Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold

CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 10 th July 2003

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CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brandreth Drive Parbold Wigan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr P Osbaldeston

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 Tth February 2002 Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21750 Mrs S E Hall Registered inspector Science The foundation stage The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? What could the school do to improve further? 31729 Mr B Harrington Lay inspector Equal opportunities Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 31807 Mr D Carpenter Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Geography History How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

32273 Mr P Hewett Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Physical education Special educational needs How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary school is located in the large village of Parbold near Wigan in Lancashire. There are 98 pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven. The school serves the parish and village and more than half the pupils attend from further afield. Currently, fewer than three per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is very low. All pupils are of white ethnicity with none having English as an additional language. Ten per cent of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register, which is below average and three pupils have statements of special needs. Pupils’ attainment when they start school is above average in most areas of their development.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The previous inspection identified serious weaknesses in the quality of education provided. Since this time there has been rapid and impressive improvement. The school now provides a good all round education, with a number of very good features, including the warm and caring ethos created. Standards achieved are above average. The quality of teaching and learning is very good as is the overall quality of leadership. The role of the headteacher has been pivotal in uniting the staff team to work together with commitment and dedication. The leadership and management of the school are excellent and the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The standards the pupils achieve at the age of seven and eleven are above average. • The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to school, their learning and relationships are excellent. • Curriculum planning for children in the Foundation Stage is very good, as is provision for pupils with special educational needs throughout the school. • Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • Parents have very positive views of the school and the quality of education provided. • The quality of leadership and the management provided by the senior management team is excellent.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved in mathematics, especially in Year 3 to Year 6. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The previous inspection of February 2002 identified that the school had serious weaknesses and there was a pressing need for improvement. There has been very good overall improvement since this time. Four main areas were identified as key issues for development. There has been very good improvement in the provision for pupils in Year 3 to Year 4 where teaching is now of a consistently good quality. The school has been successful in raising standards in Key Stage 2 and for the higher attaining pupils throughout the school, by raising expectations of what the pupils can achieve. There has been a major focus on, and good improvement in developing and implementing assessment systems to tell teachers what pupils know and need to learn next. There has also been significant improvement in the Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 7 quality of the leadership and management by clarifying roles and responsibilities of governors

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

and staff and establishing a very effective programme of monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school. The school has also addressed the minor issues of child protection and the monitoring of attendance. In addition to addressing these identified issues, the school has also improved the overall quality of teaching and learning and of curriculum planning.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The attainment of children when they start at the school is varied, but above average overall in most areas of their early learning. Children are confident and have well developed skills of communication, language and literacy. In the Foundation Stage the children make very good overall progress.

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schools

The 2002 National Curriculum test results showed that at the end of Year 2 pupils achieved standards in reading, writing and mathematics which were well above the national average and well above average compared to schools with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals. Standards for seven-year-olds have been high for the last three years. Inspection findings are that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average at the end of Year 2 and pupils achieve well.

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schools

The 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 showed that standards in English, mathematics and science were well above average. Compared to schools with similar features, standards in English were well above average and those in mathematics and science were above average. Current targets are appropriately challenging. The standards achieved in 2002 were a significant improvement on the previous two years and showed no major difference in the attainment of boys and girls. The school's target for 87% of pupils to achieve the expected level in English was comfortably exceeded, as was the target for 68% in mathematics. Inspection findings are that standards are not quite as high as they were last year because of the different abilities of the relatively small groups of pupils. Standards in English and science are currently above average at the end of Year 6 and those in mathematics are average.

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schools

Standards in design and technology throughout the school and in history and information and communication technology by Year 6 are well above average. Standards in art and design and geography are above average throughout the school as they are in history and information and communication technology by Year 2 and physical education by Year 6. Standards in music and physical education by Year 6 are average but as no lessons were seen in Year 1 and Year 2 it was not possible to make secure judgements in these subjects Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 8 for Key Stage 1. Children in the Foundation Stage and pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 learn particularly well because of the very good quality of teaching. Higher attaining pupils, including those recognised as gifted and talented, do well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and achieve what they are capable of.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. The pupils enjoy coming to school; they work hard and concentrate very well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The pupils are well behaved and polite in class and at play. They take notice of the staff and co-operate very well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Strong relationships exist between pupils and with adults. Pupils accept responsibility readily, and from an early age thrive on making choices in their learning and in social activities.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Above average. Although a small number of families take holidays in term times there is no unauthorised absence and the very large majority of pupils arrive punctually.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning, which has considerably improved since the previous inspection, is very good overall. It is best for the youngest and oldest pupils and good for those in the middle of the school. Staff expect a lot of pupils both in terms of their behaviour and academic achievement and the pupils are keen to live up to these challenges. Teachers have developed warm and friendly relationships with pupils that encourage them to behave well and try hard with their work. Pupils are valued for their efforts staff praise them well, which raises pupil confidence and self-esteem. Teachers explain things well and use a very good range of open-ended problem solving and investigative approaches to interest the pupils. Teachers’ subject knowledge is very good, as is the planning and organisation of lessons. Pupils learn very well and make very good overall progress. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Curriculum planning is broad and well balanced and the school makes good use of visits and the local community to enrich the opportunities planned. Planning for the Foundation Stage is very good. The school provides a good range of extra- curricular activities although these are currently only available for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school caters very well for pupils who have special educational needs. Individual Education Plans are thorough and reflect external advice where appropriate. The needs of pupils who have statements are fully met. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is a core feature of the ethos of the school. The school provides a clear moral code as a basis for behaviour and helps to extend pupils’

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Aspect Comment

social experiences and their knowledge of a range of other cultures very effectively. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The educational and personal support and guidance for pupils are very good, as are assessment practices to measure the progress they make.

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Aspect Comment

Parents have a high regard for the quality of education offered and are very supportive of the school and of their children.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and management of the school and has a clear vision for improvement. She is very ably supported by the acting deputy headteacher and together they have provided a focus for the pursuit of improvement. Staff are developing their roles as subject leaders well. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Despite numerous recent changes to the membership of the Governing Body, which have hindered strategic planning, governors now have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are effectively developing their role in shaping the direction of the school through extending their first hand knowledge of what has to be provided for the pupils. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has implemented a carefully planned and

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Aspect Comment

rigorous programme of monitoring standards, teaching and learning, which has identified areas of weakness and enabled staff to plan for and rigorously pursue improvement. The strategic use of resources Very good. Financial planning is carefully considered and effective. The principles of best value are applied very well to purchases and resources, including computers, are used well. There is a very good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum and good accommodation and resources. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That the school expects children to work hard and achieve well. • They would feel comfortable approaching the school with concerns. • That teaching is good. • The large amount of work to do at home. • More after school activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are generally very supportive of the school. They think that the quality of education has improved over the last year. They have few major concerns but some feel there is too much homework given. Inspectors support the positive views of the school but believe that the use of homework is good and that extra curricular activities are very good for a small school. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the Reception class at the start of the year of their fifth birthday with attainment that, whilst wide ranging, is generally above average for their age. The children settle very quickly to school and are keen and enthusiastic learners. There is a very well planned range of activities that stimulate and challenge them. Children communicate well for their age both with adults and other children. They achieve well in the Reception class because of the very good quality of the teaching, which encourages them to develop very positive attitudes to their learning. By the time they enter Year 1, their skills are above the recognised national targets of the ‘Early Learning Goals’ in personal and social development, communication, language and literacy, mathematics and their knowledge and understanding of the world. Skills in physical and creative development are largely average. Standards have risen since the previous

