St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th – 20 th May 2004

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 2 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 Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 3 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 105

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kennedy Drive Goole Postcode: DN14 6HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01405 762607 Fax number: 01405 762607

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr D Greenwood

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This smaller than average-sized school, which serves two local parishes, is in an area of average socio-economic circumstances. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. Almost all pupils are white British heritage and no pupils speak English as an additional language. Thirty-eight pupils are on the school’s register of special educational need, which is well above average. These pupils mainly have specific learning difficulties. Four pupils have a statement of special educational need. There is average mobility in and out of the school. The attainment of children on entry to reception is average. An Activemark Award was received in 1991 and the school has recently become involved in the Leadership Development Strategy. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 5

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21750 Mrs S E Hall Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology The Foundation Stage English as an additional language Mrs M Roscoe Lay inspector 20301 Mr P Isherwood Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology History Geography Special educational needs 17543 Mr R Coupe Team inspector English Personal, social, health and citizenship education Music Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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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 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). St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 6

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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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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a school which provides a satisfactory quality of education. Pupils achieve satisfactorily and reach standards that are average for their age. Teaching is satisfactory. The leadership of the school is satisfactory, although there are areas of management that are underdeveloped and unsatisfactory. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Aspects of school management are unsatisfactory, as the procedures to monitor all aspects of school life are not systematic or rigorous enough to pinpoint areas for improvement. • Provision in mathematics is good. • Overall standards in national tests for 11-year olds in 2003 were very good. • Staff do not use assessment information well enough to match work to the needs of pupils of different ages and abilities. • Standards in information and communication technology are not high enough, particularly in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection and there has been a rise in standards in the last two years. The school made some improvements in all of the main areas identified in the last report, although there are aspects of each of the previous key issues that remain unresolved. The school has defined the responsibilities of governors and the management structure of the school. There has been an improvement in the management of the school by the headteacher. School accommodation has been improved and the quality of education for children in the Foundation Stage is better than it was previously.

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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 C B A Mathematics D C A A* Science C C C C Key: A* - very high; 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

Achievement is satisfactory . Children enter the reception group with skills that are generally average, except in the development of their speaking and listening skills and their knowledge St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 8 and understanding of the world, which are often quite limited. Teaching is satisfactory in reception and children achieve satisfactorily so that the large majority enter Year 1 having achieved most of the goals that are expected for their age. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 achieve satisfactorily and they attain average standards overall, although there are weaknesses in information and communication technology in Years 3 to 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of the good quality of support offered to them. Boys have often done better than girls in national tests, but there appears to be no specific school-related reason.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Attendance is below average, although in part this has been due to an administrative error. Attendance for the current year shows an improvement. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good, and most want to learn and do as well as they can. Behaviour is satisfactory, although there is teasing that upsets some pupils. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory . During the week of the inspection teaching was often good. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ recent work from reception to Year 6 indicates that on too many occasions the same or very similar work is undertaken by all pupils in the mixed age and ability classes. This means that the match of the level of work to the pupils’ abilities, whilst satisfactory overall, is variable. There is a good level of support for pupils with special educational needs, which enables them to make good progress. There is an over-use of photocopied work sheets that limit pupils’ writing skills and the development of a wider vocabulary. Assessment procedures in English and mathematics are satisfactory. However, in other subjects they are often informal and the use of such information to plan activities to meet the needs of different

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory. Until recently, resources to teach information and communication technology have been limited. There are gaps in the learning of older pupils, which are hindered by the inadequate use of classroom computers. Accommodation is satisfactory overall, although that for the youngest children in the Foundation Stage is inadequate.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall. The headteacher has provided caring leadership over a number of years. However, there are aspects of the management of the school that are unsatisfactory. The monitoring of the work of the school is unsystematic and lacks the necessary rigour to identify and pursue the areas for improvement. Some subject leaders have no opportunities to monitor planning, teaching and learning and co-ordination is underdeveloped in most subjects. Governance of the school is satisfactory with the Chair and the governor with responsibility for special educational needs fulfilling their roles effectively.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have positive views of the school. They are pleased that their children are happy and appreciative of the caring ethos. Some parents would like more information and to be St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 9 involved in the life of the school more, and they share their children’s concerns about teasing and minor bullying. Pupils have positive views of the school and most are happy.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Develop a rigorous, systematic and regular programme of monitoring all aspects of school life by the headteacher, subject co-ordinators and governors. • Use assessment information to ensure tasks are matched to pupils’ needs and ability. • Raise standards in information and communication technology in Years 3 to 6. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

The achievement of pupils is satisfactory overall. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily and meet most of the Early Learning Goals, which are the nationally recognised targets for their age. At the age of seven and 11, standards are generally in line with national expectations.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils aged 11 did well in national tests in 2003. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well because of good quality support. • Pupils do not achieve well enough in information and communication technology at the age of 11.

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Foundation Stage

1. Children enter the school with wide ranging early learning skills. Speaking and listening skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world are below average and skills in other areas are largely average. In this academic year, the school has introduced a ‘Teaching Children Talking’ programme to extend relevant skills, but an evaluation of this programme has not yet been carried out. Children often have very limited experiences beyond their home area and this makes it an ongoing challenge for staff to develop children’s curiosity. During their year in the reception group, children make satisfactory progress. By the time they enter Year 1, children achieve the Early Learning Goals for their age in their personal and social development, mathematics, and their creative and physical development. However, speaking and listening skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world often remain below average.

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in 2003

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.2 (14.4) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.6 (12.8) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.6 (14.6) 16.3 (16.5) There were eleven pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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in 2003

2. There are wide variations in the number of pupils in some year groups, varying from eight to 24. Because of this caution needs to be applied when making direct comparisons between different cohorts. In the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 11 pupils achieved standards that were below average in reading and average in writing and mathematics. This was when compared to schools nationally and to those with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals. These standards were considerably better than in the preceding three years, where they were consistently well below the average of both similar schools and nationally.

