Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School Manchester

HOLY NAME RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 22 nd October 2003

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HOLY NAME RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holy Name RC Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2003

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HOLY NAME RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HOLY NAME 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. Holy Name RC Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 166

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Denmark Street Moss Side Manchester Postcode: M15 6JS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0161 2266303 Fax number: 0161 2321897

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs M Bell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Holy Name RC Voluntary Aided Primary School is set in the locality of Moss Side in Greater Manchester. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford and serves a large Catholic parish. A large number of pupils start school and leave the school at times other than the normal ones. This is due to very high levels of pupils who come and go, with many pupils living in temporary accommodation and some from Traveller homes. There is little residential housing in the area and the school serves a large geographical area. There are currently 166 pupils on roll including 30 children who attend the school nursery. 131 pupils receive support through the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant (EMAG). This is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils who are identified as having special educational needs is 41 per cent. This is above the national average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is 72 per cent, which is well above the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

national average. Levels of family stress in the area are high when compared to other primary schools and the level of socio-economic disadvantage is considerable for many families. Holy Name RC Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

6642 Peter Hill Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Special educational needs 9981 Saleem Hussain Lay inspector 30398 Christopher Scola Team inspector English Humanities English as an additional language 4676 Mary Griffiths Team inspector Mathematics Art Physical education 30745 Patricia Thorpe Team inspector Foundation Stage Music

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Holy Name RC Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

Holy Name RC Primary School - 6 Holy Name RC Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school providing very good value for money. Although pupils’ overall standards are below the average of schools nationally, they are continuing to rise, and at a faster rate than the national rate. Pupils achieve well. Those with special educational needs and those who need a lot of support with their English achieve very well. Teaching and learning are good with a significant amount of very good teaching. Leadership and management are very good and have some excellent features. This is a highly inclusive and very caring school with a very strong identity.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Leadership and management are both very good. • The inclusive nature of the whole school and the equality of access and opportunity for all pupils is a great strength. • Teaching is good overall and in a third of lessons is very good. • Pupils achieve well. • Pupils are cared for and supported very well. • Considerable improvements have been made in the provision for the use of information and communication technology (ICT); however, it still needs improvement in its use in all subjects across the curriculum. • The school works hard at ensuring all pupils attend, but the level of attendance remains below the national average. • A number of creative areas of the curriculum, including art and design and design and technology, need further development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made very good progress since its last inspection in 1999. All the key areas for development have been successfully addressed and improved and standards have risen as a result. Standards have also risen in Year 6 national tests. The school has very successfully developed and improved the accommodation and environment. The school has made substantial improvement in leadership and management since the unsatisfactory position it was in just prior to the last inspection. This has been a very significant advance.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E E D B Mathematics D D E C Science E E E C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Throughout the school pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching . This is despite some areas of difficulty: the population of the school constantly changes as a result of families moving into and out of the area and this affects continuity and can drastically affect results, especially in a smaller school; there is a wide spread of ability in each year group, with a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in some; the level of skills, knowledge and understanding of children entering the school is very low overall. Children achieve well in the nursery and reception class but their low starting point prevents them from reaching the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception and the attainment of most children remains well below average. Standards in Year 2 are well below average in the core subjects of mathematics, English and science. In Year 6 Holy Name RC Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

standards are below average in English and well below in mathematics and science. However, overall standards have risen throughout the school since the last inspection and almost all pupils achieve well as they pass through the school. Compared with similar schools, attainment is above average in English and average in mathematics and science.

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Pupils’ personal development is good and is very well supported through the very good

provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are very happy at school and have positive attitudes towards learning. They behave well in lessons and at playtimes. Attendance is below average.

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The school provides a good education. Teaching is good throughout the school and is very

good in a third of lessons . As a result of good teaching, supported by very good relationships and classroom and behaviour management, learning is good with pupils making good progress. The quality of assessment is very good and information is very well used to match lessons to the needs of pupils. The curriculum is secure; however, the necessary emphasis on numeracy and especially literacy has inevitably somewhat restricted pupils' experience in some other areas, for example design and technology. The care, support and guidance of pupils are very good and significant and very positive factors in teaching. Partnership with parents is good and the school works hard to involve them in their children’s learning. Links with the community and with other local schools are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Both the leadership and the management are very good with some excellent features . There is a very strong shared commitment by governors and staff to provide the very best education possible for the pupils. Teamwork throughout the school is very good and is excellent between the senior managers and chair of governors. Very effective leadership has ensured an excellent ethos which cares for pupils and staff and encourages and promotes rising standards. Management has a very clear view of standards, has very good procedures for checking how well the school is doing and takes very effective steps to ensure improvement.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have a high regard for the school and are highly satisfied with its work. They have no significant concerns. Pupils like coming to school and enjoy lessons. They feel secure and cared for.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Improve the use of ICT in all subjects across the curriculum. • Continue with its efforts to tackle the very difficult task of improving attendance. • Seek ways of strengthening pupils' experiences in art and design and design and technology. Holy Name RC Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve well throughout the school . Although results in the core subjects have considerably improved recently, they are still below the national average in English and well below in mathematics and science. They are at least average when compared with schools in similar contexts. The quality of work seen in lessons was generally of a higher standard than that attained in national tests results. There was no overall significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and make good progress as they move through the school. • Pupils with special needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve very well. • Gifted and talented pupils need more challenging activities in some lessons.

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Commentary

1. When children start school their level of skill and knowledge is very low for their age. Although children achieve well in the nursery and reception class, their low starting point prevents them from reaching the goals expected and the attainment of most children remains well below average in all areas of learning at the end of the reception year. The intake of the school is very diverse, both in terms of cultural diversity and levels of attainment. The situation is further complicated throughout the school by the transient nature of the school population. A very significant number of pupils start and leave school at times other than the normal ones.

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Commentary

2. This high level of pupil mobility, especially in a smaller than average school, has contributed to pupils attaining fluctuating standards in national tests. There are clear indications of improvement in standards in all three core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The current Year 6 group has a considerable variation in pupils’ attainment and their individual needs; however, even in this class there are clear signs of improving standards.