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

inspection because of the consistently high quality of teaching.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The previous inspection report of February 2002, indicated that standards in English were good at the age of seven and eleven but that whilst standards in mathematics were good at the age of seven they were not as high as they should be at the age of eleven. Standards in science were similar and good at the age of seven but only close to the average at eleven. Largely because the pupils who achieved well in Key Stage 1 did not do so well in Key Stage 2, and did not make the progress they were capable of, the school was identified as having serious weaknesses.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Following the previous inspection the staff immediately set about the task of raising standards by improving the quality of teaching and learning. They did this with commitment, a sense of purpose and zeal. A very large amount of work was done to identify what makes teaching good and to improve the quality of assessment so that staff could accurately track the progress pupils make and identify where improvement was necessary.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The National Curriculum tests of 2002 for pupils at the end of Year 2 showed that the great majority of pupils achieved standards that were higher than the national average in reading, writing and in mathematics. Overall standards were well above the national average in all three areas. When attainment is compared to that of pupils in schools with a similar proportion entitled to free school meals, attainment was also well above average in each area.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Early information from the 2003 National Curriculum tests indicates that these high standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 have largely been maintained. Inspection judgements are that, whilst there are slight variations because of the different natural abilities of the small groups of pupils, standards in reading by the age of seven are above average. Most pupils read well and use a good range of strategies to work out words they are not familiar with.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The 2002 National Curriculum tests indicated that at the end of Year 2 pupils also did well in writing, with standards well above both the national and similar schools' averages. Writing standards have been consistently high since 1999 and in 2001 were amongst the highest five per cent in the country. Current standards in writing, whilst not at quite that level, nevertheless are above average by the end of Year 2. The majority of pupils write quite imaginatively and make good use of their widening vocabulary. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 12 7. In the 2002 national tests in mathematics at the age of seven attainment was well above the national average, and well above average when compared to schools with similar features. The trend in mathematics has generally been upwards in the last 3 years although the results were below average in 1999. Assessment information indicates that previously pupils had a good grasp of number and algebra and shape and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

space but until recently their skills in using and applying mathematics have been more limited. This became a whole school focus for improvement and there has been good progress in this area. Current standards in mathematics are above average and problem-solving skills are improving well. Pupils have a secure understanding of number, which they often use confidently in mental calculations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Teacher assessments in science in 2002 indicate that standards at the age of seven were average in the number of pupils achieving the expected levels but more pupils achieved the higher levels than seen nationally. However, as in mathematics, pupils previously did not make as much progress in experimental and investigative activities as in other aspects of the curriculum. This has been an area the school has identified and tackled well. Inspection findings are that standards are above average for the age group. Many pupils have a lively interest in the world around them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The previous inspection indicated that whilst standards in Key Stage 1 were good standards in Key Stage 2 were not high enough. Since the major review of teaching and learning attainment began to rise very quickly and in the national tests of 2002 overall standards were higher than in any other previous year. In these tests pupils did very well, particularly in English. Standards for pupils aged eleven were well above the national average in English and well above average when compared to those in schools with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals. The number of pupils reaching the higher standards was well above that seen in most schools. However, school assessment information indicates that this year’s group of pupils is not such a high attaining group. Inspection findings reflect this position and indicate that standards in English are above average at the age of eleven. Most pupils continue to develop their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

speaking, reading and writing skills well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 pupils achieved standards in mathematics which were well above the national average and above average when compared to schools with similar features. Current standards in mathematics do not quite match last year’s results because of the different natural abilities of the small groups of pupils. These pupils did not do so well in mathematics as they did in other subjects in Key Stage 1 national tests. Over time older pupils have not done as well in mathematics as they have in other subjects although there appears to be no specific reason why this should occur. Early indications from the 2003 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6 are that pupils again did not do as well in mathematics as they did in English and science. Inspection findings bear the test results out and show that at the end of Year 6 pupils achieve average standards in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. In the 2002 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, pupils achieved standards in science which were well above average when compared to all schools and above average when compared to those with similar features. Inspection findings are that, because of the school’s focus on investigative and experimental science, standards are above average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Standards in design and technology across the school and in history and information and communication technology at eleven are well above average. Computers are used well to support learning in other subjects. Standards in art and design and geography Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 13 are above average throughout the school as they are in history and information and communication technology at seven and design and technology and physical education at eleven. Standards in music are average at the age of eleven but as no music or physical education lessons were seen in Year 1 and Year 2 it was not possible to make secure judgements in these areas.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Last year the targets the school set for pupils’ achievement were easily exceeded, and the school is on course to meet this year’s targets. Boys and girls achieve equally well. Detailed and comprehensive records of the pupils’ attainment and progress are kept, and these are used effectively to inform teaching, target setting and planning. Because the quality of teaching is very good pupils throughout the school learn well and generally achieve what they are capable of. The school does not formally identify any pupils as gifted and talented but higher attaining pupils achieve well, because the school ensures their learning needs are identified and a good level of challenge is provided. Average attaining pupils generally achieve well although some could do better in mathematics. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well as their needs are identified and support provided.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. The school supports pupils with special educational needs very well and this has a positive impact upon their achievements. The small number of pupils with learning difficulties are identified as soon as possible and targeted support is provided. In all classes, pupils with special needs receive additional support from support assistants and as a result most make the same progress as other pupils. Support for pupils with statements of special educational needs is very good and in addition to in class support, specific programmes, for example to improve gross motor skills, are undertaken on a daily basis.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils have excellent attitudes to school and involve themselves very well in activities. They particularly enjoy being in a small school where they know everyone, and everyone is friendly. The sense of fun engendered by teachers, and an exceptionally high level of pupil involvement, help to promote an enthusiasm for learning among pupils of all ages and removes any reluctance by pupils to participate in lessons. Children from the Foundation Stage onwards settle very happily and parents agree that their children like school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils are very well behaved in lessons and around the school. Their behaviour reflects the very high expectations of their teachers and their parents. From an early age they display a high level of discipline which, as they progress through the school, becomes self-discipline. There is no oppressive behaviour, and there have been no exclusions. The vast majority of parents believe that behaviour in the school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils' personal development is excellent. Parents believe that the school produces very well-rounded individuals who have respect and trust for others. Pupils respond very readily to the opportunities provided by the school for them to take responsibility for features of school life and for aspects of their own learning. Representatives of all classes are voted onto to the School Council and enjoy the decision-making associated with the posts. The School Council provides pupils with opportunities to debate issues which are of interest to them in a way that makes them feel valued. Older pupils who have undertaken the roles of house captains work enthusiastically to promote their own houses through the acquisition of merit awards. Some pupils have worked enthusiastically with local tree wardens and with students from a local college to improve the school environment. Pupils undertake homework each week for which

