Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Princethorpe

OUR LADY’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th September – 1 st October 2002

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OUR LADY’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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OUR LADY’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. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Leamington Road Princethorpe Rugby Warwickshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Jonathan Lowe

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 11 – 14 November 1997 Our Lady’s RC Primary - 4

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Team members

19028 Mrs V Ward Registered inspector 31747 Mrs R Boardman Lay inspector 20230 Mrs J Clayphan Team inspector

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Team members

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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 Our Lady’s RC Primary - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This small Roman Catholic aided school serves a wide geographical area in Warwickshire. The pupils travel to school from about 18 surrounding villages and towns. The school is popular, and several year groups are full. There are currently 106 pupils on roll, aged between four and 11 years. There are almost twice as many boys as there are girls. The school usually admits between ten and 12 new pupils during the course of each year. Very few of the pupils are from non-British backgrounds. All of the pupils are white and speak English as their first language. A very small number of travellers’ children attend the school. Children are admitted to the school in the September of the year in which they reach their fifth birthday. Their attainment on entry varies, but overall it is similar to that normally expected of four-year- olds. At the time of the inspection, there were just nine children in the reception year, and they had been

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

attending school for only three weeks. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (six per cent) is below the national average. Forty-four per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, a figure that is well above the national average. Three of these pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. A privately-run care club is held on the school premises, before and after school, for the benefit of the pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective and improving school. The aim of caring and providing for each pupil as an individual is achieved with great success. The headteacher, staff and governors constantly seek ways to bring about school improvement. The quality of teaching is consistently good and this enables the pupils to achieve very well over time. The pupils work hard, behave well and show very positive attitudes. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff provide both a clear educational direction for the school and a climate for improvement. • The teaching is of a consistently good standard and this greatly enhances the pupils’ learning. • The school cares very effectively for the pupils’ welfare and their academic needs. • The pupils’ good behaviour and very positive attitudes help them to achieve well. • The rich and interesting curriculum makes the pupils want to learn and to do their best. • Relationships with parents are very positive and they are very supportive of the school.

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What could be improved

• There are no specific issues for improvement. The school has an effective school improvement planning process that is clearly focused on further improvement and development. It should continue to implement its current plans.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in November 1997, when it was found to be a good school with four main areas for development. There has been very good improvement because the school has addressed these key issues very conscientiously and they are now significant strengths of the school. The organisation of teaching groups has been rationalised and this is having a marked effect on achievement, particularly in mathematics. The support for pupils with special educational needs has been thoroughly reviewed and is now well-considered and effective. The approach to school improvement planning is now much more consultative. The plan itself is comprehensive and, as such, is a useful tool for school improvement. Resources have been carefully audited and replenished, and are regularly renewed as needed. The quality of teaching and learning has improved considerably since the last inspection. Standards have risen and the school has received the national Achievement Award for the years 2000

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

and 2001. The school has coped well with changes to the statutory curriculum and the staff have worked Our Lady’s RC Primary - 7 hard to successfully implement the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The analysis of data is used very effectively to identify priorities for development and the school is well placed to meet its targets. The number of computers has been considerably increased and the physical environment has been significantly improved and enlarged recently.

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

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Key

As year groups are small, the balance between the proportion of higher attaining pupils and those with learning difficulties inevitably causes some fluctuations in results year on year in the national tests for seven and 11-year-olds. Even so, the higher attaining pupils do well in both year groups. In the tests for seven-year-olds, results in reading were above average; in writing and mathematics, they were average. Writing improved as a result of a specific focus to raise these standards. Teacher assessment of science shows fewer pupils achieving the higher Level 3; this is identified as an area for development on the school improvement plan. The school sets and achieves appropriate targets. In 2002, all the pupils in Year 6 either met or exceeded their individual targets. Although there are considerably more boys than girls, there is no consistent pattern in performance to indicate that one gender does better than the