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Commentary

3. The trend in improvement over the past five years has been one of steady improvement and at a greater rate than the national trend.

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Commentary

4. The school has placed considerable emphasis on improving pupils’ literacy skills, especially early reading in Key Stage 1, and writing in all key stages. This has resulted in improvements in these areas, clearly supported by the work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books. Similar improvement is to be seen in pupils’ use of numeracy in a range of subjects across the curriculum. Both national strategies have been well implemented. The use of ICT across the curriculum is not yet as effective and only limited use is made of it in a number of subjects. The school has very secure plans for the further use of ICT across the curriculum.

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Commentary

5. The very inclusive nature of the school, linked to very good assessment procedures which are very well used to identify individual pupils’ progress, have resulted in all groups of pupils achieving well, and often very well. This is very evident in the progress made by pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Although there are differences in the performance of boys and girls, for example boys slightly out- performed girls in the 2003 tests, the composition of year groups makes these comparisons unreliable from year to year; that is, more girls spoke English as an additional language. Overall, however, there is no significant difference between achievement of differing groups Holy Name RC Primary School - 10 based on gender or background. There is some evidence that potentially higher attaining pupils are not always presented with sufficiently challenging work, for example in mathematics.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 13.7 ( 13.4 ) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 13.9 (11.5 ) 14.4 ( 14.6 ) Mathematics 13.1 ( 15.7 ) 16.3 ( 16.5 ) There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.7 ( 25.2 ) 26.8 ( 27.0 ) Mathematics 25.5 ( 26.1 ) 26.8 ( 26.7 ) Science 27.3 ( 27.3 ) 28.6 ( 28.3 ) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Provision for the development of pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities is very good . Pupils develop very good attitudes throughout their time in school. Behaviour is generally good and is very good in the Foundation Stage. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The school sets very high expectations for pupils’ conduct and works hard to achieve them. • Racial harmony within the school is very good and there are very few cases of harassment.

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Commentary

6. Pupils maintain very positive attitudes to school and are well behaved. A clear and thorough policy outlines the school’s expectations. Pupils have a very good interest in school life. They develop confidence and self-esteem and enjoy coming to school, where they are well cared for. The level of support for all pupils is very good and ensures they make the best possible use of their time in school. They show a keen interest in their work and are generally supportive of one another. The school successfully stimulates in pupils a desire to learn and teachers work hard to establish a good learning ethic.

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Commentary

7. High expectations are set for all pupils, including those for whom behaviour poses problems. Individual behaviour programmes are carefully designed to work in conjunction with positive reinforcement of all good behaviour. Although incidents of bullying have not been totally eliminated, the school deals very effectively with any incidents as soon as they occur. All forms of harassment are viewed very seriously and are dealt with through circle time and the personal, social and health education programme. The school is virtually free from racism. Very good relationships and racial harmony are widely promoted.

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Commentary

8. The school very effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Spiritual awareness is central to all that the school seeks to achieve. It is effectively promoted Holy Name RC Primary School - 11 within religious education and collective worship where pupils develop awareness and understanding of their own and others’ beliefs and where they have opportunities for reflection and prayer. The wider curriculum also provides good opportunities for spiritual development through stories, poetry, art and dance.

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Commentary

9. The school continues to promote very good moral development. Strong principles enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong. They are well aware of what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. Good opportunities for pupils to explore the consequences of their own and others’ actions are provided through an effective mentoring system. Moral codes of behaviour are successfully reinforced throughout the school. Pupils learn to care for one another and relationships between teachers and pupils and between pupils themselves are very good.

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Commentary

10. There is very good provision for pupils’ social development. Pupils are polite and respectful and are willing to talk to visitors. Many pupils adopt an appropriate and sensitive code of behaviour for living in the school community. A particular strength of the school is the encouragement of respect for social differences and the promotion of racial equality. Pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively as a group or as a team. Extra-curricular activities provide good opportunities for social interaction, particularly when pupils represent their school in sporting fixtures and competitions. The ‘breakfast club’ and lunch times provide very good opportunities for improving pupils’ social development.

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Commentary

11. The school effectively promotes very good opportunities for pupils’ cultural development. Pupils are able to explore their own cultural heritage through art, dance and drama. Visits to art galleries and museums are regular features and in the first half term the whole school has managed to get off-site for a day or part of a day. Art galleries and museums provide a good insight into cultures of cities around the world. Trips to the seaside teach pupils about the origin of ‘promenading’. Through music and dance pupils gain insight into the values and beliefs of other cultures and religions. They also learn about this in religious education and geography.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 91.2 School data 0.1 National data 94.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holy Name RC Primary School - 12

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 43 1 White – Irish 3 White – any other White background 3 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 21 Mixed – White and Black African 10 Mixed – White and Asian 2 Mixed – any other mixed background 6 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 4 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 Black or Black British – Caribbean 33 1 Black or Black British – African 13 Black or Black British – any other Black background 13 2 Chinese 1 Any other ethnic group 2 No ethnic group recorded 2 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning is good overall with a significant amount of very good teaching; there is some particularly strong teaching in the juniors. Assessment is very good throughout the school.

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Main strengths

• High morale and a strong team approach. • The match of work to the pupils’ capabilities. • The extra support pupils receive in class. • The sensitive and caring way some pupils with very challenging behaviour are managed. • The inclusive way teaching and learning relate to the background and experiences of the pupils.

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Commentary

12. Teachers and teaching assistants all work very well together as a team. Very strong leadership and management ensure that all adults in the school receive very good and appropriate support. This creates high morale, which benefits teaching and learning. Holy Name RC Primary School - 13 13. In several classes there is a particularly diverse range of abilities. Some pupils, for example, are at a very early stage in learning English and others have special learning difficulties or learn particularly well. The way these pupils are identified through very effective assessment, and given work that is well matched to their needs and abilities, is very effective. Where necessary the school has as many as four adults all working together to support the learning of a particular class of pupils. This work is very well planned and is at exactly the appropriate level for the pupils. This results in pupils making good and sometimes very good progress and achieving

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Commentary

14. This very high ratio of teachers and teaching assistants particularly benefits pupils who have special learning or behavioural difficulties. The sensitive way these pupils are managed is another considerable strength of teaching. The school ensures that learning is relevant to the pupils’ individual needs. For example, art is used when appropriate to allow pupils to express themselves and get rid of frustration.

