St Mary's Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th – 19 th June 2002

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 250192 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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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 Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hunter Road Cannock Staffordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev Fr P Farrelly

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 4

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Team members

10182 Mr B Cooper Registered inspector 9593 Mrs B Sinclair Lay inspector 13827 Mrs A Waters Team inspector

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Team members

Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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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 Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is situated near to the town centre of Cannock in Staffordshire. The school has 209 full-time pupils aged 4 to 11 and 50 children attending the nursery part-time. The attainment of children when they join the reception class is average. The area has higher unemployment than the national average; 6.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. No pupil requires support for English as an additional language. The level of pupil mobility is very low. Twenty nine pupils (12%) are on the special educational needs register, which is below the national average and six (2.6%) have statements of special educational need which is higher than average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school, which achieves higher than average results in the end of Key Stage 2 national tests. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but teaching in the nursery and Key Stage 2 is of a higher standard, and includes some very good teaching. The school has a positive ethos and pupils behave very well and are very keen to learn. The leadership and management of the school are good overall, and there is a clear commitment to raising standards. The school provides satisfactory value for money

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What the school does well

• The performance of pupils in English, mathematics and science is above average at the end of Year 6 • The nursery provision is very good • Pupils behave very well and are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are very good. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good • The school has a very good partnership with parents

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What could be improved

• Assessment and its use in planning • Writing in Key Stage 1 • The marking of the pupils’ work • Attendance The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection in May 1998. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are higher in English and science and similar in mathematics. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are similar but lower in writing. Foundation stage staff have a greater understanding of how young children learn and there is now very good provision in the nursery class. In Key Stage 1 and 2, pupils’ attainment and progress is continually assessed but this information is not always used effectively to raise standards throughout the school or to improve pupils’ progress. Work is not always accurately matched to pupils’ abilities. The quality of teaching in the school has improved and is now always at least satisfactory and often better, particularly in the nursery and in Key Stage 2. Standards in science are now in line with the national average at the end of Key Stage 1, and teachers have a better understanding of how to teach the subject. The school

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

has increased the amount of monitoring of teaching and learning but this has not yet had a full impact on improving the standards and progress of the pupils. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The table shows that standards achieved in English and mathematics have remained at least above average at the end of Year 6 over the past three years. After two years of average standards in science, standards improved in 2001 and were well above both the national average and the average for similar schools. In 2001 standards in English and mathematics were above the national average and the average for similar schools. Inspection findings confirm that standards are above national expectations in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations and are improving as a result of the school’s investment in new technology and teacher training. Increasing use is being made of information and communication technology across the curriculum. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well developed and enable pupils to access the full curriculum. The school’s targets for

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schools

pupils’ performance in English and mathematics are very challenging – particularly in the numbers expected to reach the higher level 5. In 2001 they were achieved in English but the performance in mathematics was lower than expected.

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schools

At the end of Year 2, the national test results were well above average between 1998 and 2000 with results in 1999 being in the top 5% in reading and mathematics. In 2001, results were much lower with children achieving average standards in reading, below average standards in writing and well below average standards in mathematics. Over one third of this age group had identified special educational needs and this lowered standards. Inspection findings indicate that standards have risen this year and are now in line with national averages in reading and mathematics but below average in writing.

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schools

Pupils make particularly good progress in the nursery class as a result of the high standard of teaching they receive. They also make good progress through Key Stage 2 with the best progress made in Year 6 where pupils are prepared well for their standard assessment tests and receive a consistently good standard of teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school as a result of the extra support they receive.

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schools

The nursery nurses in the nursery class place strong emphasis on the pupils’ personal, social and emotional development and this helps the children to develop good learning skills. Most children join the reception class at an average standard for their age and most achieve the early learning goals by the time they reach the end of the reception class. They are well prepared to start the National Curriculum. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school. They are very keen to learn and concentrate well on their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons, at lunchtime and around the school. They are very polite, thoughtful and courteous.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils respond very well when given responsibility. They use computers well to find things out for themselves. When given the opportunity they enjoy independent investigations. Relationships in the school are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is below the national average, as a result of parents taking holidays in term time. Pupils arrive at school promptly and lessons start on time.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory and during the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Throughout the school, teachers manage their classes well and have established good relationships with the pupils. They expect and achieve high standards of behaviour. Teaching assistants are well used and offer extra support and help pupils with special educational needs achieve their learning targets. They are very good at keeping the teachers informed of pupils’ progress. Marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and does not always follow the school policy. It does not inform pupils clearly enough about how they can improve. Information from the assessment of pupils’ work is not always used well enough to make certain that pupils are consistently either given the appropriate level of work to complete or are given new individual targets.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Overall the teaching of children in the foundation stage is satisfactory. The quality of teaching in the nursery class is good with very good features. The children are given access to a wide range of suitable experiences and develop both a love of school and a desire to learn. In reception class, the children continue to develop their skills but the teaching offers them a narrower range of learning experiences.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

In Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Appropriate emphasis is placed on the teaching of letter sounds and pupils use this knowledge well in their reading. The basic skills in numeracy and literacy are taught satisfactorily. However, the pupils are not given enough opportunities to use their literacy skills to develop a wide enough range of writing. Questioning is used well to extend the pupils’ knowledge.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

In Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching varies but is good overall. Most lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives. These are usually shared with the pupils and checked St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 9 at the end of lessons to see if they have been achieved. This helps to keep pupils well focused. Teachers are good at teaching subject knowledge, but do not always allow enough independent learning or give sufficient opportunities for pupils to find things out for themselves. The position of the school library outside the main building makes it harder for pupils to access information from books. However, increasing use is being made of the Internet. The best lessons in Key Stage 2 were conducted at a good pace and provided all pupils with sufficient challenge and opportunities.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Throughout the school, pupils are very keen to learn and work very hard. They concentrate well on the task in hand and take care over their work. They are able to use their own initiative when given the opportunity. They work together well in small groups or pairs and are keen to help one another. They respond very positively when expected to think for themselves as was shown in their problem solving in mathematics in Year 6.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. Very good emphasis is placed on the children’s personal, social and emotional development in the nursery. The timetable in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is broad and balanced with sufficient time given to each subject closely linked to the National Curriculum. The school is making increasing use of information and communication technology across the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The special needs’ co-ordinator is given sufficient time to manage the provision. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported both in the classroom and when withdrawn for extra help.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision overall. Spirituality is promoted well in displays throughout the school and when older pupils attend an annual retreat. There is a good emphasis on moral and social development. Music plays an important part in cultural development but the pupils could be made even more aware of other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a caring school. There are very good procedures for child protection. The children’s progress and performance in English, mathematics and science are assessed regularly and teachers record a great deal of information. However, this is not fully used either in setting pupils’ targets or making sure that work is appropriate for them. There is no assessment of performance in information and communication technology or the other subjects of the curriculum. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff This is good overall. The school is well managed on a day-to-day basis. The subject coordinators for English, mathematics and science have a good overview of their subjects and monitor planning successfully. The headteacher is good at listening to and taking on board the views of governors, staff and parents about how the school can be improved.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governors are hard working and supportive. They have a good understanding of the working of the school and individual governors have successfully linked with curriculum areas. They feed their ideas in to the school improvement plan and oversee the finances well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher and senior staff have worked hard to monitor all aspects of the school and have gathered much information. This information is beginning to be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning and to raise standards in all areas. The school development plan is a clear and manageable working document.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Teachers are well deployed and support staff are well used. Learning resources are sufficient and the school accommodation is adequate, although links between the nursery and reception classes are restricted as they are in different buildings. The budget is carefully managed and the school achieves best value in terms of its expenditure. The large carry forward figure includes money put aside for the replacement of the school windows. The school is good at accessing extra funding for building improvements.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like coming to school and behave well at school • They feel their children make good progress and are expected to work hard • They believe that the school is well led and managed and that the teaching is good • They find staff very approachable and willing to listen to their views • The attitudes and values promoted by the school • The inconsistency in the way homework is given in different classes

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The team is in broad agreement with the views of parents. The school has issued details of the homework policy in each class but need to make sure that all teachers follow it. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 11

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the end of Year 6

1. Standards in English and mathematics have been consistently above or well above average in the national assessment tests over the past four years. In 2001, standards were above average. In science standards have been average with an improvement in 2001 when standards were well above average. Inspection findings indicate that standards are above average in all three subjects. Higher than average numbers of pupils reach level 4 and the higher level 5. Pupils are well prepared for their national tests with good use of ‘booster’ money to bring in an extra teacher on one day each week. In addition, pupils are offered a ‘study skills’ session before school for revision. The pupils practise very hard for one term before the tests.