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Key

other. During the inspection, standards in English, mathematics and science in Years 2 and 6 were broadly average, reflecting these particular cohorts of pupils. Standards seen in history and music were above average. Evidence from the pupils’ work shows that they achieve well over time. In the reception class, the nine children have settled quickly and are well on course to reach the expected goals by the end of the school year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy school and are eager to learn. This has a very positive impact on their achievement.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. A calm and orderly atmosphere pervades the school. The pupils respond positively to the teachers’ high expectations. They show respect for others' feelings and needs, as well as for their own. There have been no exclusions.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils get on very well with their teachers and peers. They accept responsibility willingly and show high levels of concern for others.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Previous high levels of absence have been redressed and attendance is now close to the national average. A very calm and orderly atmosphere pervades the school. The pupils’ very good attitudes are evident in their enjoyment of their learning, their motivation to succeed and in their responses to the intellectual challenges that are set. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 8

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is at least good in all classes, and there are many aspects of very good teaching. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection. The teachers apply the literacy and numeracy strategies very effectively and their teaching in these lessons helps the pupils to learn well. Many of the skills taught in these lessons are transferred successfully to other subjects, such as history and science. The teachers give careful consideration to meeting the needs of all pupils in their planning, organisation and teaching methods. Intellectual challenge is a common feature in lessons, especially for the higher attaining pupils. This is successful in helping the pupils to learn well and gain a sense of achievement. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very positive and this helps the pupils to tackle their work with confidence, knowing that the teachers will support

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a broad and interesting curriculum. It is enriched by educational visits and visitors to the school. There are very good opportunities in music, in particular. The school makes very good use of its links with business and industry.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The pupils with special educational needs and those who are identified as very able are well supported. The teachers modify tasks, provide additional resources and support the pupils very well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language No pupils are learning English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Provision for many aspects of spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory and is being improved to help the pupils to gain greater understanding of cultural diversity in Britain.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school is a very caring community. Both the pupils’ academic achievement and their safety and welfare are central to the school’s functioning. Relationships between the school and the parents are one of the strengths of the school. Parents support the good achievement of the pupils and help to foster positive attitudes. The school works hard and successfully to maintain regular contact with parents, many of whom rarely visit the school because their children travel by bus. Both the tracking of the individual achievement of each pupil and the analysis of assessment information are very effective. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The leadership and management of the headteacher, supported by the governors and staff, provide clear educational direction to the work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governors are very supportive, have a comprehensive understanding of the work of the school and are proactive in working for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. All of the staff and governors are involved in analysing the school’s performance and then taking action to bring about improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. All resources are used appropriately. Careful thought is given to the deployment of staff. The headteacher, staff and governors work very well together. Thorough research is carried out before spending decisions are made and the principles of best value are applied. The process for school improvement planning and monitoring is appropriately rigorous and shared.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school cares for each child as an individual • The school is well led and managed • The staff are very approachable • The teaching is good • The school expects their children to work hard • The school helps the children to become mature and responsible A very small number of parents felt that: • there are not enough extra-curricular activities; • the amount of homework set is not always appropriate; • the school does not provide enough information about how their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The findings of the inspection fully endorse those features of the school that please parents most. Regarding the aspects that a very small minority of parents would like to see improved, the school provides a good range of educational visits to enrich the pupils’ learning outside lessons. Additional music lessons, covering many different instruments, are available to pupils. Several after-school clubs are held each term and the school welcomes suggestions and offers of help from parents. The inspectors agree with the majority of parents that the current procedures for homework are appropriate. The school currently provides a good level of information to parents through the termly meetings with teachers, frequent newsletters and written reports about their children’s progress. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 10

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

provide both a clear educational direction for the school and a climate for improvement.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

1. The leadership and management in the school are very good. There is a joint commitment from the headteacher, governors and staff to work together to bring about school improvement. This is combined with a determination to meet the needs of each pupil, no matter how great the challenge.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