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Commentary

15. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills across the curriculum. They ensure the context of the lesson is relevant to the life of the pupils. For example, in a good history lesson, the teacher ensures that historical as well as skills in discussing, listening, reading and writing are developed. The pupils compare the lives of Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale and how the establishment treated them. They listen to a talk by a nurse from Kuwait and compare the treatment of soldiers in the Iraq war to those during the Crimean War.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

The school’s curriculum is satisfactory . There is some imaginative provision, both within lessons and after school, but the range of work in some subjects is not broad enough.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for special educational needs is very good. • All pupils are fully included. • The school provides very well for personal, social, health and citizenship education. • The school prepares pupils very well for the next stage of education. • The involvement of the community in the curriculum is very good. • Opportunities are sometimes missed to develop skills in ICT, art, design and technology in other subjects.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. Although the school rightly places emphasis on the key areas of literacy and numeracy, sufficient time is given to all subjects. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. Teachers’ planning overall is very good and often links are made between subjects so that pupils’ new learning in one subject will often reinforce what they have recently learnt in another.

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Commentary

17. The use of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum is good. Pupils develop their speaking and listening when discussing problems in numeracy lessons and their writing when recording facts in history and geography. Pupils create graphs and charts in science using their Holy Name RC Primary School - 14 numeracy skills. Although teachers plan opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills through word processing and carrying out research on the internet, ICT is not used sufficiently to support learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

18. The school reflects its aims extremely well in its provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. There is good provision for sex education, for teaching pupils about alcohol and drug abuse and understanding how to keep healthy, through visits from the school nurse and the school’s work to achieve its Healthy Schools Award. Each class has a time once a week when pupils sit in a circle and discuss their feelings about different issues and this makes an effective contribution to the good relationships within the school.

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Commentary

19. The school enriches its curriculum by providing activities outside the school day along with visits to such places as museums, art galleries and the countryside. It supports music with opportunities to play the steel pans and take part in Irish dancing. School teams play against teams from other schools in inter-school sports activities. Older pupils benefit from taking part in residential visits. The school fosters very good links with the local community and has very good relationships with the church, college and local schools, all of which greatly contribute to pupils’ learning.

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Accommodation

20. The accommodation is good overall and has undergone much improvement and development recently. Considerable effort has been put into remodelling the internal structure of the school to provide bright, well-furbished rooms thus enabling teachers to work with their classes in a calm and quiet atmosphere. A number of areas have been developed to allow small group and individual work to be carried out with pupils.

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Staffing

21. The match of staffing to meet the pupils’ needs, as well as the needs of the curriculum, is good overall. The school has an above average number of support staff. This is seen as essential to maintain the high level of flexible support to meet the wide-ranging needs of pupils.

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Resources

22. These are adequate overall and meet the needs of the curriculum. Resources for ICT have been considerably improved since the last inspection, as have those to support pupils’ language development.

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Care, guidance and support

The school has made good improvements in this area of its work since the last inspection. Pupils are highly valued, treated and cared for as individuals. Arrangements to ensure the welfare, health and safety of pupils are good . The school provides very good advice and guidance for pupils, based on the monitoring of their achievements and personal development. Pupils have good opportunities to be involved with the school by making suggestions and raising issues with staff. These factors result in pupils feeling confident and valued in their learning, making a very strong contribution to their achievements.

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Main strengths

• The school values all pupils very highly. • There are good procedures in place to ensure that pupils work in a healthy and safe environment. • Pupils have very good, trusting relationships with adults in school. • Pupils have very good, easy access to well-informed advice, support and guidance to help them make progress. • The school has good, informal arrangements to seek, value and act on pupils' views. Holy Name RC Primary School - 15

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Commentary

23. The school takes every opportunity to value pupils and raise their self esteem.

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Commentary

24. The school's designated officer for child protection is fully trained and deals with any matters effectively. All staff are issued with good written guidance about their roles and responsibilities. There are good arrangements for emergencies and first aid, underpinned by clear procedures. Although the school meets requirements, it is looking to train additional staff in administering first aid. The school works very well with external agencies to promote health and safety. For instance, the school nurse, road safety officer and community police all visit regularly and give talks. Year 6 take part in the 'crucial crew' programme each year, enabling them to learn basic principles of dealing with emergency situations.

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Commentary

25. Pupils are happy during the school day and are very well supported in their learning. This owes a lot to the caring nature of the school. This is evident in the very good, trusting relationships between pupils and staff. For instance, at the breakfast club, pupils talk happily and freely with adults as they enjoy a good healthy breakfast together and think about the day ahead. Staff give much day-to-day support to all pupils in their learning and personal development. The provision of a learning mentor and staff 'befrienders' system is a good example of the school's inclusive approach to education. Agencies, such as the Service for Inclusive Learning and Catholic Rescue Service, are making a very good contribution to the school's work.

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Commentary

26. Pupils are very involved in school life. The school has taken up many of their suggestions, for instance to work towards a quieter atmosphere in school, resources for playtimes and seating in outdoor areas.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are good . There are very good partnerships with the community including other schools and colleges. Both parents and the wider community are making a strong contribution to learning. The school has made good improvement in parental and community links since the last inspection.

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Main strengths

• Parents have a high regard for the school and are highly satisfied with its work, representing good improvement since the last inspection. • They receive good information about the school and its activities. • The school involves parents well through seeking, valuing and acting on their views. • Parents make a strong contribution to learning at school and at home. • The school has established many links in the wider community, taking every opportunity to enrich pupils' learning.

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Commentary

27. As at the last inspection, there was a low return rate of the parents' questionnaire. However, their views are more positive than then and they are now much more satisfied with the education provided.