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the end of Year 6

2. In English, pupils make good progress through Key Stage 2 and achieve above average standards by the time they leave school. Technical skills are well taught and applied. Teachers plan a good range of opportunities for writing. As a result, pupils’ writing is varied and interesting and they recount stories well, can write clear and detailed reports and learn to take notes accurately, as well as producing imaginative and lively creative writing. Time is taken outside the literacy hour for pupils to write well-sustained longer pieces of writing. Overall, there is a good standard of punctuation and spelling. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own style in handwriting. Their writing on ‘Stig of the Dump’ demonstrates a good understanding of the book, its characters and the story line. They successfully compare and contrast the characters and are able to choose their favourite part of the story and give reasons. In their lesson on ‘Kensuke’s

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the end of Year 6

Kingdom’ by Michael Morpurgo, pupils successfully demonstrate their writing skills in their notes on characterisation. Pupils read out loud confidently and compare different writing styles. Pupils read widely and show great enjoyment of books. They read with fluency, accuracy and interest and are trusted to choose their own free reading books. Speaking and listening skills are good, with pupils’ oral contribution to lessons encouraged and valued. There is good direct questioning by the teacher. There are some well-planned activities, including a presentation about the slippers pupils have made in design and technology.

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the end of Year 6

3. In mathematics, pupils make good progress through Key Stage 2 and are motivated to do well. They cover an enormous quantity and range of formal and investigational work whilst in Year 6 and reach above average standards. Most have completed several exercise books of neat, accurate and well-presented work. They display good mental arithmetic skills and most are confident in their knowledge of their tables. They also demonstrate a good understanding of shape, area, angles and data collection. Their work on percentages, fractions and decimals is of a good standard, and they can change one to another. They have benefited from good teaching, which has included clear explanation, encouragement and high expectations of their performance. The local secondary school has cooperated closely with the school to introduce some bridging work in mathematics and to help pupils transfer to secondary school. This includes problem solving in which pupils confidently use calculators. They really

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the end of Year 6

enjoyed the challenge provided by this activity. Most could find the factors of a range of numbers and have no trouble recognising very large numbers. Mathematics has recently been well promoted in the school through a series of mathematical challenges undertaken and enjoyed by all the pupils. Pupils make good use of their numeracy skills St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 12 in other subjects. For example, in one Year 4 geography lesson pupils demonstrate a good understanding of scales on maps.

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the end of Year 6

4. Pupils make good progress in science through Key Stage 2. They reach above average standards by the time they leave school. They are well taught and are very keen to learn about all aspects of the subject. The preparation for national tests includes a strong emphasis on pupils gaining a good knowledge of the subject based on learning a wide range of facts about all aspects of science. As a result, pupils have a good broad level of scientific knowledge. Pupils are good at observing investigations and realise the importance of accuracy when recording. They carefully note down both descriptions of experiments carried out by the teacher and their own group investigations. Pupils show a good understanding of photosynthesis in plants and can describe how animals adapt to a habitat. They can identify the major organs of the human body and are aware of the importance of diet and exercise in keeping healthy. They can explain clearly whether a

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the end of Year 6

physical change is reversible or irreversible. They are confident in the use and design of electrical circuits. They are keen to contribute to lessons and to share their scientific knowledge. In one lesson, pupils demonstrated good standards of observation when investigating how much air is trapped in chocolate, analysing their results and using well-labelled diagrams to explain their findings.

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The nursery provision is very good

5. The nursery class offers the children a very good start to school and enables them to make very good progress in their first year at school. The children’s behaviour is very good and they are very eager to learn. They are keen to share what they are doing and most can successfully work together in pairs and small groups. The children receive a well-planned broad curriculum with an appropriate emphasis on their personal, social and emotional development. The classroom provides a stimulating learning environment. It is well organised and resourced and is full of attractive and lively displays including colourful paintings of all the nursery children’s faces. The knowledge of letter sounds is well promoted through stories and display. There is a well organised ‘discovery corner’ with torches, magnifying glasses and coloured plastic, all of which encourage the children to find out things for themselves. There is

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The nursery provision is very good

a particularly good selection of large and small construction toys, which helps the children’s physical development. The children are able to use the computer and most can use the mouse well. Visits to the ‘beach café’ result in some very effective role- play between ‘staff’ and ‘customers’.