2. A particular strength of the headteacher’s leadership style is the encouragement of teamwork among the staff and with the governors. The staff work very successfully as a team, supporting one another both formally and informally. Each teacher is allocated a governor who shadows their work, thus enhancing communication and understanding between the school and its governing body. The headteacher has a thorough understanding of the challenges that are particular to the school. She keeps the governing body well informed of developments through her written reports and newsletters. The headteacher delegates responsibility to the teachers very effectively, empowering them to review and develop their subject areas.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

3. The teachers manage their subject responsibilities very conscientiously; they control resources, monitor planning, analyse pupils’ work and take action to improve learning. They support each other both formally and informally, working alongside each other, as well as observing one another’s teaching. They are aware of strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and are proactive in taking steps to bring about improvement. For example, when raising boys’ achievement in English was identified as a priority, new resources were selected, purchased and their implementation monitored.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

4. The management of provision for the pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school clearly follows the guidance in the most recent Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs. The provision enables the requirements in the Statements of Special Educational Needs to be met. The teacher with responsibility for special educational needs has a thorough understanding of her role. She works very effectively to monitor pupils, review their progress and maintain the required documentation. Communication at all levels is a strength and helps to keep staff, parents and governors well informed.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

5. The governors support the school very effectively. They are well organised and cover the range of responsibilities that are expected. For example, individual governors take a special interest in literacy, numeracy, special educational needs and the Foundation Stage. The governors use the available performance data to assess the school’s success, and act upon that information to raise standards. They exercise their corporate role very effectively. They visit the school regularly, are involved in training and have good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Financial management is good, and spending decisions are carefully planned and reviewed. Governors are mindful of fluctuations in budget allocations and make sure that there are sufficient funds to maintain four classes.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

6. Following recent guidance from the diocese, the school is currently finalising its race equality policy. However, the school’s established policy and practice in integrating pupils’ from different backgrounds is very successful.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

7. The process of school improvement planning is now a corporate activity, which fully involves the staff and governors in writing, monitoring and reviewing the school’s priorities. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. The plan is now a very useful tool for school improvement.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

8. All the governors and staff are rightly proud of their school and work hard to bring about continuous improvement. The very good leadership and management are central to the success of the school. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 11 The teaching is of a consistently good standard and this greatly enhances the pupils’ learning.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

9. Teaching is consistently good throughout the school. During the inspection, 15 per cent of the lessons observed were very good, and all lessons had some very good features. For instance, all of the teachers work very conscientiously to meet the needs of individual pupils and this is reflected in the pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and in their good achievement.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

10. The teachers put a lot of thought into planning, resulting in well-structured learning for the pupils. The beginnings of lessons are invariably introduced in a lively manner that captures the pupils’ attention and interest, and helps them to recall what they have already learned. A very good example was seen in a Years 1/2 mathematics lesson where the introduction of paper mice with tails of different lengths immediately captured the pupils’ interest and helped them to remember what they had learned about comparing lengths in the previous lesson. The teachers make clear to the pupils what they are to learn, often writing this on the board and referring to it during the lesson. For instance, in a literacy lesson in Years 5/6, where the pupils were evaluating text, the teacher’s reference to the learning objective helped the pupils to focus on the task and to gain an understanding of how well they were achieving it.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

11. In all classes the teachers ensure that the pupils develop the skills of literacy and numeracy. They teach these skills very effectively. Homework is used well to support what is learned in school and, in particular, to help to consolidate basic skills.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

12. All the teachers adjust their teaching and deploy the support staff very successfully, to help the pupils to learn in the way that suits them best. They provide activities aimed at a range of levels, to ensure that all pupils are well involved and extend their understanding. For example, in a history lesson in Years 3/4, the range of activities provided good challenges for the pupils at different levels, enabling them to succeed individually. In this lesson, reading materials were carefully selected so that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, could find out interesting facts and gain a sense of achievement. Much of the teaching challenges the pupils’ thinking. This was particularly the case in a Years 1/2 lesson where pupils were trying to read and understand the need for written labels. In a Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils who were asked to write about a particular character in a story from a viewpoint other than the author’s, had to think very