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Commentary

28. Although it is early in the school year, parents' notice boards, many displays of pupils' work and photographs around the school are building up, giving parents a good insight into the work of the school. The school brochure is well detailed. A 'curriculum overview' is issued each half term and is very useful. Pupils' annual reports contain several good features. Learning targets are often included and also pupils' comments. However, a few reports lack detail on how well pupils are doing and can be a little too descriptive of the work. Holy Name RC Primary School - 16 29. There are several good opportunities for parents to express their views to the school. For instance, the school regularly writes to canvass views on particular issues and pupils' annual reports have a space for parents.

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Commentary

30. Many parent helpers give their time generously by helping in lessons, listening to readers or supporting school trips. Parents also support learning at home well. They help as much as they can with homework tasks as well as reading. Each school year the school organises two or three workshops, for example in literacy, so that parents can get further involved in their children's learning.

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Commentary

31. Links in the wider community include local businesses, sports clubs, universities and colleges. Our Lady's Church is heavily involved in the sacramental programme and the parish priest regularly leads mass. The Black History Project is a very good example of how well the community can support learning by sharing their knowledge, understanding and views with pupils. Junior classes are able to use the ICT facilities at Trinity High School for one session each week. Links with schools include very effective mechanisms for pupils to transfer. Well- attended 'summer schools' also operate, giving pupils confidence for the next stage of their education.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good , with excellent strengths in a number of areas. The school is currently very led well by the acting headteacher with exceptionally close collaboration and communication between her, the headteacher, and the chair of governors. This close and secure working relationship is very effective and has continued the pace of improvement of the school since the time of the last inspection. The school is governed very effectively, with governors, and particularly the chair of governors, making especially significant and important contributions.

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Main strengths

• The teamwork, leadership and management of the acting headteacher, supported by the acting deputy head, the headteacher (currently on leave), and the chair of governors, are very good and in some areas excellent. • Leadership ensures a highly inclusive environment throughout the school. • Monitoring, evaluation and taking clear and decisive action to bring about improvement are very strong areas of leadership and management. • Leadership inspires confidence and motivates staff and pupils very well.

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Leadership

32. The acting headteacher leads by example. She, together with the headteacher, who is currently on leave, and very well supported by the acting deputy and the chair of governors, has ensured an excellent ethos throughout the school. Staff and pupils are highly valued, expectations are very high, staff and pupils alike enjoy working in the school, all share clarity of vision and purpose and, the atmosphere, ethos and morale are excellent.

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Leadership

33. Leadership’s commitment to inclusion is total. This is a school with pupils from a wide variety of cultural and family backgrounds. Many pupils have special educational and individual needs and a significant proportion of pupils enter and leave the school at times other than the beginning and end of term. The structures and philosophy of the school ensure that all pupils have a high level of equality of access to all the school has to offer and that the needs of the individual, within a caring and very moral society, are paramount. Holy Name RC Primary School - 17 34. The leadership of important areas of the curriculum by teaching and other key staff is good overall. Subject managers share the school’s aims and objectives, are very supportive of senior managers and play a full and vibrant part in the running of the school.

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Management

35. This is very good overall. As with leadership, one of the significant strengths of management is its ability to ensure that the school maintains a high level of efficiency, reviews progress, sets goals and evaluates standards, while maintaining the flexibility needed to continue to evolve and improve during the current circumstances.

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Management

36. Governors play a key part in the management of the school, not least through the very significant and supportive influence of the chair of governors. Governors play a full role in shaping the future direction of the school. They have a very good understanding of strengths and areas for development and are fully informed about development and progress.

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Management

37. The continued professional development of staff is high on the agenda, resulting from very good collection of data, monitoring of progress, clear evaluation and setting targets based on high expectations of what can be achieved. The school development plan is an excellent example of this with its targets clearly set and a very good understanding of current performance and what is needed to improve. All staff and governors are involved in the formation of the plan.

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Management

38. Financial and other resources are very well and efficiently managed in line with the overall aims of the school. A very good example of this is the way in which senior managers review progress, class by class, on a very regular basis, and adjust the level and nature of support to meet needs within that class and across the school. The principles of best value are very well applied and are central to the management of the school, ensuring, as they do, that the school has a very clear view of its performance in relation to others, takes the views of others into account, and manages finances and resources accordingly to continually improve and raise standards.

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Management

39. The school has made considerable headway and improvement since the unsatisfactory position it was in just prior to the last inspection. This is has been brought about mainly through the excellent teamwork and relationships between senior managers, governors and staff. These attributes, together with very effective management, a very caring ethos and a determination to do the best possible for all pupils, are all great strengths of the school.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 463771 Balance from previous year 15029 Total expenditure 410860 Balance carried forward to the next 67940 Expenditure per pupil 2151 Holy Name RC Primary School - 18

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection and is now good. When they begin school, the level of children’s skills and knowledge is very low for their age. They make good progress and children with special educational needs make particularly good progress. This is the result of consistently good teaching and strong leadership. Teachers’ planning takes very good account of children’s needs and identifies clear links between all areas of learning. Assessment is used effectively to identify children’s needs and for tracking their progress. All staff work very well together to ensure the learning and well- being of the children. Although children achieve well in the nursery and reception class, their low starting point prevents them from reaching the goals expected and the attainment of most children remains well below average in all areas of learning at the end of the reception year.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for children’s personal development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths

• The rapid development of children’s social skills. • The very clear rules and routines which make children feel safe and secure. • The excellent relationships between staff, parents and children. • The very careful planning of learning activities to meet all the children’s needs.

p.18

Commentary

41. When they start in nursery, children lack the confidence and independence that are typical for their age. Through good teaching which meets their needs, and encouraged by the warm friendly atmosphere, children soon settle into the routines of school life. Children are encouraged to make friends with one another and to share and play together. A good example of this was the sharing of tasks in the ‘Baby Clinic’ which kept everyone very busy and co- operating very well. All the adults work very well together as a team and provide effective role models for the children. They show respect, patience and courtesy to the children and expect them to behave in the same way towards others. Teachers frequently praise children for trying hard and this raises their self-esteem and motivates them to learn. As a result children quickly begin to understand what is expected of them and behave well.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

The provision for communication, language and literacy is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Every opportunity is taken to expand children’s spoken vocabulary. • Reading and writing skills are well developed through play. • Taking part in imaginary play enables children to develop their conversational skills. • Some opportunities are missed to extend children’s listening skills. Holy Name RC Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

42. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. A strength of teaching lies in the way staff constantly talk to the children and expect them to listen carefully. Every activity involves asking questions and emphasising words and names. For instance, children in the reception class identify their favourite fruits and name them. However, teachers often put greater emphasis on speaking skills and opportunities for longer periods of just listening are sometimes missed. Teachers use every opportunity to increase children’s understanding of the names and sounds of letters to enable them to write independently. Children ‘write’ in their play, ‘take telephone messages’ and send ‘letters’; however, by the end of the Foundation Stage few children can write a short sentence without help. Teachers tell and read stories to children every day. Consequently, children learn to enjoy books and to handle them with care. The

p.19

Commentary

children in the nursery look at the pictures closely and join in with the parts they know. In the reception class children understand the words ‘author’ and ‘illustrator’ and begin to behave as readers, pointing to the words and telling the story.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Children practise their numbers frequently in their play activities. • Through regularly building with construction kits, children develop their understanding of shape and size.

p.19

Commentary

43. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers develop children’s understanding of number through carefully planned practical activities often linked to other areas of learning. For example, children count the number of candles to put on ‘Pooh Bear’s’ birthday cake and how many pieces of fruit are going into the fruit salad they are making. However, many children try to count too quickly when they first begin and do not always reach the correct amount. Children become familiar with shape as they play with construction kits or look for leaves and other shapes outside. Teachers make use of every available opportunity to use mathematics and mathematical language. They do this through stories, songs, games and imaginative play. Teachers constantly ask “How many more?” or “Can you put them in the right order?” whilst encouraging the children to count for themselves. Enjoyable activities, for example singing and

p.19

Commentary

performing the actions to number rhymes, give the children an understanding of adding and taking away.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ excitement as they discover through first hand experiences. • Children experience a wide variety of cultures. • Not enough use is made of ICT to support children’s learning.

p.19

Commentary

44. Good teaching and first hand experiences ensure that children widen their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children regularly bake or cook and understand how mixing and heating make food change. Discussing a variety of fruit and making fruit salad not only develops Holy Name RC Primary School - 20 children’s spoken language skills but increases their awareness of eating healthily. Children use magnifying glasses to explore and observe, though few have the ability to make independent observations or to ask why things happen. Children’s knowledge of the community is widened through walks round the local area and contact with visitors to school, for example the nurse and dentist. Teachers encourage children to talk about themselves and their families, and display photographs of the children. Children have regular opportunities to use the computer but mouse and keyboard skills are not always consistently taught. Therefore, children

p.19

Commentary

need a great deal of help to play matching and sorting games and their ICT skills are underdeveloped.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths

• The regular and consistent attention given by the staff ensures that children acquire the skills for writing, painting and using small tools correctly and safely. • Very good use is made of the outside area to develop physical skills.

p.20

Commentary

45. Teaching is good and children frequently engage in physical activities both indoors and out. Children begin to use tools correctly and safely; for example, when working with paper and scissors children carefully cut out parts for their shape pictures. Adults do not intervene too quickly when children have difficulty in manipulating materials but guide them to practise their skills and enhance their learning. They enjoy playing outside tremendously and confidently ride their wheeled toys, stopping and starting with increasing control. Teachers are careful to impress upon the children that they need to take turns and behave sensibly and safely. Although children use the space outdoors well, they are not always aware of the space others need when moving around the room or sitting on the carpet.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are introduced to both traditional and familiar songs and music from different cultures. • A wide range of art and design activities is planned for children to try. • Children do not always get the opportunity to mix colours for their paintings themselves.

p.20

Commentary

46. Children enjoy painting, collage and pattern making and choose from a good variety of materials themselves. Children are learning to recognise colours and mix them on paper as they paint. However, more regular opportunities to mix paint from the start would increase their awareness of the different combinations of colours and shades. Children have good and varied opportunities to act out roles and create imaginary scenes in the the ‘Dentist’s Surgery’ or the ‘Baby Clinic’. Teaching is good and these activities are planned well so that adults are sometimes involved and the children’s spoken vocabulary extended. Singing and joining in action songs take place almost every day and children know a number of traditional rhymes and songs. Holy Name RC Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The way assessment is used. • The way individual and groups of pupils are given additional support in their learning. • The improvement in writing. • The relevance of resources in literacy to the ethnic and cultural background of the pupils. • The strength of the leadership and management of the subject. • The school has increased its stock of reading books but the library is small and cramped.

p.21

Commentary

47. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 the majority of pupils are attaining standards that are below average. However, all pupils make good and often very good progress from a very low starting point. This includes the many pupils who have entered the school since Year 1, often speaking little or no English. These pupils make very good progress. As a result of good teaching, which is particularly good in the juniors, all pupils achieve well.

p.21

Commentary

48. One of the strengths of teaching in literacy is the way in which the school uses a wealth of data to enable skilled teachers to plan in detail and set work that is totally appropriate to each individual pupil. This is a very good improvement since the previous inspection. All pupils have a very good understanding of what they need to learn to improve their standard in English. Detailed and highly relevant personal targets motivate them. Very effective management evaluates and formally reviews the progress of each pupil every half term.

p.21

Commentary

49. One of the results of this very thorough assessment is that the school is able to identify groups of pupils as well as individual pupils who need extra support in the classroom with their learning in English. This might include pupils who speak little or no English or pupils who have particular difficulty in their learning. Pupils whom the school has identified as high achievers and who need extra input to ensure they achieve at the higher levels also receive additional support in small groups. The English co-ordinator has very successfully deployed a range of additional teachers and skilled classroom assistants to accomplish this. Staff function very well as a team and this adds considerably to the effectiveness of the extra support for individual pupils, All staff communicate very well and plan very effectively together.