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in 2003

Standards in: School results National results English 28.3 (27.5) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 29.8 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.9 (28.8) 28.6 (28.3) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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in 2003

3. In the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils achieved standards that were well above the average of similar schools in English and mathematics, with attainment in mathematics being in the top five per cent of schools with similar features. Standards in science were average. Prior attainment indicators show that improvement from the age of seven was well above average in English and mathematics, being in the top five per cent for mathematics, and average for science. Standards were considerably better than other years with attainment until 2001 often being well below average overall. It has only been in the last two years that the trend in rising standards has been more notable.

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in 2003

4. There are a number of factors which have led to important variations and which have affected standards in all parts of the school, not least being the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in some year groups. Overall, there are 33 per cent of pupils with recognised special educational needs within the school, which is well above the national average. These pupils are well supported through a carefully planned programme provided by a visiting teacher and school support staff. The school has introduced a programme of support leading to national tests. There have also been some changes of staff with a newly qualified teacher sharing educational practices well with more experienced colleagues.

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in 2003

5. The 2004 small cohort of eight Year 6 pupils is not as high achieving as the 2003 group. Standards in English are average at the age of seven and 11. However, from a low start, pupils achieve well. Because of their initially limited speaking and listening skills, staff plan a range of activities where pupils describe their thoughts and experiences to their classmates. Most pupils develop a reasonable interest in reading and writing, although the school does not make enough use of its library to enhance research skills.

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in 2003

6. Standards in mathematics are average at the age of seven and eleven and pupils achieve well. They generally have a good understanding of numbers and use these fairly confidently in a range of mental and written calculations. Standards in science are average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils have reasonable understanding of factual aspects of science but some do not develop high level scientific enquiry skills because tasks are often very similar for all pupils within mixed age and ability classes. In this subject, as in a number of others, assessment and monitoring are informal and there is an overuse of photocopied work sheets where pupils simply fill in a few words. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 12 7. Standards in information and communication technology are average at the age of seven but below average at 11. Until recently, the school did not have sufficient resources to teach the subject well enough. Resources are now better and some

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in 2003

groups of pupils are making rapid progress. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve satisfactorily, but achievement is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. This is not only because of gaps in older pupils’ learning but there is also less use of computers to support learning across the curriculum.

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in 2003

8. Overall achievement across the school is satisfactory. Most pupils, including those of average and higher abilities, make satisfactory progress. Boys often achieve better than girls in national tests, but there appear no school-specific reasons for this. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they receive good quality additional support. This enables them to have access to a suitable curriculum and to be fully involved in activities. The school has not currently identified any pupils as gifted and talented.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are good and their behaviour is satisfactory . Provision for spiritual, moral and cultural development is good and that for social development is satisfactory . Levels of attendance are unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils, including those with special educational needs, have good attitudes to work. • Relationships are good overall. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is good overall but opportunities are missed to involve pupils in making decisions for themselves, or for the school community. • Attendance levels are below average and insufficient rigour is applied to improving this.

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Commentary

10. Since the last inspection, pupils’ spiritual and social development, along with attendance have declined, whilst their attitudes to learning have improved. Most pupils show interest in lessons and work with a good level of concentration. These good attitudes are more consistently evident in Years 1 and 2 than elsewhere. Pupils with special educational needs concentrate very well on their work. They try very hard even when they find work challenging. There is a minority in Years 3 to 6 who do not approach their tasks with sufficient application.

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Commentary

11. Relationships are usually good. Staff expect pupils to form good friendships and care for each other. Most treat pupils with respect and do not raise their voice. In response to good role models, most pupils are thoughtful about others and particularly so to those who have a special need. These pupils, for example, gain greatly from their friends’ support. However, the school is not doing all it can to help pupils to recognise their own worth and esteem.

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Commentary

12. No evidence emerged during the inspection of friction between pupils. Most are very aware of class codes of conduct but are less sure about general school expectations or the sanctions applied in support of them. This inconsistent approach is not promoting self-discipline or helping pupils to understand and remember that their actions have consequences. Behaviour is satisfactory overall, but some pupils St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 13 behave inappropriately or need constant reminders to stay on task. There is teasing between pupils which some pupils and parents believe oversteps the line into minor bullying. The school does not always take firm enough action to address these concerns. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Commentary

13. Registration times, assemblies, displays and opportunities for reflection in lessons improve pupils’ moral and cultural awareness effectively, and provision in these areas is good. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is generally good. A weaker element is the lack of opportunity for some pupils to learn how to respect the achievements and views of others. Social development is satisfactory. Pupils work well in pairs and gain an advantage of adjusting to others in their mixed-age classes. Extracurricular sport develops teamwork and a large play area allows pupils to run about without inadvertently spoiling others’ games. Not enough is done to encourage pupils to practice citizenship, and to take on important jobs in the school community.

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Commentary

14. Attendance levels have shown a rise on previous years but are still unsatisfactory. The school has now rectified administration procedures that inaccurately reported lateness as absence. Termly awards help promote its importance, but insufficient rigour is applied when looking for solutions to this ongoing problem. Punctuality remains a concern to the school but is now good.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) 2002 / 03

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.3 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is satisfactory . The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory . Assessment is satisfactory in English and mathematics. The curriculum is satisfactory . The provision for pupils’ care, welfare and health is satisfactory . Links with parents are satisfactory .

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory in all parts of the school. Assessment procedures are broadly satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Over 50 per cent of teaching was good during the inspection. • Too often the same or similar tasks are arranged for pupils of different ages and abilities and too many worksheets are used for the recording of work. • The use of assessment information for the planning of activities is unsatisfactory. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 14 • Pupils with special educational needs learn well because of effective planning by teachers. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 15

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Commentary

15. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and has improved since the previous inspection. There is now a better range of activities for learning through play, which satisfactorily helps the development of social and speaking skills. Whilst there have been improvements, there are elements to the teaching that remain more suited to that for older pupils in the mixed-age class. Teaching is planned by the class teacher and carried out by the nursery nurse. The recording of tasks is often the same as for the older pupils and more appropriate to their age and understanding.

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Commentary

16. The quality of teaching in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory overall as it was in the previous inspection. During the inspection teaching was good in more than half of the lessons observed. A small amount of very good teaching was seen in Year 2 and in the specialist teaching of pupils with educational needs. There was some teaching in all other classes that was good. The management of pupils is generally good, which supports a calm working environment and purposeful learning.