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 14 there is a 100% return in all year groups. By setting open-ended tasks, pupils feel less threatened and the quality of work done is higher as pupils are able to develop their own interests. Pupils are becoming adept at selecting and using information rather than copying the work of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Relationships amongst pupils, and between pupils and teachers are excellent. Pupils of all ages understand that learning will benefit them and, in an unself-conscious way, make the most of lessons and other learning opportunities to promote their own learning and for supporting the development of others. Pupils are extremely tolerant of their classmates with special educational needs: totally respecting these needs and accepting that some pupils find self-expression more difficult than others do. In this way, they are living out the school's motto, which they themselves agreed upon, and which quotes Christ's commandment that we should love one another. Throughout the school, citizenship is promoted and rewarded through school rules, and through interviewing models of good citizens who visit to school. Parents agree that the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Attendance is good. During the current year the rate of attendance is 94.75 percent. This is above the national average and the school has maintained a similar attendance rate for several years. During the last two years there have been no unauthorised absences.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teaching and learning are very good overall and considerably improved from the satisfactory quality seen in the previous inspection. Effective teaching enables pupils of all abilities to learn well and achieve well. Teaching was excellent in almost 13 per cent of lessons observed, very good in almost 38 per cent, good in 42 per cent and satisfactory in 8 per cent of the lessons seen. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and for the oldest pupils is particularly strong which enables them to do particularly well. Teaching in the middle of the school whilst not quite as strong is nevertheless good and allows the pupils to make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Since the previous inspection of the school, staff have spent considerable time and effort in identifying what makes effective teaching. The monitoring of teaching has been a particularly effective tool and has brought about a sharper focus on how teaching enables pupils to make progress and learn well. The staff have worked very closely on the monitoring and evaluation of their teaching, developing strong professional relationships and trust in their colleagues by monitoring each other. This has helped unite the staff team and led to considerable improvement particularly in planning and the use of assessment.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers’ subject knowledge and understanding of the learning needs of the pupils are very good overall. The understanding of what interests and motivates children is particularly strong in the Foundation Stage where the teacher has very high levels of awareness of the learning needs of the youngest pupils. This is shown in the wide range of open-ended activities where children are encouraged to find out for themselves and make choices in their learning rather than simply copying what the teacher tells them to do.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. All staff have developed a good focus upon the organisation of problem solving and investigative approaches to learning. These strategies interest and motivate the pupils well and they try hard to solve the challenges. Pupils are often set problems in a wide Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 15 range of subjects. This is seen well in a design and technology activity when the youngest children have to make a model ladder for their fire engine to reach the top of a brick tower. Teachers subject knowledge is particularly strong in information and communication technology and design and technology where activities are well linked to other subject areas to make them relevant to other subjects studied.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The teaching of basic skills is good overall and very good in the Foundation Stage where the opportunity for the children to develop speaking skills is particularly effective. Whilst literacy skills are generally taught well in other parts of the school staff occasionally miss the opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas with ‘talking partners’ and to report back to the class. The skills of reading and writing are well taught. Pupils practise basic handwriting skills although not enough emphasis is subsequently placed on using neat handwriting in their books. Numeracy skills are well taught. Pupils have plenty of well planned opportunities to learn and practise mental calculations and apply these in problem solving activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers’ planning is very good. There are strong cross-curricular links between all subjects, which enable pupils to make good progress for example in their writing in history lessons and clear mathematical progress in design and technology lessons. Similarly in a science activity about classification older pupils make very good progress when measuring daisies and finding the mean and mode of the measurements. Planning mostly takes clear account of the different learning needs of higher, average and lower attaining pupils although there is room to improve this further in mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Teachers’ expectations are high both in terms of pupils’ behaviour and of what they can achieve. Staff clearly expect pupils to behave well and try hard whilst having excellent relationships with the pupils. Teachers have worked hard to raise the expectations of what the pupils will achieve since the previous inspection and some staff, particularly in the Foundation Stage and Year 5 and Year 6 model very good practice in this area. Staff continually encourage the pupils to extend their learning through extra ‘challenges’ where they have an additional problem to solve or area to research. This pushes their learning on well and has a very positive impact upon their personal development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. The methods the teachers use to interest pupils and organise lessons are very good. Most staff make very good use of both open-ended and directed questions to involve all pupils, including the quietest. The teacher of the Reception class pupils is particularly skilled in this area and very calmly and supportively probes what the children know and encourages them to think aloud to share their ideas with their friends. Staff use an effective mix of activities for the whole class, groups and where appropriate individual pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. The percentage of pupils with identified special educational needs is below the national average. All teachers cater well for these pupils either by varying the level of support they receive in class or preparing tasks adjusted to meet their needs. Sensitive use of questioning ensures that all children are included in class discussions. Teachers refer to targets in individual education plans when planning their lessons and enter into individual arrangements with parents to ensure that homework is not too great a burden. The School makes very good provision for pupils with statements of special educational needs and enhances the level of support paid for by the local authority. This ensures that pupils are able to achieve their best and take full and active part in class activities. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 16 29. The management of pupils is very good overall and is excellent in the Foundation

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Stage. This ensures that lessons are conducted in a calm but busy and purposeful working environment. All staff clearly value pupils and their ideas. There are very warm and supportive relationships throughout the school. However, on the very few occasions when pupils misbehave staff are clear in what is acceptable or not.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

30. The use of time, support staff and resources is good overall. Staff use time well to ensure a balance of activities when pupils have to listen and when they are involved in practical activities or recording what they have found out. Support staff are used well to support both pupils with special educational needs and where appropriate other pupils within the class. Teachers use computers well to support pupils’ learning. These are usually readily available in most lessons and pupils become confident users because of the consistent use of information and communication technology to support their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

31. The quality and use of ongoing assessment is very good. All staff feedback verbally to pupils what they have done well and try to make points for improvement to be constructive rather than critical. The marking of pupils’ work is at times excellent and is turned into a dialogue with pupils about what they have enjoyed and what they could consider for the future. The use of formal assessment is an area the school has worked hard on since the previous inspection and whilst very extensive this information is used well to inform planning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

32. The use of homework is good with some very good examples for the oldest pupils where it is used particularly effectively to extend what pupils learn in class. Staff have carefully thought out a programme of homework relevant to the pupils’ age and ability and across the range of subjects. Older pupils are encouraged to carry out open ended research projects on a variety of subjects. This interests pupils and prepares them well for secondary school. While some parents think there is too much homework staff are sensitive to the views of a minority of parents and pupils are in no way penalised if homework is not completed.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good throughout the school. Teachers plan carefully to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. As part of the review of curriculum provision since the previous inspection much has been done to identify the most able pupils in the school and to provide for their needs. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy and meets statutory requirements for drugs awareness, health and sex education and providing for acts of collective worship. All pupils have equality of access to the planned curriculum and the school works hard to ensure that pupils in mixed age classes receive an education appropriate to their age and ability.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The curriculum for all subjects follows a scheme of work and most address the national guidance for subjects other than English and mathematics. Effective leadership and management ensure that time allocation is sufficient in all subjects and particularly good use is made of opportunities for linking subjects across the curriculum, for example the promotion of literacy skills in the foundation subjects. Information and communication technology is used increasingly to support learning in a wide range of activities. Visits to places further afield such as Bolton, Chester and Preston are used effectively to enrich learning and very good use is made of the local Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 17 environment in for example, history and geography. Visitors to school including the Tree Wardens, the Dog Warden and students from Skelmersdale College add an extra dimension to pupils’ learning, particularly in supporting citizenship education, and are

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. All pupils have access to the curriculum and equal opportunities for personal and academic development. Boys and girls share lessons and are offered extra curricular activities regardless of any special educational needs, or differing Christian denominations. Staff and pupils have benefited from a disability awareness week, which was presented by parents who work in the health sector.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils are fully included in all lessons and have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum. This is achieved through relevant and specific individual education plans and close liaison with support assistants who work directly with the children in class.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. The provision for extra-curricular activities is very good, although these are available to pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 only. These include activities to support music and sport and the school tries hard to provide for boys and girls. The number of activities provided is a reflection of the numbers of adults available and they are very popular with pupils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Provision for personal, social and health education is very good and the school has successfully added education for citizenship to this area of pupils’ learning. The school has recognised the importance of this extension of the curriculum and during the course of the inspection pupils were taking part in a themed week of activities linked to citizenship. Work in geography in Year 3 and Year 4 involved pupils in establishing a debate concerning proposals for a new theme park in Blackpool. Pupils in Year 6 discussed local support for children from Belarus and also engaged in a debate on freedom and democracy with the Clerk to the Council. Circle time and the deliberations of the School Council also provide structured opportunities for personal development. In addition to planned sessions, teachers use many incidental opportunities for reinforcing personal, social and health education. A particularly strong feature of personal