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The nursery provision is very good

6. The nursery nurses work very well together and have excellent relationships with children and parents. The quality of teaching is very good with a strong emphasis on developing basic skills. The staff have very high expectations of the children and are very good at making extra teaching points as when music and number development are successfully combined in the singing of ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5 – catch a fish alive’, counting on Billy the class puppet’s fingers. The staff are always looking for ways to make the children’s learning more relevant. Paintings of the beach are improved with the addition of coloured sand and real sea shells. The topic on the sea is enhanced by the use of real seaweed in the water tray. The children follow a well-organised timetable of activities, which is very well designed for their needs. There is a very good balance between teaching and allowing the children to choose their own activities from the

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The nursery provision is very good

wide range available. Children have learned to tidy up at the end of each session. Very good use is made of the outside play area with a good selection of appropriate toys, which are well used to encourage collaborative play. The planning of each session is of a high standard and takes full account of both the foundation stage curriculum and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 13 the range of abilities in the classes. Individual children’s progress is recorded in a straightforward and effective way, which is linked to their progress towards the early learning goals. Information from the assessment is well used when planning the children’s next stage of learning.

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

7. The school is very orderly and the standards of behaviour of the pupils are very good. Pupils respond very well to the high expectations that all staff have of behaviour in the school. In class they listen well, their behaviour is very good and they settle quickly to their work. This has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. At lunchtime, pupils are polite and thoughtful. They queue sensibly and talk quietly amongst themselves when eating. In the outside play area, pupils play together sensibly and are anxious to make sure that no pupils are left playing on their own. The school system of ‘friendship’ benches where pupils sit if they want to join a group is very effective and results in all pupils being included at playtime. Pupils are sensitive to the needs of any other pupils with difficulties. They are friendly towards visitors and welcome them to their school. Pupils have a very clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

thoroughly understand the impact of their actions on the well being of others.

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

8. Pupils are very keen to learn and the school has a pleasant working atmosphere. Pupils are hard working and conscientious and take care over the presentation of their work. Most respond well to questioning. They follow their teachers’ instructions and have good levels of concentration and perseverance, which help them to make progress. Pupils never hesitate to ask for help from both teachers and classroom assistants, who are sympathetic to any difficulties they might have. When given the opportunity, pupils really enjoy independent tasks, such as making an electrical circuit in Year 2 science lessons. When teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve, pupils respond well and produce large quantities of work, as seen, for example, in Year 6. They are very eager to perform well in their national assessment tests. Pupils enjoy their weekly celebration assembly and are keen to join in the praise

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

of their fellow pupils. Teachers are keen to praise good work and pupils respond well to reward.

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

9. Relationships between pupils of all ages and between adults and pupils are very good. Staff and pupils treat one another with respect. Throughout the school, the way in which teachers work with their classroom assistants provides pupils with a very good role model for working together with their peers. In both the nursery and reception classes, staff relate particularly well to one another. Pupils are able to work sensibly in groups and pairs within the classroom. They never hesitate to help someone who is having difficulty. The system of Year 6 pupils looking after a reception class child when they first come to school is highly praised by both parents and children. It provides a very positive start to school for reception class pupils as well as establishing the importance of good relationships in the school from the very earliest age. The views of the Year 6 school council are respected and taken in to

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Pupils behave very well. They are very keen to learn. Relationships in the school are

account when looking for ways to improve the school. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 14

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The provision for pupils with special education needs is very good

10. The school makes very good provision for pupils who have special educational needs and these pupils are, therefore, making good progress. Currently there are 29 pupils on the special needs register including 6 who have statements. The decision to give the special educational needs co-ordinator a full day to carry out her role is enabling her to spend time managing the provision well and keeping track of the progress of individual pupils. The special educational needs co-ordinator has established good relationships with parents and nearly all attend their children’s reviews. The special educational needs governor is very supportive and takes a great interest in the pupils’ progress. Governors are being kept well informed about changes in the code of practice.