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Commentary

17. Where teaching is most effective there are different and well matched activities to reflect the range of abilities within each class. However, on too many occasions and as clearly shown in the sample of pupils, recent work tasks are often the same or very similar for all groups of pupils. Sometimes this does not provide a good enough level of challenge for higher- and lower-attaining pupils. Recent work shows that too many photocopied worksheets are used which often require little other than the filling in of gaps. This has a limiting effect on the development of the pupils’ ability to record their ideas and findings in their own words.

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Commentary

18. Teachers plan effectively for pupils with special educational needs. Work is set at levels that meet their needs and as a result pupils make good progress both in lessons and over the longer term. The additional support provided by the visiting special educational needs teacher is of very good quality and results in good, and at times, very good progress being made.

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Commentary

19. The assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall and it is clear and well organised in the key subjects of English and mathematics. This has had a positive impact on helping to raise standards in the last two years. However, in many other subjects this is left to the teacher’s discretion. Whilst records and discussions indicate that staff carry this out conscientiously, the lack of a cohesive system limits the use of such information to inform teaching. The use of assessment information overall is unsatisfactory as the data available is not used to maximum effect to plan work to meet the needs of different groups of pupils.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfacto ry Unsatisfacto ry Poor Very Poor 0 2 9 8 0 0 0 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

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 16 The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which develops pupils’ educational experiences and prepares them satisfactorily for the next stage of education. Opportunities to enrich the curriculum are satisfactory . Accommodation is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and there is a strong commitment to equality of opportunity. • There is a lack of rigour in monitoring curriculum provision. • There are missed opportunities to develop information and communications technology skills across the curriculum. • The accommodation for Foundation Stage children is inadequate. • There is a good range of resources.

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Commentary

20. There has been satisfactory improvement in curriculum provision since the previous inspection. The school offers pupils a satisfactory range of learning activities which meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. A lack of rigorous monitoring means that there is over-reliance on individual teachers to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered and that there is step by step development of skills as pupils move through the school. This has impacted on learning in some areas, including design and technology for older pupils. Literacy and numeracy skills are adequately developed in other areas of the curriculum. However, there are too few opportunities to develop information and communication technology skills in other subjects. In the reception class, children follow a satisfactory curriculum based on the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage. It covers all the areas of learning but accommodation issues

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Commentary

limit the opportunities for structured play activities.

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Commentary

21. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. This has a positive effect on the good progress made by the pupils. The school successfully provides equal opportunities for all pupils regardless of their age, ability, background or ethnicity, to help them make satisfactory progress as they move through the school.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils to learn about citizenship as part of the personal, health, social and citizenship education programme. The school has successfully addressed the issue of drugs awareness teaching raised in the previous report. The provision for sports is good and this has a positive effect on the subject. A wide range of sporting activities is taught. Satisfactory provision is made for the arts but musical activities are not fully developed.

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Commentary

23. Visits out of school and visitors in to school linked with activities beyond the school day have a positive effect on developing pupils’ social and academic skills. Pupils visit museums and the local area is used effectively to develop pupils’ understanding of local history and geography and their cultural heritage. There is a satisfactory range of out-of-school activities, which include a range of sporting activities.

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Commentary

24. Accommodation has been improved considerably since the previous inspection and overall it is satisfactory. Classrooms for pupils in Years 2 to 6 are adequate with Year 5 and 6 having a spacious room. The classroom for reception / Year 1 is very cramped and unsatisfactory. There is no direct access to an outdoor play area for reception- aged children and this restricts opportunities for outdoor and creative play. There is an adequate library facility, although this is not used well enough for research purposes. There is a good range of resources to support teaching and learning but the storage of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 17 resources is still a problem throughout the school. Resources in the hall restrict the space available and those in part of the library are not easily accessible. The outdoor facilities are good and used effectively to develop learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is satisfactory overall. Levels of support and guidance are good and the involvement of pupils in the school’s development is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good procedures for ensuring pupils’ health and safety are now in place and meet requirements. • Pupils feel safe and can turn to an adult in time of need. • Pastoral systems are not robust enough to support those pupils who experience a problem. • There is good support for pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

25. The governors and headteacher have carefully put together a range of procedures designed to assess risk and promote safety. Buildings and grounds are well managed and routines support security and controlled access. Risk assessments on pupil activity are still outstanding but school routines and careful supervision serve to reduce risks to pupils. Staff have been updated on child protection procedures, but these have not been linked to the behaviour or anti-bullying policies or communicated to parents.

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Commentary

26. The school effectively promotes a feeling of ‘belonging’ through assemblies, its ethos of equality and the warm welcome it provides for pupils new to the school. Parents praise the way their children are introduced to school life and eased into work habits. Most pupils, in light of this, are confident with adults and rely on the good arrangements for first-aid and comfort offered to them when they become ill. A number of parents, however, express concerns about teasing. The school’s practice is to follow the flow chart of actions contained within the behaviour policy and through the curriculum teach pupils how to frame assertive responses to peer pressure. However, systems to promote good behaviour are not fully effective, including at lunchtimes. Midday assistants do not actively promote positive play and there is no permanent record for future reference.

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Commentary

27. Parents are generally pleased with the quality of support and guidance their children receive, and particularly those parents who have children with special educational needs. There is early identification of need. Appropriate programmes are put in place to address needs, and as a result pupils achieve well. Very good quality advice and support from the visiting special educational needs service teacher is used effectively by the school to develop learning.

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Commentary

28. The climate of mutual respect between staff and pupils ensures teachers guide each pupil appropriately. Satisfactory systems for assessing pupils’ academic performance in English and mathematics enable staff to check that pupils are making sufficient progress in lessons or see where extra support is needed.