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

development is the maturity of the relationship between older pupils and their teachers, especially in Year 5 and Year 6 where they receive excellent preparation for their transition to secondary education.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. The school has very good links with the Diocese, the Parish church, the local education authority and the local community and these make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development. The chair of the governors curriculum committee has helped the school develop links with a local charity, with such activities enhancing pupils’ personal development well.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. A well planned programme of regular visitors into school adds enrichment to the curriculum and the school publishes frequent newsletters to keep parents and the local community informed. Links with a local garden centre have been the basis for exploring many aspects of science and knowledge and understanding of the world for children from the Reception Class and other classes in school. As part of improving the environment pupils have designed new flower borders and the local Tree Wardens translated their pictures into named plants to go into the gardens. Visits to the village of Parbold have become a learning resource for history and geography as the area is richly endowed with road, canal and railway history for the pupils to study. A member of the governing body also visits the school and works with pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 as part of extending their learning in history and geography. Through the ‘EPALS’ scheme

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 18 pupils have set up email links with children in schools in for example, Hong Kong, and have reached out into the global community.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. The relationship with other schools is good. The majority of pupils leave Year 6 to go to one of two high schools in the area and they are well prepared and well received in this major transition. There are links with Blackburn College and students from Skelmersdale College visit the school as part of their own training and have assisted pupils in their improvements to the environment around the school.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

42. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual development. There is a strongly spiritual atmosphere in the school and pupils are aware of the significance of the school motto “Love one another”. They are able to express their joys and sorrows in a supportive and caring environment and are given the confidence to value their own opinions and those of others. In lessons they gain a spiritual awareness from the joy they share in each other’s company and from the study of the world of faith and experience around them. The school is characterised by good quality displays that stimulate the imagination and encourage pupils in their reflections. Older pupils have no embarrassment in expressing feelings of awe and wonder and, during the inspection, those in Year 3 and Year 4 were deeply affected by the beauty of cobwebs in the video ‘Microcosmos’. The depth of their reaction is apparent in their attempts at reproducing

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

this beauty in their own work. Visitors to the school, including the Father Abbot of Ampleforth, also make a contribution to the spiritual awareness of all pupils.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

43. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The school encourages tolerance and respect between individuals and groups in lessons and pupils in all year groups are able to discuss their ideas in an atmosphere free from pressure. Pupils of all ages show a respect for the concept of right and wrong and know that the school has a simple but effective moral code to govern behaviour. Class rules are positive and encourage pupils in self-control of their own behaviour. The atmosphere in all classes is purposeful and there is a strong sense of mutual tolerance and respect. Through ‘Circle Time’ and other areas of education for citizenship teachers make very good use of opportunities for preparing pupils for the moral dilemmas that will confront them. By the time they reach Year 6 they address these with confidence in the knowledge that answers are hard to find. The close relationship between spiritual and moral education

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

in the school is helping to produce well-rounded younger citizens.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

44. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good and pupils benefit from being in a socially inclusive school. Teachers provide good role models in helping pupils develop and sustain their friendships. Relationships within the school are excellent and there is a strong sense of community. During the inspection many examples were seen of older pupils performing acts of care and kindness towards their younger schoolmates. Pupils are clearly loved by those who care for them and their maturity of outlook and behaviour makes their company a delight for the visitor. The widespread emphasis in the school on independent learning has produced social dividends in, for example, the confidence of pupils in Year 5 in producing a power-point presentation for new intake pupils. The good relationships with the local community extend pupils’ concepts of belonging to a social group in which they can feel secure. In discussion pupils in Year

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

6, who are ready to leave, are adamant that their new schools will be good if the teachers are as kind as their current ones.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

45. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Not only do pupils have a good sense of their own cultural heritage through their experience in history, geography, art and music but they are able to attribute value to cultures that none may have experienced first hand. During the course of the inspection a visiting musician Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 19 introduced the pupils to some of the music of Africa. This experience gave rise not only to awe and wonder but also to a high level of interest in the music of the large range of drums being used. Over time pupils have been part of an extensive ‘Euro fest’ week and a ‘Chinese’ Day. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good sense of the artistic and musical traditions of Britain and Europe and they know that Britain is more than ever a multicultural and multi-faith society.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school cares for its pupils very well. The headteacher is designated to deal with any issues of child protection that may arise. She has received recent training for this role and all staff have received training in the revised policy. Risk assessments are carried out on behalf of the safety committee of the governing body. The physical education subject leader has received training in risk assessments and teachers conduct risk assessments of specific areas such as swimming lessons and residential visits. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and nursery nurse have all received recent training in first aid. First-aid kits are placed strategically around the school and a travelling kit is available for off-site activities. Incident files and other records such as letters informing parents of head bumps are maintained, and there are emergency procedures available for managing pupils with epilepsy. Staff and pupils are familiar

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

with the routines for dealing with pupils who have had an accident or are feeling unwell.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The levels of support and guidance for pupils with special educational needs are very good overall. The special educational needs co-ordinator is very well qualified and all support assistants attend training courses to enable them to fulfil their roles effectively. Good procedures assist in the early identification of pupils’ difficulties and external specialist advice is sought where necessary. The School is keen to work in close co- operation with external providers such as the Dyslexia Institute. Pupils also benefit from the strong school ethos of love and respect which means that all pupils with special educational needs are fully accepted by their peers. The support and guidance for pupils with statements of special educational needs is very good. The school is conscious of the risk that pupils may become over dependent on the presence of an additional adult and plans appropriate opportunities for pupils to work independently.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The educational and personal support and guidance provided for pupils is very good. Vigilant monitoring of absences has insured that all absences have been approved in recent years, and parents are responding to the headteacher’s request that holidays be taken outside term time. Intense monitoring of persistent latecomers has resolved previous concerns about punctuality.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The excellent whole school policy for behaviour management is reviewed annually with the pupils, with each house addressing the rules for a specific area or activity. Rewards for good work, good behaviour, good citizenship, and the achievement of personal targets are presented at the weekly merit assembly and are used very effectively. House captains organise the merits system well and maintain the records. Prizes are awarded annually and each half term to the winning house. Awards on sports day, during which mixed-aged teams compete, also contribute well to the merits system. An escalation procedure exists, and a serious incident book is used to monitor patterns of behaviour if necessary.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Records of personal achievement are maintained very well for all pupils. These contain significant pieces of work, chosen by the pupils, for each year in school. These often generate great mirth when they are updated - pupils are however reflecting upon their Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 20 own progress when they do this. In addition to annual progress reports, half-termly reports are issued which are very useful monitoring tools as they provide new targets and record progress against previous targets. One of the governors challenges higher achieving pupils through a special study of the Age of Discovery.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The school has worked hard to improve its approach to the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and this has led to a significant improvement since the last inspection. Good assessment procedures are now in place for all core subjects and for most foundation subjects. Teachers make good use of assessment information to plan the next stages of pupils’ learning. All pupils have targets in the core subjects, which are reviewed and reset on a half termly basis. The targets are shared with pupils and are sent home to parents thereby making it easier for parents to support their children with their learning. This has a very positive impact upon learning. The school is developing records of achievement in information and communication technology and portfolios of work in foundation stage subjects with the exception of music and physical education.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Portfolios held centrally by subject leaders contain samples of work moderated by all teaching staff to show achievement at different levels of the National Curriculum. This is an effective measure, which gives an indication of what children need to do next in order to progress to the next level. Good use of the digital camera is made in these portfolios. The system is simple and effective without making huge demands on time. Assessment recording and target setting procedures are well integrated although greater consideration needs to be given to planning opportunities for assessment.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The analysis of end of key stage national test results by the head teacher is thorough and the information is used to effectively track the individual progress of pupils and to compare the learning of different groups of pupils. The school also analyses the results of a number of other commercially produced tests and non-statutory assessment in Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5. Class teachers are fully aware of the results of this analysis and it is used to inform long term planning. This work has contributed to the improved attainment of higher achieving pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Parents have extremely positive views of the school. All of those who responded to the inspection questionnaire believe that the teaching is good, that they are kept well informed about how their children are getting on, and that the school expects their children to work hard and to achieve their best. The vast majority of parents agree that the school is well led and managed, that their children are making good progress in school, and that they would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. A very small number of parents would like to see the school work more closely with parents, do not feel that their children are getting the right amount of work to do at home, and would like to see the school provide a more interesting range of activities outside lessons. However, inspection judgements are that the range of activities for a small school is very good.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The school provides very good quality information for parents. In addition to formal documents such as the governors’ annual report to parents and the school's prospectus, there are weekly newsletters which contain useful information about events and topics in school and those related to the Parent Teacher Association. Parents are aware of the newsletter as it accompanies Wednesday's homework. Annual progress reports are very effective in describing in detail what the pupils can do, Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 21 and include a significant paragraph on general behaviour and attitude. Half-termly reports are effective in providing pupils with individual targets. Parents have signed up to the home-school agreement, which includes the golden rules devised by the pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The induction booklet for the parents of children joining the Foundation Stage is a very well-written document which helps to put parents at ease and provides guidance for them on how to help their children's learning at home. This booklet supports a comprehensive induction programme which includes a new parents evening, an opportunity to meet the school nurse, and an invitation to potential pupils to attend taster lessons. The Foundation Stage Profile is an ongoing assessment document providing a continuous picture of children's development during the year to be shared with parents. Information provided for parents of pupils with special educational needs is good and parents are fully involved in annual reviews.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The school has recently conducted a survey of parents’ opinions to help identify the things done well and those that could be improved. An analysis of these opinions demonstrates that the parents are very supportive of the school and pleased with their children's progress. The headteacher and her staff make themselves available to parents at the beginning and the end of each day, with the headteacher engaging parents in conversation in the playground each morning.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The involvement of parents in the education of their children makes an excellent contribution to learning at school and at home. Some parents regularly work in school providing support for teachers and pupils. They listen to readers and promote discussion, and provide additional opportunities for teaching and learning in classes. During the recent citizenship theme week, some parents visited school to discuss their professions and what impact these roles have upon society. Parents do not hesitate to volunteer to support and run activities during theme weeks and for extra-curricular activities, and with the school being inclusive, it enjoys the support of parents with differing beliefs.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. A significant number of parents have undertaken the ‘Parents as Educators’ programme in school in which they have worked with pupils on curriculum topics. Their evaluation of this work includes the responses of pupils and the outcomes of lessons. In this way they are providing additional assessment information for teachers and positive support for pupils. The Parent Teacher Association holds social and fund- raising activities to promote the community aspect of the school and to help purchase additional resources such as new staging in the hall and new library books. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 22