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The provision for pupils with special education needs is very good

11. The school has good procedures for identifying pupils with special educational needs and there are good systems in place for bringing any concerns to the attention of the special needs co-ordinator. This starts in the nursery class, which is good practice. Pupils are offered very good support by learning support assistants both in the classroom and when withdrawn. The support assistants work very closely with the class teacher and special needs co-ordinator and make excellent detailed notes, recording both progress and any difficulties encountered. Good use is made of information and communication technology in helping pupils with special needs improve their reading as they follow an effective scheme on the computer. Individual education plans are clearly written with appropriate targets. Class teachers are becoming more involved in the writing of individual education plans with the co- ordinator. This is effective as it is making the teacher even more aware of the pupils’

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The provision for pupils with special education needs is very good

12. The school spends some extra funds from its own budget on extra support for pupils with special needs. It is also good at accessing any extra funding or outside help for pupils. For example, the autism outreach team has helped assess the needs of one pupil and now regularly supports this pupil. The school has also given some extra support to the Year 3 class, which contains a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs. This is beginning to raise standards in that class.

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The school has a very good partnership with parents

13. The school places great emphasis on its strong links with parents, and parents have very positive views about the school, expressed both at the parents’ meeting and through the questionnaires. The school sees parents as partners in their children’s education and is very open to the parents’ views. Regular questionnaires are given out to parents asking them about all aspects of the school. The headteacher then meets with parents’ representatives to discuss the findings, which are fed into the school improvement plan. The school responds well to parents’ ideas and has introduced French and Spanish after school clubs as a result of parents’ suggestions.

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The school has a very good partnership with parents

14. Parents are kept well informed about the curriculum offered to their children through twice termly letters. Parents confirm that they can see teachers or the headteacher if they have any concerns, and that their views are always listened to. The quality of written reports is good and parents are pleased with the arrangements for consultation evenings. Parents are involved in setting their child’s annual target at the beginning of the year and are kept informed about progress towards them. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 15 15. Parents are very supportive of their children’s learning and help them to make progress. They listen to them read at home and are keen to help them do their homework. Most have signed the home school contract. Parents are invited to attend assemblies, including those where good work is celebrated and the pupils receive certificates. There are a small number of very enthusiastic parent helpers who

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The school has a very good partnership with parents

regularly work in school. The Parents’, Teachers’ and Friends’ Association is a very well run organisation which is very successful at raising funds to be spent on all aspects of the school, including the curriculum. They raised over £7,500 last year and were able to buy extra resources, including a new science scheme for the school.

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Assessment and its use in planning

16. The school has worked very hard since the last inspection in response to the key issue on assessment. There is now a very wide range of assessment procedures in place throughout the school and an enormous amount of assessment information is kept and filed on all pupils. Teachers have so much assessment information that it is not always possible to make efficient use of it when planning the next stage of pupils’ learning. The collection of this information is not an efficient use of their time, as it has made too little impact on raising the pupils’ standards and improving progress in most classes. In addition, the most recent teacher assessments in 2001 were not accurate for English or mathematics in Key Stage 1 or mathematics in Key Stage 2, where results fell 12% short of the target. However, some good use is made of these assessments particularly in targeting pupils who make unsatisfactory progress

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Assessment and its use in planning

between assessments. In addition, national test results are analysed carefully so that any gaps in learning can be identified.

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Assessment and its use in planning

17. The results of assessments are not yet having sufficient impact on weekly planning in most classes. Pupils are grouped by ability in some lessons, but often these groups are too large and work is not specifically geared for individual pupils’ needs. Pupils are expected to carry out similar activities on the same theme rather than activities with different learning outcomes. Whilst support is well targeted to groups and individuals who need it, the effectiveness of support is reduced because the activity is not always appropriate to the group.

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Assessment and its use in planning

18. The school has wisely placed a strong emphasis on individual target setting as a means to improving progress. However, individual targets are not linked closely enough to individual assessments as they are set annually in advance with parents, and reviewed termly. They are not reviewed often enough in response to pupils’ achievements and are not always specific enough for pupils to understand when they have been achieved.

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Assessment and its use in planning

19. Planning is successfully linked to specific learning outcomes. However individual pupils’ success in relation to these learning outcomes is not subject to a written evaluation each week. Planning is not always adjusted to meet the needs of pupils who do not achieve the previous week’s learning outcome.