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Commentary

29. Most pupils in Years 3 to 6 know their ideas are welcomed. They help to devise class rules and took part in a recent survey. The school listened and responded to a Year 6 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 18 request for more cloakroom space. Pupils with special educational needs contribute to their annual reviews. However, pupils’ views have not been sought on the effectiveness of the behaviour policy and any consultation which does take place is usually confined to junior pupils.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents remain at a satisfactory level. Links with the community and other schools are now good . There is good support for parents of pupils with special educational needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Community links make a good contribution to pupils’ learning and their personal development. • There is good informal contact with many parents. • Procedures to deal with parental concerns are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

30. Community and parish links enliven pupils’ learning and personal development well. They also benefit from involvement with local organisations and the uniformed services that both serve and protect the public. Effective liaison arrangements ensure a smooth transfer into Year 7. Local primary schools provide opportunities for competitive sporting fixtures, and teachers based elsewhere visit to provide sample lessons.

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Commentary

31. Parents express high satisfaction levels for much of the school’s provision in aspects such as induction, the activities provided, teaching and homework provision. Staff pride themselves on being accessible to parents, who are pleased with the quality of education provided because of the progress that their children make. Most parents are satisfied with the annually prepared progress reports. These are good quality and provide a flavour of their child’s achievements. They do not include improvement targets but do allude to areas of weakness. All encourage pupils and parents to add their comments in the spaces provided. This is good practice.

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Commentary

32. Whilst most parents are generally happy with what the school does, some parents are dissatisfied about their lack of involvement when decisions are taken, such as how bullying is dealt with. Published information meets legal requirements but the school does not do enough to promote or publicise its work. Formal communication systems require improvement because the school does not consult parents prior to formulation of pastoral policies, nor share with them the standards relating to pupils’ care that it adopts. Some parents are unaware of the school’s policies. The prospectus does not inform parents of the general arrangements for school discipline and the details of pastoral care promoting pupils’ emotional happiness, although other booklets clearly outline these procedures. A number of parents have concerns that their complaints about such matters are not investigated rigorously. Some parents would like to be more

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Commentary

involved in the life of the school and attend school activities more regularly.

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Commentary

33. Parents are informed at an early stage if their child has special educational needs. They are invited to discuss target-setting on individual education plans. There are few opportunities for parents to contribute to the target-setting process. Parents are encouraged to help their children to work towards their targets at home. This has a positive effect on the good progress made by these pupils. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 19

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Governance of the school is satisfactory . Leadership and management of the school is satisfactory overall with some weaknesses in elements of management .

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Strengths and weaknesses

• Monitoring all aspects of the school is too infrequent and lacks rigour and teachers’ management roles are not sufficiently well developed. • The school has a high commitment to inclusion, equal opportunities and individual development. • There is good leadership and management of special educational needs. • Financial planning does not always consider the implications of possible changes to the school’s circumstances.

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Commentary

34. Governance of the school is satisfactory. Leadership of the school by the headteacher and deputy is also satisfactory. The school has taken steps to improve those aspects of the school that were considered to be poor at the last inspection. There are good systems in place to identify and monitor pupils with special educational needs. This ensures that these pupils achieve well and make good progress towards their targets. There has been very good progress since the previous report in addressing the key issue of governor monitoring of special educational needs. There is now regular high quality monitoring of provision by the governor with responsibility for special educational needs.

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Commentary

35. The headteacher understands the strengths and weaknesses of the school and provides satisfactory leadership. He has helped provide the staff with the direction and motivation to address previous weaknesses and this has helped to support a rise in standards. Parents, teachers and pupils respect his leadership qualities. Good provision to ensure equal opportunity and individual support are high priorities and are reflected in the ethos of the school. The provision of good quality support for pupils with special educational needs is a specific aid to raising achievement. However, the headteacher acknowledges that there remains considerable work yet to be done to improve the overall quality of education.

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Commentary

36. Generally management is unsatisfactory. There are examples of very comprehensive job descriptions in place, which are a useful tool to management. For the teaching staff, though, duties outlined are mostly corporate and too vague. This results in very little clear direction and delegation, leading to limited individual responsibility and accountability. Subject co-ordinators are not provided with enough opportunities to carry out their duties efficiently. There is a lack of rigour in the way teaching, learning and the curriculum are monitored and this is a barrier to raising achievement. Despite these shortcomings, standards are rising and there are some effective management structures in place. Temporary teachers are properly supported and in particular, very good procedures are established to help newly-qualified teachers. In-service training is well matched to school priorities and the School Development Plan.

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Commentary

37. Over the last six years there have been a number of changes to the governing body, which has successfully addressed the key issues of the last inspection referring to the governance of the school. Governor committees have been established. Several individual governors, some with responsibility for subjects, are regular visitors and help St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 20 in the school. Annual financial planning is secure and prudent spending plans are closely matched to the School Development Plan. Governors have been successful in reducing a significant deficit budget into an underspend. However, there are few clear plans for action in the event that the school is unable to maintain the budget, should school numbers continue to decline.

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Commentary

38. To address curriculum weaknesses, governors have made important decisions to appoint specialist staff for music, for special educational needs provision and for teacher support in class - with generally positive results. Meetings are held regularly and all statutory requirements are in place. Despite all the positive attributes, the governing body is only just beginning to challenge, shape and become involved in the educational direction of the school. It has not fully developed the art of being a critical friend to the headteacher and staff, through guiding and helping them to carry out their duties with confidence and rigour.

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Commentary

39. The school’s financial manager efficiently carries out the day-to-day management of the budget. The most recent school audit showed all systems to be secure and any minor recommendations for improvement have been carried out. Taking all factors into account, the school offers satisfactory value for money.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 318 744 Balance from previous year 33 578 Total expenditure 319 761 Balance carried forward to the next 32 561

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Expenditure per pupil 2 929 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory . The inadequate accommodation provides a barrier to learning.

p.21

Commentary

40. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage was a key issue for improvement identified in the last inspection. Since this time, there have been improvements made and provision is now satisfactory. However, there are aspects of provision that still require further improvement. Children enter the reception group at the beginning of the year of their fifth birthday. There are eight children in this group, but in some years there have been 24. The school adapts the organisation of such groups accordingly and children are currently taught by a nursery nurse, under the direction of the class teacher, within a mixed Year 1/reception class. On entry, attainment is average overall, although below average in speaking and listening and children’s understanding of the world around them. Children make satisfactory progress and enter Year 1 having achieved the Early Learning Gaols for their age in all areas other than in

p.21

Commentary

communications, language and literacy and their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.21