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The overall quality of the leadership and management of the school is very good. The leadership and management provided by the headteacher are excellent. This represents a substantial improvement from the time of the last inspection when leadership was judged to be satisfactory and management by the governors, headteacher and senior staff was judged to have serious weaknesses. This aspect is now a clear strength of the school and is a key factor in improved standards of teaching and learning and improvement in the levels of attainment of pupils.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The manner in which the headteacher has addressed weaknesses identified at the time of the last inspection is impressive. She has eradicated complacency and ensured that everyone associated with the school has an open minded and analytical approach to the potential for school improvement. All this has been done in a professional and rigorous manner whilst at the same time ensuring that the ethos of the school is not only maintained but enhanced. This is embodied in the motto “love one another”. The process of deciding the motto had a unifying effect by ensuring that all the school community was involved. It began with the pupils discussing what the school’s mission statement meant. Their ideas were then taken to a Saturday conference involving parents, staff, governors and the Archdiocese. The results of this conference were then brought back to the children who made the final decision. The motto can now be used as a constant reminder of the school’s aims and values and

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the success of the strategy can be clearly seen in the excellent relationships that exist between all members of the school’s community including both pupils and adults.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The headteacher is very well supported by the acting deputy headteacher and subject leaders are developing their roles well. The acting deputy provides excellent support to the headteacher and together they make an impressive senior management team. The delegation of responsibilities and accountabilities is clear and effective. The system ensures that expertise is shared and that all staff can learn from each other. The acting deputy headteacher is now also Key Stage 1 manager ensuring that there is a smooth transition from Reception to Year 1. She is also responsible for developing the skills of independence throughout the School. Another teacher is responsible for developing the “Accelerated Learning” approach throughout the school. There is a rolling programme for subject leaders to observe teaching and analyse attainment in their subject area. They then produce a report, which is presented to the Governors’ Curriculum

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Committee. The subject action plan is then reviewed and a new plan drawn up. This is having a very positive impact on the quality of learning.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The headteacher has led by example in helping staff to develop an open no blame approach to professional development. She was the first teacher to be observed teaching and all staff discussed the outcomes of this observation. This has now resulted in a relaxed and purposeful atmosphere where all staff welcome professional debate and constructive criticism. This has had a very positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Both teaching and non-teaching staff have taken part in relevant in-service training. Monitoring by the headteacher including observing of teaching is well established, as is the performance management system. The headteacher has introduced measurable performance targets for all staff, which include at least one related to National Curriculum levels. The outcomes of all the above activities together with rigorous analysis of assessment information enable the school to be very effective

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

in identifying areas of strength and weakness and deciding upon relevant development priorities. These priorities are then included in the school development plan. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 23 64. The headteacher has been particularly effective in establishing partnerships both within the school and with external agencies. The school has worked closely with local authority advisers to develop assessment and mathematics. The headteacher has developed links with two beacon schools who have invited staff to visit and observe teaching. Consultants also assist staff with target setting. The school’s approach to target setting is particularly thorough and the fact that targets are shared with parents and reviewed on a half termly basis makes it much easier for parents to support their children’s learning. One beacon school also suggested the “Parents as Educators Course” and a member of staff has trained to run the course. Parents have appreciated

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

this opportunity to work more closely with the school. The headteacher has also improved links with Ampleforth Abbey and the Father Abbot has visited the School to lead a special mass. He has also paid for additional training for the Governing Body and corresponds with the children by e-mail. The headteacher and school administrator have attended courses together to develop administrative systems in the school office taking advantage of new technology. Courses have covered finance, attendance and punctuality and assessment data. All of these initiatives have had a very positive impact on the general quality of education.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The management of special educational needs within the school is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator has a very good overview of provision and ensures that all statutory requirements in respect of statements are met. The school has full regard for the special educational needs code of practice. Individual Education Plans are of a consistently good standard throughout the school and contain precise and measurable targets. The Special Educational Needs Register is well maintained and regularly updated. Parents are fully involved at all stages of the identification process and are encouraged to take an active role in meetings about their children’s progress and achievements which has a positive impact on learning.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The previous inspection identified the need to clarify the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of staff and governors and establish a programme to monitor and evaluate the work of the school so that all knew what needed to be done to make improvements. Since the inspection there have been significant changes to the make up of the Governing Body. Since this time several new governors have been appointed and having received training have begun to develop their roles well.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. Governors now have a good understanding not only of the strengths but also of the weaknesses of the school and they fulfil their statutory duties well. Particularly effective has been the way in which the chairs of the curriculum and finance groups have developed their roles. These governors have high levels of personal and professional skills and great commitment to the school. However, very recently due to external influences some of these roles are to change again and other temporary appointments made. This has been a hindrance to strategic development.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The Chair of the Governing Body and headteacher have had to use all their considerable personal skills and tact during this period of change to enable the governors to move forward. This has placed additional burdens upon the headteacher and senior staff rather than the consistency of support necessary during the time the school was identified as having weaknesses. Governors are now keen to become more involved in the day-to-day work of the school to ensure they have good first hand knowledge of what the school provides.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school makes very effective use of specific grants for their designated purposes. Financial planning is systematic and focuses on educational priorities. The Governing Body and school managers understand the need to relate costs to the educational Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 24 benefits of pupils. The school buys in the services of a finance officer who reconciles the monthly account and provides support for budget drafting. Monthly analysis of the budget ensures timely evaluation of spending decisions. There is effective control and administration of the school's finances as confirmed by the latest audit report. The school is making good use of new technology and has recently identified development opportunities in data handling.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The principles of best value are very effectively applied. The school compares its national test results against those of benchmark schools. Parents and other interested parties have been consulted to help identify and justify the use of resources and to understand the perceptions that they hold of the school fulfilling its aims. The school also seeks the views of pupils and other members of the community to enable it to become clear about the needs of the community. The school has already responded to shortcomings identified by parents and pupils.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is very good. Teachers are all trained in appropriate phases and undertake appropriate responsibilities. The school administrator provides very good support for the headteacher, pupils, staff and parents. Support staff are generously distributed across the school. Personal development records exist for teachers and support staff and these record external and in-house training. The overall Local Education Authority training record is being used to measure the impact of all activities.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The accommodation is adequate. Approval has been received to develop the outside facilities for the Foundation Stage and to ensure access for the disabled. Funding has been identified for developing the office space and for outside resources. Although there are sufficient classrooms for the number of pupils on roll, those for older pupils are quite cramped and most are in need of redecoration.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. In general, learning resources are good and subject leaders are continuing to evaluate the impact of resources. The libraries are being developed as part of support for the independent learning strategy and there are good links with the local library service. Tools and workstations for design and technology are in good order, with modelling and construction materials under review. Key texts for geography, such as atlases, are being restocked and there is increasing use of the Internet. Information and communication technology resources are increasing for art, history and geography. In history good use is made of the county library and Preston Museum loan collections. There is generous support from parents in loaning artefacts. Taking all factors into account the school provides good value for money.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The headteacher, staff and where appropriate the governors should:

p.24

1. continue to raise standards in mathematics throughout the school by:

• improving the attainment of average ability pupils in mathematics so that they achieve as well as they are able.

p.24

1. continue to raise standards in mathematics throughout the school by:

(paragraphs 7, 10, 13, 25, 98 - 106). Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 98

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 4

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 9

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

p.25

Attendance

School data 4.7 School data 0.0 Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 26 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 27

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 5 16 21

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (100) 95 (100) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (100) 90 (92) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. School total figures only are given where the number of boys and/or girls in the cohort is fewer than ten.

p.27

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 8 7 15

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (74) 87 (74) 100 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (79) 87 (79) 100 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 28 Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. School total figures only are given where the number of boys and/or girls in the cohort is fewer than ten. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 29

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 30

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5 Financial year 2002/03

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 342 734

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 325 384

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 90 Expenditure per pupil 3 013

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 28 842

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 46 192

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 31

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 58 40 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 51 44 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 37 12 5 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 60 40 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 31 2 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 51 42 5 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 58 35 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 40 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 49 37 2 7 5

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

Parents are generally very supportive of the school but believe there is too much homework given and some would like more after school activities . Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 32

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Children in the Foundation Stage are given a very good, happy and stimulating start to their education. The curriculum provision is imaginative and meets the needs of young children very well. Progress by children of all abilities during their time in the Reception class is very good and they enter Year 1 with very positive attitudes to learning. Children achieve the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in their physical and creative development and the large majority of children exceed these targets in personal and social development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. There has been good improvement since the last inspection with the quality of teaching and learning being even more effective than seen previously.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Children enter the school at the beginning of the year of their fifth birthday and are currently taught in a single year group of sixteen children. This ensures they get close attention from the Foundation Stage teacher and part time nursery nurse. The present cohort in the Reception class consists of children with mixed pre-school experience and their attainment on entry represents a wide ability range though generally being above average.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. The quality of teaching is consistently very good with excellent features. The teacher has high expectations of what the children can achieve both socially and academically, whilst retaining the fun and enjoyment of early learning through first hand experience. Teaching is deceptively calm but very purposeful and stimulating. Visits and visitors are used very well to bring learning to life. An unusual feature in the Foundation Stage is for the Nursery Nurse to take the class for some mathematics lessons while the teacher works with the separate Year 1 group. Whilst in some respects this is suitable the youngest children do not always get the very high quality of teaching that they get with their class teacher. The accommodation is appropriate and carefully planned for the age of the children. The environment is bright and stimulating. A secure outdoor play area is used for informal play and structured learning. Resources are of good quality

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

77. The Foundation Stage curriculum follows the recommended areas of learning and is implemented very effectively and with insight into the way young children learn. Teachers’ planning is comprehensive and effective in ensuring that children systematically develop a range of basic skills. Ongoing assessment is used very well to monitor individual children’s progress, to identify those with special educational needs at an early stage and then to provide appropriate support.

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Personal, Social and Emotional Development

78. In keeping with the school’s ethos, this area of learning is afforded a high priority. The quality of teaching is excellent because it promotes children’s confidence, self-esteem and particularly the skills of independence and learning is excellent. Children of all abilities make very good progress in this area of learning and attain above average standards by the end of the Foundation Stage. Most children are confident and establish very effective relationships with their classmates, teachers and other adults. They concentrate well and are eager to explore new learning. They work well as part of a group, or independently and are willing to take turns and share fairly. The vast Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 33 majority of children of this age have developed a good understanding of what is right and wrong and they treat their learning environment and each other with care and respect.

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Personal, Social and Emotional Development

79. The excellent teaching encourages independent learning and this makes an important contribution to children’s progress. Children are encouraged to think for themselves and make choices. Staff know the children well and relationships are very positive and friendly. Children settle quickly into the routines and show confidence in the adults. They are ready to contribute to whole class sessions and quick to volunteer for activities. Children understand the organisation of activities in their classrooms, selecting independently and completing tasks well. They take turns and listen to instructions well. Their understanding of citizenship is developed well during the school’s ‘Theme week’ and through the visit of the local Dog Warden and his three dogs. Children are aware of themselves as part of the larger school community and move confidently through the building and enjoy lunchtimes and playtimes as part of the

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Communication, Language and Literacy

80. By the end of the Foundation Stage the large majority of children exceed the Early Learning Goals. They make very good progress because their learning is very well managed. The quality of teaching is excellent with a clear emphasis on pupils developing their speaking skills in a wide variety of activities. For instance they are encouraged to turn and talk to the child next to them to remind them why they need a ladder on their fire engine models. They are continually asked questions and encouraged to answer in detail. The majority of children speak clearly, use sentences and normal speech conventions. They are absorbed by stories and show good recall. Progress in reading is very good because teaching directly focuses on the development of early reading skills and children show good understanding of the meanings of words.

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Communication, Language and Literacy

81. The teaching strategy of using children’s shared writing as a reading stimulus and making deliberate mistakes encourages the children to concentrate really well and enjoy their reading and writing. Children are appropriately introduced to the National Literacy Strategy. Higher and average attaining children are able to identify capital letters and full stops with confidence. They read passages with appropriate pauses for emphasis and know that punctuation gives instructions to the reader. There is very good use of text around the classroom with instructions for the children to read and follow. Children are building up their competency in using phonic strategies for word building. They enjoy discussing pictures and story plots and individual achievement is checked when children read to a teacher or classroom assistant. Handwriting is taught well from the earliest opportunity and children generally develop good habits of letter

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Communication, Language and Literacy

formation, size and presentation. The majority of children enjoy writing and several happily make their own efforts at writing sentences unaided. Most are beginning to write with confidence.

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Mathematical Development

82. Children of all abilities make very good progress and the majority exceed the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception year. The quality of teaching, particularly as seen in the sample of recent work is very good overall. This ensures that a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities and opportunities are provided, including counting activities, simple addition and subtraction, number patterns and shape recognition. Numeracy skills are developed not only through direct teaching Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 34 but are incorporated into many practical activities and children are introduced to activities related to the national Numeracy Strategy at an early stage. Role-play in both the class post office and class fire engine, sand and ‘small world’ play are all used to provide opportunities for discussions about counting, ordering and sizing.