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Assessment and its use in planning

20. Regular assessment does not yet take place in information and communication technology and the foundation subjects. In information and communication technology limited account is currently taken of pupils’ experience of the subject outside school and there is no system in place to track their achievement in school to make sure they are building on their previous knowledge base. Achievement in the foundation St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 16 subjects is not formally assessed at the end of each curriculum topic and so there is no record of how well pupils are progressing.

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Writing in Key Stage 1

21. The school recognises that the quality of writing in Key Stage 1 is not high enough and this is identified as a priority within the school improvement plan. Standards in writing were below average in the 2001 national tests and the inspection findings are that standards of the current Year 2 pupils are below national expectations. The standards do not match the pupils’ reading levels. Most pupils are successfully learning the skills of writing through a range of formal exercises, although progress is difficult to monitor, as worksheets are not always dated. Most use simple punctuation and know that a sentence starts with a capital letter. Pupils demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of phonics and use this when spelling words. Spelling standards are satisfactory.

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Writing in Key Stage 1

22. Pupils are not writing for a wide enough range of purposes and there are limited amounts of poetry and descriptive writing. Most pupils still have a narrow vocabulary and are not writing really imaginatively. Too few opportunities are taken for pupils to use their writing skills across the whole curriculum, for example, in geography and history. Most work is neatly presented but too few of the children are being taught to join up their handwriting even though individual letters are usually correctly formed, preventing them reaching the higher level 3. Whilst improvement in pupils’ writing has been a high priority in the school, high quality examples of their writing are not celebrated sufficiently in display in Key Stage 1 classrooms and around the school.

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The marking of pupils’ work

23. Marking of pupils’ work is not being consistently used to outline to pupils what they need to do to improve their work or identify why a particular piece of work is of a good standard. Whilst most work is marked, the quality of marking of pupils’ work varies across the school and all teachers are not following the marking policy. There is no evidence of the school’s marking key being widely used. There are too few comments written on work and they are seldom relevant to the skills being learned in that subject, for example, in science books. Marking of books is not being matched to pupils’ individual targets or used to refine them.

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Attendance is below the national average

24. The school has many systems in place to boost attendance. Pupils are rewarded for 100% attendance and any pupil absence is quickly followed up. However, unauthorised absence is above national averages because of the high number of pupils in Years 4 to 6 who are taken away for holidays during term-time. The headteacher has made it clear that this is not acceptable but levels of attendance have fallen since the last inspection. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to further raise standards in the school, the headteacher and Governing Body should:

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1) review the assessment procedures used in the school so that:

• they are more manageable and effective in helping teachers to plan work appropriate for pupils of all abilities;

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1) review the assessment procedures used in the school so that:

• teachers are able to review both class and individual pupils’ targets more regularly;

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1) review the assessment procedures used in the school so that:

• there is a regular evaluation of which pupils have reached the intended learning outcomes;

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1) review the assessment procedures used in the school so that:

• assessment is introduced for information and communication technology and the foundation subjects.

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2) continue to improve pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1 by:

• increasing the range and style of writing;

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2) continue to improve pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1 by:

• developing and extending the pupils’ vocabulary;

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2) continue to improve pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1 by:

• teaching pupils to join their handwriting;

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2) continue to improve pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1 by:

• celebrating pupils’ writing through greater use of display.

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throughout the school are given clear indication as to how they can improve

4) continue to find strategies to raise levels of attendance. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 209

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 14

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 28

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

School data 6.1 School data 0.1 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 19 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 20

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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 2001 19 15 34

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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 16 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 13 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (96) 79 (96) 85 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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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 15 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 76 (100) 79 (100) 68 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 86 (84) 89 (88)

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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 2001 20 13 33

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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 19 16 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (90) 79 (93) 100 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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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 19 16 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 13

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (79) 91 (75) 94 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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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 Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2001/2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y1 Total income 487,811

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 464,752

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 163 Expenditure per pupil 1,978

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 34,390

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 57,449

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.2 St Mary’s Catholic Primary School - 22 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

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Questionnaire return rate

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

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Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 63 33 4 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 34 1 1 1

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Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 42 5 1 1

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Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 40 7 1 0

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Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 24 3 1 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 19 3 0 1

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Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 57 37 5 1 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 69 31 0 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 30 3 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 47 38 9 0 6

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