Commentary

41. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Close personal support of the children ensures they settle happily to school and develop more confidence in their abilities and a growing interest in learning. Leadership of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. However, there have been few opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching of the younger children and this has allowed some aspects of teaching to be less effective than others. The accommodation is inadequate for the learning needs of very young children. There is limited large-scale play equipment to support physical development.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children settle well to school and enjoy free and structured play activities, which help to develop social skills.

p.21

Commentary

42. Children achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area by the time they enter Year 1. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Satisfactory induction procedures enable children to settle well and begin to develop positive attitudes to learning within an environment where their efforts are valued. Staff try to help children overcome any shyness and support those with less confidence. Currently, the girls within this group are considerably less confident than the boys. Staff try to encourage all children to take an active part in activities. However, some girls are very passive and simply watch what the others are doing. Children with special educational needs are identified early, and focused support enables them to achieve satisfactorily. The management of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 22 children with emotional and behavioural difficulties is an ongoing challenge for staff. There is a reasonable range of free and structured play activities and children are

p.21

Commentary

encouraged to share and take turns when using equipment.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Speaking and listening skills are below average. • The school has recently introduced a ‘Teaching Children Talking’ programme to help children develop communication skills.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children enter the school with speaking and listening skills that are below average. They make satisfactory progress, but do not achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year1. Several of the children speak in very short phrases or simple sentences. Some, especially the girls in the current group, are very quiet and rarely speak unless asked to. In this academic year staff have introduced a ‘Teaching Children Talking’ programme, although it is too early to assess what impact this has on the development of such skills. There are some opportunities to take part in role-play activities when using the current class ‘garden centre’. Speaking activities are not always given a high enough profile in lessons. During the week of inspection there was only limited evidence of pre-planned activities to specifically encourage speaking skills.

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Commentary

44. Reading and writing skills are average for the age of the children. They are taught the basic skills of reading and most are fairly keen to copy their older classmates and siblings. Some children are eager to take their reading books home and several receive parental support in this area. There are occasional opportunities for children to write their own words, but the development of emergent writing skills is not always planned well enough. There is a tendency to overuse a range of formal worksheets. Informal opportunities to make lists, captions or write notes or instructions are not always taken. The accommodation has a negative impact on learning as it limits the development of reading and mark-making areas or the organisation of quiet discussions.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy practical learning activities when they find things out by doing something. • The recording of what the children have done is too reliant upon photocopied worksheets.

p.22

Commentary

45. Children achieve the Early Learning Goals on entry to Year 1. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children enjoy taking part in a satisfactory range of practical activities St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 23 such as comparing the length of different scarves. However, the quality of this work is hampered by their restricted vocabulary, as seen when asked which is the longest scarf, some children just point. Children have satisfactory understanding of numbers, which they practice in simple counting activities. However, the formal nature of some activities and the overuse of worksheets often intended for older pupils limits children’s interest.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s understanding of the world around them is below average when they enter Year 1. • Children enjoy using the classroom computer.

p.23

Commentary

46. From a low base, children do not achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area although they make progress and achieve satisfactorily. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children enjoy using the classroom computer and some have reasonable skills in clicking and dragging pictures around the screen. Children with special educational needs show particular enthusiasm in such tasks. However, several of the children, and particularly the girls, have little natural curiosity. Because of this, staff plan to provide a range of activities where children learn about how seeds grow, about weather patterns, how food changes when it is cooked and to decide what materials certain items are made from. They have previously learnt about some aspects of life in Africa. They have made moving pictures and designed a puppet. As in other areas the recording formats used are sometimes too difficult for their age as epitomised when asked to colour in the

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of the outdoor area is limited by a lack of large-scale play equipment, which is a barrier to learning.

p.23

Commentary

47. Satisfactory teaching and learning ensure that children achieve the Early Learning Goals for their age. Fine skills are developed through creative activities, including the use and manipulation of equipment, simple tools such as scissors and pencils and other materials. Children enjoy handling natural and manmade building materials to make simple sculptures and structures on the adjoining grassed area. Staff attempt to make regular use of the outdoor area for a range of activities but the lack of equipment such as bikes, scooters, slides and climbing equipment hinders the development of some skills. However, staff overcome some of these deficiencies when using a range of gymnastic and games equipment in the school hall and satisfactory teaching overcomes some of the barriers to learning. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 24 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 25

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are no specific strengths or weaknesses in this area.

p.25

Commentary

48. Staff provide a satisfactory range of art activities and the children develop satisfactory skills in drawing, painting and collage so that they meet the Early Learning Goals for their age. Children enjoy making pictures that move and simple puppets. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children enjoy using role-play areas and materials although because of a lack of vocabulary such play is sometimes unimaginative. Most children develop the ability to share and take turns through co-operative play. Children enjoy singing activities, including whole-school assemblies, although a lot is demanded of them when taking part in lessons taught by a music specialist.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• From a low start, pupils’ overall achievement is good. • Teachers have worked successfully to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. • The school has invested well in sets of books for group reading sessions. • There is not enough overall emphasis on the development of some aspects of reading and writing, including the development of library skills. • Subject management is unsatisfactory.

p.25

Commentary

49. The National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils in 2003 showed reading standards were below the national average and that writing was average. Standards in reading and writing were also average when compared to similar schools. However, because of the low numbers of pupils taking the tests in some year groups, the analysis is not as secure as for those schools where larger numbers of pupils had been involved. The English tests for Year 6 pupils showed that they performed not only above the national average, but that they compared very highly in comparison to pupils in similar schools. Last year, pupils made very good progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2.