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

13. The teachers have secure subject knowledge and research topics thoroughly before they teach them. They show skill in choosing appropriate teaching methods for different purposes. For instance, in a lesson to investigate the function of the skeleton, the activities made the learning interesting for the pupils and maximised their learning. They thoroughly enjoyed exploring how the skeleton supports the body by using pipe cleaners and straws to make ‘joints’ for model animals. By the end of the lesson, they showed greater understanding of how joints enable limbs to move, and had also learned the names of several bones.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

14. The teachers have high expectations of what will be achieved and of the standards of behaviour they expect. They make these clear to the pupils and are successful in achieving them. The few pupils who display behavioural problems are handled sensitively and with consistency, to good effect.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

15. All the teachers work very well as a team and this sets a good example to the pupils. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very positive, giving the pupils confidence to work hard. This is very evident in the reception class, where the new children have now settled well and are secure enough to give full attention to their learning.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

16. The teachers use the last few minutes of each lesson to reflect with the pupils on the learning that has taken place. This enables the teachers both to assess how much the pupils have learned, and to gather information on which to base their teaching in the next lesson. Using this procedure at the end of lessons is very effective, whether it involves the youngest pupils talking about letter sounds or the oldest pupils discussing the effects of exercise on breathing. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 12 17. The consistently good teaching is the main reason why the pupils achieve well.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

The school cares very effectively for the pupils’ welfare and their academic needs.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

18. The school’s mission is ‘to create an environment within which each child will feel encouraged, supported and challenged to develop to their fullest potential’. After spending only a short time in the school, it becomes apparent that this is fundamental to the school’s functioning and is a key factor in its success. There is a strong sense of community, in which every child is valued and considered unique. A high level of care is shown for each pupil. This has a positive effect on pupils’ personal development and their achievement.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

19. The care for the pupils begins before they start school, through home visits, booklets giving useful information about the school, and opportunities to visit the school. This ensures that the children have the best opportunity to familiarise themselves with the school and to get to know the staff before they start. Once in school, each child is allocated a special friend from Year 6, who will help the reception child to settle in happily. A separate play area provides a calm environment away from the more boisterous play of the older pupils. The benefits of this process are very apparent. At the time of the inspection, the new children had been in school for only three weeks, but were already very well settled, secure, and familiar with school routines. As a result of this they were learning well, being eager to talk about picture books and confidently learning the sounds of letters.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

20. A considerable number of pupils join the school other than at the start of the reception year. The teachers are diligent in making these pupils feel welcome, checking on their prior learning and building effectively on that achievement. In a Year 1 class, a support assistant made sure that a new pupil could understand and take part in the lesson. The teacher carefully monitored the pupil’s attainment.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

21. The consideration given to individual needs is excellent. Whether a child has special educational needs that affect learning, is more able than their peers, has a special talent or is emotionally disturbed, the staff show a corporate determination to provide all the help at their disposal. Personnel from external agencies, such as learning and behaviour support, are used very effectively to help pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are involved in setting personal targets at the start of each school year. Each pupil’s achievement is tracked constantly and the teachers adjust their provision accordingly. For example, pupils are moved between groups in mathematics in order to match the challenge of the work to their progress.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

22. The pupils are also involved in making their own class rules. This means that the rules make sense to them as well as being appropriate to their age. They have ownership of these rules and recall them regularly. Parents are invited to be fully involved in the provision for their children and home/school diaries are used very effectively for daily communication.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

23. Systems for recording accidents and treating sick pupils contribute to this culture of care. All the staff are familiar with the procedures for medical care and child protection. Governors are vigilant in monitoring safety, giving high priority to health and safety issues.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

24. The high level of care for individual pupils makes them feel secure and encourages them to do their best.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

The pupils’ good behaviour and very positive attitudes help them to achieve well.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