p.21

Commentary

50. The teaching of writing has improved as a result of the recent initiatives the school has taken to raise standards in writing. Standards have risen and pupils’ achievement is very good. Teachers plan work very well to take account of the ethnic and cultural background of the pupils. For example, poetry by Benjamin Zephaniah and biographies of famous black people such as Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela are used as models for writing biographies. Other subjects such as religious education, history and geography are used very effectively to develop and consolidate writing skills. Lessons are very well planned with a very good balance of teacher input and pupil activities, and they proceed at a fast pace. Grammar and spelling are very well taught and pupils are motivated to improve their spellings. The skills of handwriting are well taught. Standards of presentation are very high because of the good example and high

p.21

Commentary

expectations of the teachers. This results in very motivated pupils.

p.21

Commentary

51. The school has greatly increased the range and diversity of its reading books since the most recent inspection. The breadth and context of these books are well matched to pupils’ needs. Parents are encouraged to participate in their child’s reading. However, the library is too small Holy Name RC Primary School - 22 and reading and fiction books have to be kept in the classrooms. This limits pupils’ access to them.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. Pupils have many opportunities to use their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing in other subjects apart from English. In all lessons they listen attentively to their teachers. Discussion is a feature of most lessons and all pupils are encouraged to contribute. Science, religious education, history and geography are used very effectively to develop and consolidate reading and writing skills in a range of forms. Literacy skills are also developed in pupils’ use of ICT, but this is not consistent across the school.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching and learning result in good achievement. • Pupils are taught a range of strategies for calculating and checking their answers, resulting in better understanding. • Good assessment and monitoring procedures influence what will be taught. • Good leadership is developing the National Numeracy Strategy well throughout the school. • Higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged in some lessons. • There is insufficient use of ICT to support learning on a daily basis.

p.22

Commentary

53. Compared with national standards, pupils, current standards are below average. These were the findings at the last inspection, although it was acknowledged then that standards were improving. This is still the case and has been evident over the last three years. Additional booster sessions, provided for pupils who join the school at different times, have helped considerably. In the national 2003 tests, pupils’ results were not as good in mathematics as they did in other core subjects. Insufficient pupils gain higher levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and, although the number of pupils attaining Level 5 has increased, this would tend to support the judgement that higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. Quite a large percentage of pupils joined the school too late for additional tuition to have a notable effect on their progress prior to tests taking place. Overall, there is no significant difference between

p.22

Commentary

54. Although test results are below average, pupils’ work in books and during lessons is of average standard, and, very occasionally, they are above average. The achievement of a high proportion of pupils, in lessons observed, is higher than might be expected so early in the year. This represents good, and for some pupils very good, achievement. Unfortunately, teachers do not always capitalise on this. Although extension activities are frequently provided, lack of teacher direction sometimes results in some pupils failing to take advantage of these. When pupils are given a wide range of activities to challenge their thinking they make good progress and achieve well. Pupils show good understanding of mathematical concepts, begin to develop their own strategies for solving problems and present their work in a clear and organised way.

p.22

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are good overall. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, enjoy mathematics. They are very competitive during mental activities that require them to give the correct answer in the shortest possible time. They respond particularly well to good teaching where mathematics is regarded as fun. Pupils are taught a range of strategies to help them calculate and check their answers. This successfully increases their levels of understanding. When teachers mark pupils’ work their comments are very supportive. However, teachers do not always give pupils clear indications of how they might improve. Holy Name RC Primary School - 23 Classroom assistants support the learning very well because they are well briefed and deployed. Work is closely matched to pupils’ individual needs. Occasionally, the pace of lessons is too slow and, overall, there is insufficient use of ICT to support learning.

p.22

Commentary

56. Good leadership is developing the National Numeracy Strategy effectively throughout the school. The co-ordinator has successfully introduced assessment and monitoring procedures which identify areas of weakness and seek to improve them through the planning of subsequent work. Full records have been kept over the last three years and these clearly identify any deficiencies in learning objectives covered. When considering that pupils enter the school with very low attainment, and achieve well as they pass through the school, that teaching and learning are good and the subject is well managed, there has been a good level improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

57. Opportunities for pupils to use and develop their mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum are developing well and are good. In history, pupils are familiar with timelines and the sequencing of events. Pupils record numerical data in science. Graphs are used to analyse information and to display results; in Year 3 they have been used to determine the sugar content in food and also as part of a pet food survey. Pupils are able to interpret information from spreadsheets. They use ICT where they can log on to the network, access software and enter data and formulae. The use of timing and counting features in many in physical education lessons and pupils understand when they work symmetrically and asymmetrically.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching. • Standards have improved year on year and are only just below national average at the end of Key Stage 2. • Teachers use a very good range of strategies in their teaching, for example for behaviour management. • Very good teamwork between teachers and support staff is a major strength. • There is good emphasis on the use of specific technical language. • Insufficient use is made of ICT to support teaching and learning in science.

p.23

Commentary

58. Because of the timing of the inspection and the timetable structure for the days of the inspection, there was limited evidence of work done by the current Year 2 pupils. However, from observations of lessons in Key Stage 2, scrutiny of work indicates that although, by the ages of seven and eleven, standards are below the national average, they are above those of pupils in similar schools, and pupils achieve well. Standards have improved markedly over recent years, and in the 2003 national tests are only just below the national average. The small number of pupils in the year groups and the very varied levels of pupils’ attainment in Year 6, coupled with the fact that a significant number of pupils enter and leave the school at times other than normal starting and leaving times, make comparisons with national averages difficult. However, it is very clear that pupils are making good progress, whatever their individual

p.23

Commentary

levels of attainment. There is no significant difference between the levels of attainment and the achievement of boys and girls.

p.23

Commentary

59. Work is very well presented in almost all pupils’ books. Pupils write up investigations carefully and accurately and can make predictions about what they think will happen. In a Year 6 lesson Holy Name RC Primary School - 24 in which pupils were looking at plants and their environment, there was a very good level of discussion, with most pupils showing that they understood that different plants have various ways of adapting to the conditions they grow in.