p.25

Commentary

50. Inspection findings judge standards at the end of both key stages to be in line with the national average. These are similar to the judgements of the last inspection. The findings show an improvement at Year 2 from the 2003 tests. The inspection findings for Year 6 appear to show a decline in standards. This is because the current cohort of pupils is smaller and significantly different to that of last year. There has been a steady pattern of improvement in standards over time. From a low start, pupils of different St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 26 attainment, including those with special educational needs, achieve well as they move through the school. 51. A subject strength is the way teachers have worked hard to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. This is one of the weakest areas of learning when pupils first arrive at school and time is invested in encouraging pupils’ speaking skills. Teachers ensure

p.25

Commentary

that all pupils are engaged in answering questions, listening to stories and instructions and that they are all involved in classroom activities and discussions.

p.26

Commentary

52. Reading standards across the school are average. A systematic approach in Years 1 and 2 guides pupils through a series of books that leads them through carefully graded steps of development and progress. Some of these pupils benefit from the support received by parents who hear them read on a nightly basis. Teachers monitor their progress and quickly identify where pupils may need additional support and guidance. A good feature throughout school is the investment in sets of books for pupils to enjoy during regularly planned group-reading sessions in class. Enthusiasm and achievement are good. However, whilst pupils in Years 3 to 6 are encouraged to read at home, teachers are not sufficiently monitoring and encouraging new reading experiences. Thus the range, quality and richness of reading opportunities are often not maximised to provide additional excitement and challenge. The school does not create

p.26

Commentary

enough provision for regular, structured use of the school library. Pupils’ library skills are therefore unsatisfactory and their research and retrieval skills are limited.

p.26

Commentary

53. Writing standards across the school are average. By the end of Year 2 pupils, pupils’ writing experiences are broad and suited to a range of readers. Pupils respond well to their teachers’ encouragement by using grammar, spelling and punctuation properly. By the end of Year 6, there are some good examples of mature writing. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to produce extended writing, such as in plays, books and similar on-going work. The school does not have a school policy for the development of handwriting. Where individual teachers encourage this, the good progress pupils make throughout the year is clearly evident.

p.26

Commentary

54. Whilst the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, several examples of good teaching were seen during the inspection. Lessons are interesting and usually well paced. The good collaboration between teachers and class assistants enables pupils to achieve well during lessons. The pupils show an interest in their work, many make good contributions to discussions and concentrate well. However, the sample of work indicates that on many occasions the work provided is too restricting for many pupils, particularly when worksheets are used. This inhibits learning at a higher level, especially for those pupils who would benefit from a more challenging task. Teachers often discuss pupils’ work with them in class but very few developmental comments appear in the older pupils’ books that would enable them to improve their work.

p.26

Commentary

55. Leadership and management of English is satisfactory overall, although management of the subject has weaknesses. The subject leader offers good direction and support to the staff and ensures that that there is a good supply of resources. However, the management of the subject is unsatisfactory because there are insufficient strategies in place for the rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning. There are not enough opportunities available to the subject leader to carry out her duties. Clear and well organised assessment procedures are well established and are used effectively to raise standards. The school is considering how to develop the use of this information further to ensure a better match of work to pupils’ different abilities. Overall there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 27

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. The development of literacy across the curriculum is good. Speaking, listening and reading skills are developed effectively in most subjects. Very often writing opportunities closely link English, history and geography, especially in Years 1 and 2, where topics are planned to overlap. Some literacy skills are also extended into information and communication technology when pupils word-process their work. There are lost opportunities, however, to develop library research skills in many subjects.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and make good progress throughout the school. • Pupils with special educational needs receive good support. • The quality of teaching and learning is good and there is good evaluation of lessons. • The subject co-ordinator does not have enough opportunity to monitor teaching and learning to identify areas for further improvement.

p.27

Commentary

57. Pupils achieve well throughout the school because there is good quality teaching and work is set at the correct levels to meet their needs. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the high quality support they receive from teachers and assistants. Attainment levels are difficult to compare with other year groups and schools because of low numbers in some cohorts. Inspection evidence shows that the present pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 are attaining at the expected level. The most recent National Tests showed attainment being average at Year 2 and well above average at Year 6. Comparisons with the present Year 6 group of less than 10 pupils are unreliable. No significant difference was observed between the achievement of boys and girls.

p.27

Commentary

58. In Year 2, the majority of pupils show good understanding of the basic skill of number and average understanding in other areas of mathematics. The higher- and average- attaining pupils measure accurately using rulers. Almost all pupils recognise and name a range of two-dimensional shapes. Pupils draw block graphs. By the end of Year 6, pupils show a good understanding of the four rules of number. They use this knowledge to answer ‘real-life’ questions. Most draw accurate diagrams but a minority produce untidy work. Pupils collect information and record in a number of different ways including straight line graphs.

p.27

Commentary

59. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers prepare their lessons well using the National Numeracy Strategy format. Mental or oral starters are brisk and keep pupils interested. Good use is often made of the interactive white-boards in these sessions. Teachers use questioning effectively to assess what pupils have understood and to involve all pupils in the lesson. Teachers and support staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully included in lessons with work that matches their needs. There is good evaluation of lessons and this is used very effectively to modify plans to ensure pupils make good progress in areas they have found challenging. Marking, while usually positive, is not used to develop learning by asking pupils ‘Is there another way to do this?’ At times there is overuse of worksheets. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 28 Teachers relate well to their pupils, encouraging them to persevere when work is hard.

p.27

Commentary

The majority of pupils respond to this encouragement, showing good attitudes to work.

p.28

Commentary

60. There is satisfactory leadership and management of the subject. Assessments are analysed to identify weaker areas and these are effectively addressed. The identification of areas of development using analysis of data linked to the work of a visiting consultant has led to an improvement in the quality of teaching and learning. This has resulted in improved achievement levels for all pupils. However, the co- ordinator has not had enough opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom or to monitor improvements and identify further areas for development. Overall, there has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. There is satisfactory provision for mathematics across the curriculum. Pupils measure and record data in science, and in history the use of timelines develops an understanding of the concept of time. Information and communication technology is used to enhance the mathematics curriculum. Pupils collect data and record using graphs, but there are insufficient opportunities for older pupils to use spreadsheets.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Year 2 achieve well because they record what they find out in a range of different ways and teaching for this age is good. • Too much use is made of worksheets that limit the response pupils make to what they are finding out. • Assessment is unsatisfactory and the co-ordinator has no opportunities to monitor the quality of planning, teaching and learning. • Good use is made of laptops in Year 2 to support learning.