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Mathematical Development

83. Children know to start counting at zero and recognise and order the numbers to twenty and most count in two’s to 20. Staff plan imaginative activities and children enjoy playing a game with numbered hats which they wear and identify their number as the answer to various questions. Appropriate challenges are provided for all children, such as being asked to extend counting forwards and backwards to 20. They are encouraged to apply this understanding of numbers well in a wide variety of cross- curricular activities such as counting the rungs they put on the ladders for their fire engines. They recognise and name simple two and three-dimensional shapes. Children are developing the vocabulary of time and sequence events. The higher attaining children have a good knowledge of shape and repeating number patterns.

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Mathematical Development

Knowledge and Understanding of the World.

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Mathematical Development

84. Children of all abilities make very good progress in this area of learning because the quality of teaching is very effective and provides lots of practical and interesting ways to develop the children’s understanding. The very good teaching ensures that children are given lots of opportunities to find out about living things. The outdoor play area for example includes tubs planted out by the children. Children enjoy their visit to a local garden centre, which provides a stimulus for numerous cross-curricular language and mathematical activities. Children are encouraged to observe the world around them and to record it in a variety of ways. They draw different kinds of weather, including on the computer, and sequence the seasons well. Children experiment with materials such as sand and water. Children have ready access to suitable computer programs in their class and confidently use the computers both for drawing line patterns and also to

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Mathematical Development

follow the story of ‘The Jolly Postman’ within the role play area. This, together with very good quality direct teaching of individuals and small groups of children give them very good opportunities to develop basic computer skills.

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Mathematical Development

85. Early skills in design and technology are fostered very effectively because teachers expect children to plan, make and evaluate their products, for example fire engine models, to a specific design brief. Here, children have to draw then make and evaluate a model of a fire engine that has wheels, a light and a ladder to reach the top of a brick tower that they have to build and measure. Children work hard at this task and realise they have to adjust their ladders to make sure they reach to the top of the tower. When making models children use an appropriate range of tools with safety and confidence under adult supervision. Religious education is taught appropriately and provides children with good opportunities to learn about and value the world in which they live.

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Physical Development

86. Children of all abilities make very good progress and are attaining at least the levels that are expected by the end of the Reception year. The quality of teaching is very good. Children have regular physical education sessions in the school hall and are clearly familiar with the routines and safety rules. They show self-control and awareness of safety when moving around. Lessons are well planned and managed so that children make very good progress in an atmosphere of co-operation and enjoyment. Children run, jump and hop with increasing control and make very good progress in throwing a beanbag onto a target. Children also develop physical skills in outdoor play activities and use tricycles and scooters with confidence. Children are taught how to handle tools Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 35 as well as scissors, pencils and crayons and the majority develop reasonable control of

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Physical Development

these although some are still a little clumsy.

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Creative Development

87. By the end of the Foundation Stage the children’s attainment at least meets the early learning goals and children of all abilities make very good progress and achieve well in relation to their ability and early skills. The quality of teaching is very good. Children know a good range of action songs and sing responses to mathematical games. They readily join in simple songs both loud and soft and sing well for their age. They enjoy listening to music and identify that marching music reminds them of drums, soldiers, the Grand Old Duke of York and Parbold carnival. They clap and ‘drum’ their knees in time to the music and hold the beat well in marching games. Creative skills are developed well in the use of paint and a good range of art materials. The teacher is particularly skilled in ensuring the children use their own ideas and do not simply copy from an adult. Work is widely and attractively displayed around the area raising the

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Creative Development

children’s self esteem. Imaginative role-play is used very effectively in the ever changing role play areas.

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ENGLISH

88. The 2002 National Curriculum test results for Year 2 showed that pupils’ attainment was well above average in reading and writing when compared to all schools nationally and when compared to schools with similar features. The 2002 National Curriculum test results for Year 6 pupils showed that attainment was well above average in English when compared to schools nationally and to similar schools. Inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment in English is above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This represents a slight drop compared to the previous year but this is because of the differing abilities of the relatively small groups of pupils involved. Pupils throughout the school make good progress and the oldest pupils show the benefits of very good teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make progress similar to their classmates because of the good quality support from their teachers and teaching

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ENGLISH

assistants. The school does not formally identify pupils as gifted and talented but inspection evidence indicates that good provision is made for higher attaining pupils. Overall, pupils achieve well and the high standards of attainment result from the consistently good teaching and the positive attitudes to learning shown by the pupils. Standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 have improved since the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

89. Throughout the school pupils listen attentively to their teachers and respectfully to each other. They follow instructions very well and teachers rarely have to repeat those they have given. As they mature pupils show an increased understanding for the need to allow others to express opinions contrary to their own and an ability to present reasoned arguments. In all classes teachers are able to use their time effectively because they know they can trust their pupils to carry out the instructions given.

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ENGLISH

90. By the end of Year 2 pupils are using a wide vocabulary and have the confidence to ask questions that can challenge adults. When using the Big Books in shared reading pupils listen well and make their responses independently and as a group. The displays of work encourage the use of subject specific vocabularies and pupils are confident in talking about resistance in the ‘giant’ electrical circuit on a classroom display. Lesson planning addresses the need for pupils to transfer literacy skills across the curriculum and teaching incorporates assessment of speaking in all areas. The development of speaking skills is apparent as pupils move through the school. Teachers and support Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 36 staff ensure an inclusive approach by supporting those pupils who may lack the confidence of the rest of their classmates. Pupils also support each other well. In Year 3 and Year 4 a debate about developing a new theme park in Blackpool covered

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ENGLISH

aspects of English, geography and citizenship as the pupils made thoughtful well- considered contributions to the discussion. By the end of Year 6 they address issues such as the lingering effects of Chernobyl and freedom of choice with maturity beyond their years. During the inspection the high expectations of teachers were apparent in the challenging questions asked of their pupils and in the quality of the responses. By the end of Year 6 standards in speaking and listening are above average and a considerable proportion of pupils achieve well above average standards.

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ENGLISH

91. Reading skills are above average at the end of Year 2. Younger pupils read with confidence, fluency and understanding. During the course of the inspection the teacher of Year 1 and Year 2 dressed as Florence Nightingale as part of the theme for the week. She led the reading in role much to the delight of the pupils who read with even greater enthusiasm. Pupils clearly enjoy books and are well supported at home as they develop their core reading skills. Many pupils are on their way to becoming independent readers by the time they reach the end of Year 2. Good support is offered to those who find the reading process more challenging and by the time they reach the end of Year 2 they are all familiar with the conventions of text such as contents, index pages and glossaries. Good quality teaching ensures that reading skills are transferred to other subjects.

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ENGLISH

92. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 make very good progress in developing their reading skills and attain well above expectation for their age group. Very good teaching challenges them in their learning and encourages the use of books as a source of pleasure as well as knowledge. The majority use advanced reading skills in scanning literature for meaning and information and also apply them to reading text in electronic form. In discussion pupils from Year 6 describe their favourite texts in considerable detail and have strong opinions as to the quality of different authors. Teaching ensures the continuing development of independent learning and pupils put their reading skills to good use when researching the very detailed projects that they undertake.

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ENGLISH

93. By the end of Year 2 pupils attain standards in writing that are above expectation for their age group. They write clear and readable sentences and use punctuation and capital letters correctly and they have regular practice in spelling and handwriting. Some of the higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are using complex sentences in their writing and all pupils show an aptitude for writing extended pieces of work. Good teaching ensures that writing skills are transferred to other subjects and in design and technology, for example, pupils produce clearly written and coherent descriptions and evaluations of their work. Marking is helpful and up-to-date and always encourages pupils in their efforts to improve so that they have an understanding of the rate and nature of their own learning. Information and communication technology is used effectively as a tool for learning and by the end of Year 2 pupils have a good grasp of

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ENGLISH

the basic keyboard skills needed to support their work in English.