p.23

Commentary

60. Teaching is good overall with some very good teaching in Key Stage 2. Lessons are well planned and teachers use a very good range of strategies to ensure lessons run smoothly and that pupils understand the lesson content. Teamwork between all staff is very good and is a significant factor in the good learning that occurs in lessons. For example, again in Year 6, teachers and learning mentors share the lesson, each explaining and developing an aspect. All staff share in the very good classroom and pupil management that makes these lessons so successful and ensures that all pupils, whatever their individual needs, are fully involved in the lesson. Those pupils who, for a short while, struggle with concentration or whose behaviour is inappropriate are quietly provided with alternative work until they are settled and can return to the group or class lesson. Some of these pupils exhibit very challenging behaviour and this is

p.24

Commentary

61. As the school recognises, the use of ICT in science lessons is, as yet, underdeveloped. There are very clear plans to develop the use of ICT and pupils do use spreadsheets to record findings, and the Internet for research.

p.24

Commentary

62. There has been a good level of improvement since the last inspection and science is firmly established in the school curriculum. Leadership is good and the management of the subject sound. The co-ordinator has only recently taken over the role and has already checked provision across the school and reviewed the written work of a sample of pupils in all classes.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision in ICT is satisfactory overall although there are some areas of weakness.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been considerable recent improvement in resources. • There are examples of good teaching of ICT skills, especially when linked with provision at the City Learning Centre (CLC). • ICT is not used consistently in the other subjects across the curriculum. • Procedures for monitoring and evaluating provision and standards in ICT are not yet fully established. • Further staff training is needed to improve confidence and use in subjects.

p.24

Commentary

63. Year 6 pupils’ ICT skills are below average. However, in the Year 6 lessons seen, very good teaching enabled pupils to make good progress and achieve well. It is not possible to reach a judgement about standards or the quality of teaching and learning in other year groups as only limited use of ICT was observed during the inspection.

p.24

Commentary

64. Since the last inspection, resources for the subject have been improved and staff confidence and expertise have been developed through training. The improvement in resources has improved the use of ICT. The school is completely networked, there is a small central ICT suite, classrooms are all provided with computers and a number of laptop computers have been provided. Good links have been forged between the school and the CLC, and, although this is at some distance from the school, it is a very valuable resource and standards are improving as a result of its use.

p.24

Commentary

65. The headteacher, currently on leave from the school, has taken on a large measure of responsibility for the recent development of ICT. She is determined that the use of ICT will play Holy Name RC Primary School - 25 an ever-increasing part in all subjects and all aspects of teaching and learning. To this end there is a very clear and attainable improvement plan and the school has put new structures in place for technical advice and support. The carefully planned use of the CLC is part of the far- reaching strategy to improve standards.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. The use of ICT across the majority of subjects is underdeveloped and unsatisfactory. There are some sound areas, for example in the use of spreadsheets in mathematics and science, and the use of word-processing. The Internet is often used as a resource and for research.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. However, during the inspection, limited use was made of ICT outside the lessons at the CLC. Talking to pupils and reviewing their work in books clearly indicate that the level of access for individual pupils is still somewhat limited. Teacher confidence and expertise are developing quickly but, as the school has recognised and planned for, it is still an area for development.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. Much has been accomplished in this area recently and the school is now securely set for future improvement in ICT across the curriculum.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Religious education is subject to a separate inspection. Only one lesson was seen in both history and geography, but inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ work and talked with some pupils.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of visits away from the school supports work in humanities. • The curriculum is very relevant to the diverse culture within the school. • Teaching and learning in humanities are closely linked to literacy and support the development of literacy skills. • Insufficient use is made of ICT.

p.25

Commentary

69. Standards in history and geography are in line with national expectations in both the juniors and infants. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

p.25

Commentary

70. Pupils identify with, and are interested in, history projects such as ‘Black History’, where notable figures from black history are studied. Sensitive topics such as reasons for migration are investigated and traditional views and stereotyping are challenged. This makes the curriculum very relevant and, as a result, pupils achieve well. The diverse culture and background of the pupils are celebrated and used to increase the pupils’ understanding of the many countries and cultures that are represented within the school.

p.25

Commentary

71. One lesson was seen in history and one in geography. In both lessons teachers planned work to systematically develop skills in these subjects. The experience of being archaeologists, for example, when the pupils visited Castlefields museum, made them realise how much can be learnt about Roman lives from evidence that the Romans left behind for investigation.

p.25

Commentary

72. Leadership in the subject has very much encouraged and developed a very comprehensive range of visits to support work in history and geography and this helps pupils develop appropriate skills. The local community, including ‘Black Generation’, is also used as a very effective source of information. A visit to the Salford Street Museum and the Peak Forest Canal helps the pupils develop an increased understanding of how the Victorians lived, worked and travelled and has led to some very good work on this topic back at school. The one area the Holy Name RC Primary School - 26 school needs to develop further is a greater use of ICT, for example, greater use of the Internet and software programs to support work in history and geography.

p.25

Art and design

No lessons were observed during the inspection. However, pupils’ work on display throughout the school was viewed and discussions took place with the subject co-ordinator.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Art is used well across the curriculum and supports learning in religious education, history, English and science. • Displays are very well presented. • Pencil drawings are of good quality. • The school recognises that there is an overall lack of variety in work taking place at the moment.

p.26

Commentary

73. From an early age pupils learn to paint and colour well. Artwork often accompanies written work, which is then displayed prominently in classrooms and around the school. Examples of African art are very impressive and have been used to create a colourful display for younger pupils. Harvest is at the forefront of religious assemblies at the moment and this has not been ignored as pupils draw and then paint a variety of harvest foods. The whole school has been involved in producing collages depicting The Creation and these provide a colourful backdrop around the hall. A trip to a local art gallery for Year 6 pupils resulted in them creating a lamp in the style of an Eduardo Paluzzi sculpture. This now sits in the school library. Still life pencil drawings by Year 5 are of good quality and show those pupils have a good understanding of shading and toning, as well as the use of shadows to enhance drawings. Brown ink wash is

p.26

Commentary

used effectively for creating paper collage portraits of black historians as part of a Year 6 Black History topic.

p.26

Commentary

74. A qualified artist supports pupils who experience difficulties as a result of the high level of transience within the school. She uses the medium of art as a supportive strategy for pupils with some individual difficulties. Her methods are very effective and during the course of the inspection produced work of good quality, using wax crayons and paints to convey night scenes.