p.28

Commentary

62. Standards in science are average at the end of both key stages as they were in the previous inspection. Pupils in Year 2 achieve well from a low start. When children begin school they often have limited knowledge and little curiosity in the world around them. Pupils in Year 2 make good progress because of good quality teaching. Here, the carefully planned range of activities includes good opportunities to develop experimental and investigative skills. Pupils use laptops well in lessons and become quite confident in finding things out by undertaking well planned research tasks.

p.28

Commentary

63. Throughout the school, pupils have satisfactory knowledge of life and living things, materials and their properties and physical processes. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve satisfactorily but do not make the rapid rate of progress that they do in Year 2. This is largely because too many tasks are teacher-controlled and there are not enough opportunities for pupils to find things out by doing them. For instance, in Years 3 and 4, a task to find out what happens to solids when they are added to water is restricted by the use of only one container of water and type of solid material per group and pupils largely have to watch others conducting the experiments. There is also extensive use St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 29 of worksheets that limit the development of a widening scientific vocabulary and written competence.

p.28

Commentary

64. Teaching is satisfactory overall. It is good in Year 2 and satisfactory in other year groups. In Year 2, the science co-ordinator plans tasks carefully to meet the needs of pupils who make different rates of progress. Support staff are used well to enable pupils with special educational needs to be fully included in all activities. However, the sample of work in Years 1, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6 show a lot of the work sheets used are the same for all groups in the mixed-age and ability classes. This does not provide the best level of challenge for pupils. Assessment in the subject is unsatisfactory. Whilst staff carry out assessments of what progress pupils make, this is unsystematic and does not build a record that teachers can use to track the progress made. This is of limited use in helping staff to plan to meet the needs of groups of pupils who make different rates of progress.

p.29

Commentary

65. The leadership of the recently appointed subject co-ordinator is satisfactory, and she has begun to liase closely with colleagues on different aspects of the curriculum and to identify how resources can be improved. Because of her own good teaching skills and enthusiasm for the subject, the co-ordinator has tremendous potential to develop the role much further. Currently, management of the subject is unsatisfactory, as she has no opportunity to monitor planning, teaching and learning in the subject. This makes it very difficult for her to pinpoint exactly where improvements can be made and limits her effectiveness. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.29

I NFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The provision in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are too low at the end of Year 6 and achievement is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to develop skills across the curriculum. • Assessment is unsatisfactory and there is a lack of rigorous monitoring of the subject. • The use of information and communication technology for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

p.29

Commentary

66. By the end of Year 2, attainment is at the expected level and pupils achieve satisfactorily. In Year 6, achievement is unsatisfactory and standards are below national expectations because of deficiencies caused by previous limited resources and lack of teacher expertise. The school has identified and started to address these issues. This has had a positive effect in Years 1 and 2, but not sufficiently in Years 3 to 6. No differences were observed in the achievement levels of boys and girls or different attainment groups.

p.29

Commentary

67. Year 2 pupils handle computers and laptops with confidence. They input data, explain how to save work, use controls and word-process at the expected levels. They use programs to change font size style and colour. They explain clearly how to program a floor robot. The pupils in Year 6 show satisfactory understanding of word-processing. All pupils use such skills to draft and improve their work. They have satisfactory St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 30 knowledge and understanding of using the Internet to find information connected to their history and geography work. However, they have little understanding of how to use information and communication technology to measure physical data, for example by using sensors. Knowledge and understanding of the use of spreadsheets is at a lower than expected level.

p.29

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching and learning seen in the lessons inspected was satisfactory. Analysis of work and discussion with pupils shows that in the past there have been unsatisfactory elements in aspects of teaching, particularly for the oldest pupils and limited opportunities to cover all areas of the curriculum. As a result, there are deficiencies in the knowledge of older pupils. Teachers plan their lessons effectively. Word-processing skills are taught well. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because of the close and effective support from teaching assistants. Pupils are given opportunities to use laptops to find information, for example about plants in a Year 2 science lesson. Most teachers make good use of the interactive boards in their classrooms. Younger pupils benefit from specific skill teaching in discrete information and communications technology lessons. Resources

p.30

Commentary

are used satisfactorily overall, although teachers give older pupils too few opportunities to use computers and other equipment to support learning across the subjects. Assessment systems used by teachers are informal and unsatisfactory and do not track step by step development of skills as pupils move through school.

p.30

Commentary

69. The management in the subject is unsatisfactory. There has been an identification of the areas for development and action has been taken to address issues. This action has not yet resulted in raising standards throughout the whole school. There is a lack of opportunities for the co-ordinator to rigorously monitor the use of new equipment and the effects of staff training. Resources have been improved greatly since the previous inspection, but they are not yet being used to full effect, particularly with older pupils. There is very good use of specialist equipment and programs for pupils with specific special educational needs and the effective use of these has a positive effect on improving achievement. There has been unsatisfactory progress since the previous inspection because older pupils have made insufficient progress in their learning.

p.30

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. There is unsatisfactory use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. There are good links in aspects of English. The use of computers in other subjects is developing but is at a lower than expected level. Pupils use mathematical programs but older pupils have little understanding of spreadsheets. In science, pupils find information, but there are few opportunities for them to use probes and sensors.

p.30

Religious Education

As a Church Aided school, this subject was not a focus of this inspection.

p.30

Geography

The provision in geography is satisfactory . St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 31

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. • There is a lack of rigour in monitoring the subject.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

71. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in geography, and by the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment is at the expected levels. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support in lessons and this enables them to make progress in line with their classmates. No measurable difference was observed between the achievement of boys and girls. By the end of Year 2, pupils have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of weather. They record using symbols. They write and draw about different types of transport and plan routes on simple maps. They show good understanding of rivers. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of life on an island. They identify different buildings and uses of land. As they progress through the school, pupils build satisfactorily on skills they have acquired earlier. Pupils develop an understanding of how they can improve their local environment. By the end of Year 6, pupils identify the main rivers and desert

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

regions and have a satisfactory understanding of life in African countries.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

72. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Lessons are adequately planned with support used effectively to meet needs of different groups of pupils. Teachers make effective use of the local area to develop geographical skills. Resources, including photographs, are used effectively to develop observational and comparative skills. Teachers give pupils opportunities to develop research skills both through using information and communication technology and by using books, but this is not fully developed. Support assistants are used effectively in lessons to give help both to pupils with special educational needs and those who need additional support. Pupils show satisfactory attitudes to the subject.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

73. Leadership is satisfactory, but management of the subject is unsatisfactory. There are no opportunities to rigorously monitor the subject. There are informal assessment systems in place, but these rely too much on the individual expertise of teachers, and as a result there is no guarantee of step-by-step development of skills as pupils move through the school. Geography makes a good contribution to the pupils’ understanding of other cultures. It is linked well to other subjects in the whole school themes such as ‘Africa’. The school has made satisfactory progress since the previous inspection.

p.31

History

74. Work was sampled in history with no lessons being observed. It is therefore, not possible to make overall judgements about provision in this subject. From work seen and planning analysed, the school covers all required areas. Standards of work seen are at the expected levels, with all pupils attaining satisfactorily. By the end of Year 2, pupils have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the life of Samuel Pepys. Pupils in Year 6 have good knowledge and understanding of the history of their own area. They have satisfactory understanding of the Victorian period and how it affected the lives of poor people. The history curriculum is effectively enhanced by visits out of school, including local museums. There have been insufficient opportunities for rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning to identify areas for development. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 32

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Due to timetable arrangements, little work of the school was seen in these subjects, and therefore it is not possible to make secure judgements in all areas.

p.32

Art and design

75. No lessons were observed in art and design, so it is not appropriate to make judgements about overall provision, standards and achievement, teaching or learning. The sample of pupils’ work indicates a satisfactory curriculum is in place for pupils in Years 1 and 2, but this is narrow in Years 3 to 6. In Years 1 and 2, pupils have satisfactory opportunities to develop drawing, painting and collage skills, although there are few opportunities to develop techniques in two- and three-dimensional work, such as with clay, or to develop skills using other techniques. In Years 3 to 6, little recent work was seen and that available reflects a very narrow range of drawing and painting activities, with some work of only a very basic level. However, pupils speak with enjoyment of making masks following an African study. There is little evidence of pupils drawing up designs for their work or of evaluating the quality of their finished items. As

p.32

Art and design

there is no subject co-ordinator and only informal assessment, there has been little or no monitoring of planning, teaching and learning which makes it difficult for the staff to know if there is a continuous development of skills as pupils move through the school.

p.32

Design and Technology

76. No lessons were seen in design and technology, therefore it is not appropriate to make judgements on the quality of provision. The Year 1 and 2 sample of pupils’ recent work indicates a satisfactory range of activities, including the making of pictures that move and sewing activities. Pupils have also designed, made and evaluated a puppet. Discussions indicate a reasonable range of activities in Years 3 and 4, including food technology. However, the sample of work in Years 5 and 6 shows very little work done during the academic year. Whilst planning indicates time will be spent at the end of the year undertaking appropriate activities, this does not enable the pupils to develop designing, making and evaluating skills in a consistent and progressive manner. There is no subject co-ordinator and assessment procedures are very informal. The lack of monitoring of planning, teaching and learning has allowed inconsistencies in the

p.32

Design and Technology

coverage of the subject, which limits the progress pupils make.

p.32

Physical education

77. There was insufficient evidence available to support overall judgements on provision, teaching and learning or leadership of the subject. A scrutiny of planning and discussions indicate the programme of study offered to pupils meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, and an adequate amount of time is provided. A good range of sporting activities is offered to pupils outside lesson times. This includes netball, football, rounders, cricket, baseball and orienteering. Some pupils have the opportunity to visit the local sports centre to use the trampoline or take part in other activities.

p.32

Physical education

78. Only one lesson was observed. In it, Year 6 pupils showed that their attainment in throwing, fielding and batting skills in rounders is line with that of pupils of similar ages. The teaching in the lesson was good. Consequently, pupils were eager participants and worked hard individually, in pairs and groups, to steadily improve their performances. The teacher was particularly effective in providing different and well-planned tasks for pupils who were at different levels of achievement. St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 33

p.32

Music

79. There was insufficient evidence available to make secure judgements about provision in the subject. Discussions with staff indicate that music provision has improved since the last inspection when it was judged to be unsatisfactory. There is now a full programme of study offered to the pupils. The school has benefited from the governors’ decision to appoint a specialist part-time music specialist.

p.33

Music

80. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection and so it is not possible to make an overall judgement on standards, teaching or learning. Pupils show appropriate skills in listening to music and comment sensibly when appraising pieces. They display their understanding of rhythm, beat and dynamics when studying and repeating patterns, and singing is tuneful and in time. Subject leadership is unsatisfactory. Members of staff are not being helped to develop subject knowledge, nor are they being provided with the confidence to teach it. Currently, most teaching is by a specialist teacher who expects a lot of the youngest children who struggle to concentrate and achieve what is expected of them. Class teachers are not always involved in such lessons, so have limited opportunities to help with pupil management or organise follow up tasks. No assessment procedures are established for monitoring pupils’ progress and leadership

p.33

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

81. On the basis of what was seen during the inspection, provision is satisfactory . The school has established a satisfactory programme of study for developing pupils’ personal, social, health education and citizenship. Sometimes, it is taught in circle time. When this occurs, pupils are able to express and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings on a range of issues. Teachers often take the opportunity to develop the subject through making effective use of opportunities as they arise, such as unsatisfactory behaviour, bullying or name-calling. On these occasions, relevant discussions help pupils to become aware of their actions upon others. This is helpful in raising the attention of pupils to the needs of others. Some good poetry written by Year 6 pupils is displayed in school. It demonstrates their ability to express emotion and to empathise with others who are affected by tragedy such as war and famine.

p.33

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 34

p.34

The overall effectiveness of the school 4

How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.34

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 4

Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.34

The quality of education provided by the school 4

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

p.34

The leadership and management of the school 4

The governance of the school 4 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - 35 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 5 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.34