well. Forty-one per cent of them attained Level 3. By the end of Year 6, in the 2002 tests, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory for the lower and average attaining pupils. Nearly all pupils attain the nationally expected standards. However, the percentage attaining the higher Level 5 was well below average. Three per cent of pupils with special educational needs in both key stages achieved very well on their individual targets. Standards were better at the last inspection.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Although most pupils attain the nationally expected standards in Year 6, not enough of them attain the higher levels. There is too much emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge and not enough investigational work in Key Stage 2. Lessons are planned to meet the needs of the average and lower attaining pupils but are not sufficiently challenging for the higher attaining pupils, although the quality of resources has improved since the last inspection. The monitoring of the teaching and learning and setting targets for individuals and groups of pupils have not been developed as they have in English and mathematics. This year, targets have been set to raise the attainment of the higher attaining pupils, and the subject is included as a priority in school development planning. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the quality of education for the children in The Foundation Stage of learning by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

o planning for and providing a broad, balanced curriculum in all areas of learning which builds on children’s previous learning and is matched to their needs;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

o providing rich and stimulating experiences that challenges the children in their learning and motivates them to develop their imaginative and creative skills, and to explore, experiment and plan activities for themselves;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

o planning and providing the resources for purposeful activities for learning, both indoors and outdoors.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the standards in science at Key Stage 2 for the higher attaining pupils by providing them with tasks that challenge them.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the range of the science curriculum for all pupils in Key Stage 2 by providing more opportunities to observe, predict, test and record.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 25, 26) St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 17

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 202

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 18

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 53

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 18

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 15 29

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 14 12 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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

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

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 14

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

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

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 15 29

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 13 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 93 (93) 97 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 13 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 13 14

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (97) 90 (93) 93 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 19 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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

White – any other White background 2 0 0

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

Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0

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

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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

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

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

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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

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

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

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

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

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2001/2002

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

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 445,966

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

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 433,221

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

Total aggregate hours worked per week 94 Expenditure per pupil 2,145

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

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 54,667

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

Balance carried forward to next year 67,412 St Columba’s Catholic Primary School - 20 Recruitment of teachers

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

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

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

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

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

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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

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

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

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 74 25 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 83 16 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 47 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 75 21 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 88 10 1 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 23 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 74 24 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 89 11 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 79 18 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 62 32 2 0 4

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