p.26

Commentary

75. The subject is led in a satisfactory manner, although the co-ordinator has had limited opportunities so far to influence standards throughout the school. The scheme of work has not yet been sufficiently adapted to suit the particular needs of the school. Resources do not focus sufficiently on the work of other artists and the range of media is limited.

p.26

Design and technology

76. As a result of the timetable structure at the time of the inspection, no lessons were seen in design and technology. Consequently it is not possible to make a firm judgement about provision, although planning indicates that all aspects of the subject are covered. Discussion with the co-ordinator provided information about her work and the spread of design and technology across the timetable.

p.26

Design and technology

77. A review of pupils’ work in classrooms and around the school clearly showed that design and make activities are integral to the curriculum and to pupils’ experience. A significant amount of designing, making and creating takes place in a range of other subjects as well as in design and technology lessons. Good examples of this were seen as part of history topics where pupils had made buildings, helping them understand how people lived as well as developing Holy Name RC Primary School - 27 pupils’ skills in designing and using materials. The quality of finish of these projects is at least average.

p.26

Design and technology

78. Co-ordination is satisfactory. The subject is secure within the curriculum although there is some weakness in the more ‘technological’ aspects of the subject, for example in the use and understanding of a range of materials and the use of ICT for modelling, control etc. Pupils’ evaluation of their work and that of others, in order to improve design, is variable. The co- ordinator is aware of the need for improvement in these areas and for a more structured approach to understanding of where design and technology links can be profitably forged with other subjects, for example with science. Resources are basically adequate for current use but are more limited for making and manipulation of materials, especially those that are more resistant, for example, wood. The use of ICT to support learning through planning, modelling or control is at a very early stage.

p.27

Music

Provision in music has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils experience a wide variety of music and music from different cultures. • Basic skills in music are taught well. • There is no formal assessment of how well pupils are doing and how they can improve.

p.27

Commentary

79. Standards are improving and pupils reach the levels expected by the age of seven and eleven. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well. Most pupils clearly enjoy singing and participate fully in both lessons and during acts of collective worship. The singing is sweet and rhythmical and pupils often use actions to enhance the meaning of the words.

p.27

Commentary

80. Pupils listen to a range of music. Often this music is from different cultures, such as the music from South Africa played during a whole school assembly. Pupils are expected to learn the name of the composer and the title of the piece. These rich musical experiences add greatly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.27

Commentary

81. The quality of teaching is good and teachers plan lessons to systematically build pupils’ basic musical skills and enhance their knowledge and experience of music. Music contributes well to the development of pupils’ speaking, listening and reading skills as they read, learn and sing the words to new songs. Teachers expect pupils to use correct musical vocabulary; for example, one pupil in Year 5 explained the meaning of the word ‘ostinato’ very well.

p.27

Commentary

82. Music is soundly led and managed by the co-ordinator. Although the school choir has been involved in performances in the city in the past, the school does not have a choir at the moment and other musical activities outside school are limited. However, pupils do get the opportunity to play steel pans, take part in Irish dancing and listen to musical groups from the local college. The co-ordinator has recognised, as a priority, the introduction of assessment procedures to identify pupils’ achievements. Holy Name RC Primary School - 28

p.27

Physical education

Provision for physical education is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is some very good teaching, especially in Years 3 and 5. This is characterised by insistence on high standards of performance and presentation. • Dance and gymnastics are strong areas of the curriculum and work in these areas is of high quality. • Not all teachers are secure in their understanding of how pupils’ skills in the subject are best developed.

p.28

Commentary

83. Standards in physical education are above average, with good achievement being maintained throughout the school. The school’s physical education curriculum covers all areas of the National Curriculum, including swimming. Although no full lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2, above average standards in Years 3 to 6 indicate that there has been good development of skills taught at an early age.

p.28

Commentary

84. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they are competent ball handlers and have developed good skills of throwing and catching. They are beginning to show an awareness of tactics in a game. Very good teaching in lessons with a dance focus demonstrated teachers’ infectious enthusiasm for the subject. Pupils responded very positively to this. They work with sensitivity as poetry, percussion and music are used effectively to bring out the rhythm in their movement. High expectations, combined with secure knowledge of the subject, ensure that, in gymnastics, pupils present and perform their work with a high level of control and co-ordination.

p.28

Commentary

85. Pupils are well motivated and strive for improvement, taking pride in what they do. This applies equally to pupils with special educational needs who are well supported by teachers and pupils alike. Safe practice is an ongoing feature of all lessons and is consistently reinforced. Opportunities for pupils to comment on their own and others’ work are built into all lessons. However, in a minority of lessons pupils are not given sufficient guidance about where to focus their attention. The general behaviour of pupils is good and they organise themselves efficiently.

p.28

Commentary

86. The subject is well led. The co-ordinator has worked hard to influence standards throughout the school. This has led to good improvement since the last inspection. The interest and enthusiasm of teachers and pupils’ alike have increased considerably. A good, progressive scheme of work has also contributed to raising standards.

p.28

Personal, social and health education

Only a small amount of dedicated activity was seen in this important area of the school’s work and so no judgements are made about overall provision. However, it does run through all activities, including assemblies, and here it is very good.

p.28

Commentary

87. This area is a very significant part of the school's work and a lot of effort is put into developing pupils’ personal and social skills. A good programme of activities includes circle time, providing opportunities to share experiences with others and listen to what other pupils think, and through a range of personal, social and health education activities. Holy Name RC Primary School - 29 88. A programme of work on diet, health, sex, drugs and personal safety helps pupils develop a safe and healthy life style, gain confidence and work together with others. In all lessons pupils are encouraged to talk and to listen carefully to other pupils’ ideas and opinions. All adults treat pupils with great respect and, as a result, pupils are considerate and well behaved and understand the consequence of their actions on others.

p.28

Commentary

89. With such a varied intake the school feels that it essential to develop pupils' responsibility, their independence and their self-esteem. To this end the school has clear structures and guidance for a rewards system which values individual effort and achievement, not only in response to lessons, answering questions etc. but when pupils help each other and contribute to the school community as a whole. The school ethos is very much centred on the school as a caring, valuing community and it is exceptionally successful in this. Holy Name RC Primary School - 30

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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