25. The pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is very evident. They express their enjoyment readily in conversation, naming subjects they find particularly interesting. Owing to the interesting curriculum, the pupils speak enthusiastically about work they have done previously. These positive attitudes significantly enhance the pupils’ learning. For example, pupils in Years 3/4, who had listened intently to a story read expressively by their teacher, were eager to voice their opinions about the characters in the book. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 13 26. The pupils respond eagerly to their teacher’s questions and challenges. This was very evident in a Years 5/6 mathematics lesson, where the pupils thought really hard to work out the sequence for a particularly challenging pattern of numbers.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

27. The pupils take pride in the presentation of their work and are keen to explain what they are doing. They co-operate with each other very well; pupils in a Year 4 mathematics lesson took turns and talked sensibly about what they were doing when measuring quantities of water.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

28. Trust in all the staff, combined with high self-esteem, is very evident amongst the pupils. They join in class discussion confidently, secure in the knowledge that their answers will be valued even if they are wrong. This was evident during a Year 5 mathematics lesson, where a pupil felt no embarrassment in admitting, ‘I got mixed up’. Relationships between pupils and with their teachers are very good and this helps in developing the pupils’ confidence.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

29. A very calm and orderly atmosphere pervades the school. The pupils’ behaviour is good. They enjoy the rewards and understand the sanctions within the school system. They are polite to each other and adults, and show high levels of care and respect for each other, both in class and on the playground. After listening to the story of the Prodigal Son, pupils were able to relate this to their own experiences of needing to forgive someone who had upset them on the playground. Written work, following discussion about the story of Noah’s Ark, shows the pupils’ perception in thinking around the moral issues of making and keeping promises.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

30. A real sense of community is apparent, this reaching out even beyond the school. When asked to reflect on the needs of others in preparation for a collective prayer, pupils in Years 1/2 showed thoughtfulness and consideration in making suggestions.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

31. The pupils willingly take on responsibilities such as delivering registers, working the overhead projector and answering the school telephone over the lunch period. They carry out these tasks conscientiously.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

32. The positive attitudes, good behaviour and personal development of the pupils contribute significantly to the sense of community in the school, and help them to derive maximum benefit from all that the school provides.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

The rich and interesting curriculum makes the pupils want to learn and to do their best.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

33. The curriculum covers a wide range of interesting experiences, whilst maintaining a clear focus on teaching basic skills. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are well established and are organised effectively. The knowledge and skills that the pupils learn in these lessons are practised and developed very successfully in other subjects. For example, pupils in Years 3/4, who were researching facts about Roman armies both from books and the Internet, were very competent in locating and reading information, and were articulate in sharing this knowledge with the rest of the class. Pupils in Years 5/6, who had been monitoring their breathing after taking different forms of exercise, analysed the data and produced graphs both on paper and by using the computer.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

34. The school provides a very broad curriculum for music. Musical and dramatic performances are an important and successful part of the curriculum and are organised so that every pupil can take part. All the pupils learn to play the recorder, and lessons are available for an impressively wide range of instruments. Extra-curricular clubs include art, French, drama and science, and successfully extend the pupils’ interest and learning. Pupils speak very enthusiastically about how much they enjoy these clubs.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

35. The curriculum is adapted very successfully to meet pupils’ individual needs. The provision for higher attaining pupils is stimulating and enables them to achieve very well. Flexible grouping of pupils, sometimes moving them to work with an older year group, is used very effectively to provide additional challenge for these pupils. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 14 36. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well-considered, organised and managed. The teachers adapt the curriculum very effectively for them by providing suitable tasks and resources. Special reading books have been purchased to help to maintain interest in reading among older, lower attaining pupils. These books have subject matter that will appeal to older pupils, whilst being expressed in simple text. Learning support assistants are very well deployed to work with these pupils. The good levels of help ensure that no child flounders. An individual plan

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

for each special educational needs pupil identifies clear targets, towards which their progress is carefully monitored. Regular reviews ensure that the provision matches the need.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

37. The curriculum is greatly enriched by the use of the local environment, by educational visits, and through visitors to the school. Educational visits, such as a trip to a sea life centre, led to pupils in Years 1/2 designing and making habitats and creatures for their own zoo, as part of design and technology. Pupils produced very imaginative animal sculptures using twigs and leaves, during a visit to look at sculptures. Activities such as ‘Arts Week’ provide a wide range of experiences, capturing the pupils’ interests and resulting in work of a good standard. Visits by representatives from local businesses help the pupils to make links between their learning in school and the adult world of work. One such visit resulted in the setting up of a pretend café for the youngest pupils.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

38. The school makes very good use of the educational support and financial aid offered through its very effective business links. Activities that will utilise these contacts are carefully considered and incorporated into long-term planning. This ensures that the maximum benefit to the pupils’ learning is achieved. For example, plans to build a special garden with a focus on mathematics, aimed at providing experience of managing real-life resources and budgets, will incorporate elements of design suggested by the pupils.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

39. The broad and interesting curriculum greatly motivates the pupils and makes a notable contribution to their good achievement.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

Relationships with parents are very positive and they are very supportive of the school.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

40. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. By means of their responses to the parents’ questionnaires and comments made at the pre-inspection meeting, parents expressed their appreciation of the hard work and care that is shown by all the staff.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

41. The involvement of parents in their children’s education is of great importance to the staff and they work very hard to foster positive relationships. This is a particular challenge because many of the children travel to school by bus, and, therefore, their parents do not regularly visit the school. With this in mind, the school is very proactive in keeping parents informed about what is happening in school through regular and informative newsletters.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

42. The written information that parents receive is of good quality. The induction material for parents of reception children serves not only to help them to understand the procedures used by the school to help their child to settle in, but also how they can help their child with reading and writing at home. Written annual reports to parents are comprehensive and give parents a clear picture of their child’s achievement, as well as identifying areas for improvement. The governors’ annual report to parents is welcoming in tone, and helpfully explains some of the terminology currently used in education.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

43. Visits to school by parents are encouraged. Each term there are formal invitations to discuss their child’s progress with their teacher. At the annual meeting for parents, the staff give an input on a topic of interest connected with the school. Parents’ appreciation of this input is reflected in the numbers who attend. Informal contact from parents is always welcomed. All the parents who responded to the questionnaire agreed that they felt comfortable about approaching the staff with a question or concern about their child.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

44. Parents help in classrooms and many attend the Friday celebration assemblies and mass. The ‘Friends of Our Lady’s’ provide a lot of practical support as well as raising considerable additional Our Lady’s RC Primary - 15 funding. The time and effort, so generously given by these parents, is much appreciated by the staff and pupils.

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The very effective leadership and management from the headteacher, governors and staff

45. The very good relationships between the parents and the school contribute significantly to the pupils’ positive attitudes and their good achievement.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

46. There are no specific issues for improvement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

47. Through its effective school improvement planning process, the school has identified and is already addressing areas that need improvement. It should continue to implement its current plans. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 16

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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 12

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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 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 106

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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 6

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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 3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 47

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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 10

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 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. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 17 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 10 16

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 88 (67) 88 (60) 81 (73) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 88 (67) 88 (73) 81 (73) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 9 7 16

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 81 (68) 94 (84) 94 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 81 (68) 94 (84) 94 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Separate results for boys and girls are not published when there are 10 or fewer pupils in a gender group. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 18 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

White – any other White background 2 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black or Black British – any other Black background

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.1 Financial year 2001/02

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 264,105

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 292,734

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 102 Expenditure per pupil 2,788

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 64,961

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a Balance carried forward to next year 36,332

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff n/a

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per FTE adult n/a Our Lady’s RC Primary - 19 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady’s RC Primary - 20

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Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires returned 77 (72%)

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 55 39 5 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 40 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 52 35 9 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 27 9 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 19 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 82 16 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 60 32 4 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 79 21 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 28 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 49 38 9 1 3

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Other issues raised by parents

The school successfully builds the children’s confidence. The care provided by the staff is much appreciated.

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