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ENGLISH

94. By the time they reach the end of Year 6 pupils attain standards in writing that are above expectation for their age group. Pupils of all abilities use expressive language when writing from the imagination and they are happy to replicate the style of favourite or well-known authors. During the inspection pupils in the Year 5 and Year 6 class wrote a parody of the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling. Not only were they able to use the Kipling style but also they demonstrated how well they have been taught to work in a co-operative group. In their books they have used a variety of styles and genres and they present their work in a mature and confident manner. The very good teaching Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 37 ensures that pupils revisit important areas of their writing development and the marking always makes it clear what they must do to improve their work. By the end of Year 6

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ENGLISH

the marking has become an interactive process and pupils append their thoughts and comments to those made in their books. Good quality writing is also evident in other areas of the curriculum, and work in history following a visit to Chester produced some outstanding examples. Pupils are given regular opportunities to use information and communication technology to support their written work.

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ENGLISH

95. The quality of the teaching is good in Year 1 and Year 2. The good relationships between teachers and pupils were very apparent during the course of the inspection and underpinned the quality of the learning. The very good teaching in Year 3 to Year 6 extends this process and pupils continue to respond to the challenge posed by the quality of the teaching with enjoyment and enthusiasm. Pupils of all abilities learn well. The atmosphere of mutual trust in the classrooms allows teachers to assist those who need extra support because they know that other pupils will get on with their work in a productive manner. The good quality of the displays around the school gives pupils the sense that their work is valued and they talk about it with pride. Very good use is made of homework and the books are well marked to emphasise the value of the work done.

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ENGLISH

96. The subject leader for English offers very good leadership and management of the subject throughout the school. She is well informed and has a good sense of vision for the future growth of the subject. As part of the role of subject leader she is able to monitor planning and teaching and learning in the classroom in addition to collating information from assessment to inform future developments in English. Very good use is made of the assessment data collected although the analysis is done manually rather than through the medium of information and communication technology. Pupils are involved in setting targets for themselves and are able to respond with comments of their own to the marking of their work.

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ENGLISH

97. There is no formal procedure for the identification of gifted and talented pupils but all teachers are well aware of the higher attaining pupils in their classes. Resources are good overall and offer good support to teaching and learning. The small library is well used and is being refreshed with the purchase of new books and materials. The quality of the independent learning throughout the school is very much a product of the good literacy skills acquired by pupils using the resources provided in the teaching of English. The use of the computer is becoming embedded in the work done by the pupils and the subject also makes a significant contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

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MATHEMATICS

98. The results of the national tests for 2002 show that the achievements of pupils at the end of Year 2 are well above the national average, and also well above the average for similar schools. The initial results for 2003 are similarly encouraging. This represents a considerable improvement in standards from 1999 when standards were below the national average. A key feature of the results is that a much larger proportion of pupils are now achieving the higher levels in national tests. Inspection findings show that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress as they move through the key stage and standards are above average.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The 2002 national tests for Year 6 also show that the attainment of pupils was well above the national average and above average for similar schools. Nearly 50 per cent of children achieved Level 5, which is above average, in 2002. This is significantly Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 38 better than at the time of the previous inspection, and although standards have dipped in 2003 this reflects the natural abilities of the group of pupils. Initial indications are that all children targeted to achieve Level 5 in 2003 did so. This represents a considerable improvement since the previous inspection where higher achieving pupils were an area of concern. However, a smaller proportion of children was successful in achieving the expected Level 4 in 2003 and this is an area for development. Inspection findings show that throughout Key Stage 2 pupils of all abilities are currently making good and

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MATHEMATICS

sometimes very good progress because of very effective teaching of the older pupils. However, overall this is a slightly lower achieving group than in some other year groups and these pupils did not do so well in national tests at the age of seven. The school is aware that historically pupils have not done as well in mathematics as in English. There appears to be no easily identifiable reason for pupils not achieving as highly in mathematics. Current standards at the age of eleven in mathematics are average. There is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are set to rise again in 2004.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Analysis of previous national tests for Year 2 showed that the use and application of mathematics, number and algebra, were areas of relative weakness. These areas have been targeted during the course of the year and are now clear areas of strength. Staff are aware that care will need to be taken not to neglect aspects of mathematics, such as shape, space and measure, and handling data which are currently under represented in the pupils’ books. The school has already recognised this and currently has a focus on handling data across both key stages. Children in the Year 1 and Year 2 class are taught in separate year groups for mathematics, and the small pupil teacher ratio is having a very beneficial impact on progress.

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MATHEMATICS

101. By the end of Year 2 pupils are able to discuss their work using mathematical language well and represent it using symbols and simple diagrams. They confidently try different approaches to solving problems, and are beginning to organise their work well and check results. They explain their thinking well. They have a good grasp of number facts and are able to manipulate numbers mentally. They have a good understanding of place value up to 1000 and use this to make approximations. Their knowledge and mental recall of multiplication facts and to a lesser extent associated division facts are good. Pupils have started to use tables and block graphs to communicate their findings and are using information and communication technology very effectively to support their learning. For example, in a Year 2 lesson children were estimating the time taken to construct a tower out of cubes and then using a stop clock to time themselves. They

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MATHEMATICS

recorded their findings using a simple spreadsheet and then presented their results as a bar chart.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 2 and this accelerates to being very good in Year 5 and Year 6. The previous inspection reported a dip in achievement in Year 3 and Year 4 but following staff changes this is no longer the case. There is clear evidence of good progress since September in both year groups. By the end of Year 6 most pupils are achieving the expected level or above, although the school has identified that there is still room to improve the attainment of the average attaining pupils to ensure they securely achieve what they are capable of. Planning is organised to take account of the fact that each class has two year groups, but, with the exception of Year 5 and Year 6, teaching is not always sufficiently different to take account of higher and lower attainers within year groups. However, staff have identified that planning needs to take greater account of the different levels of attainment to ensure that pupils are

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MATHEMATICS

consistently challenged to achieve their best. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 39 103. By Year 6 pupils are able to develop their own strategies for solving mathematical problems and use these strategies in a practical context. They draw simple conclusions and devise their own questions. Pupils use a range of mental methods of computation well, and have efficient written methods. They reflect simple shapes in a mirror line and interpret with appropriate accuracy numbers on a range of measuring instruments. Pupils collect discrete data using a frequency table, and use the mode and range to describe sets of data with clear understanding. They construct their own bar, line and pie graphs. Information and communication technology is used effectively to support and extend pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2. The National Numeracy Strategy is securely in place. Pupils are aware of the learning objective for lessons, which start with a mental warm up activity and finish with a closing discussion to reinforce learning. Pupils enjoy their lessons, are well behaved, and work very hard. For example, in one lesson pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 were investigating the mode, mean and range of different colours in boxes of Smarties at an exceptionally good pace and with intense concentration.

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MATHEMATICS

105. Progress tests are used on a half termly basis, and these, together with ongoing assessments are used well to guide teachers’ planning to ensure an appropriate match of task to pupils' understanding. Pupils present their work neatly in their books and the teachers’ marking is thorough and supportive. Teachers use marking to extend pupils’ learning especially in Key Stage 2, where marking is more like a conversation between the teacher and the pupil. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use questioning well to extend pupils’ thinking and ensure full participation by everyone in the class. Homework is used effectively to reinforce learning.

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MATHEMATICS

106. The subject is very effectively led and managed by a new subject leader who has recently taken over and is currently being very well supported by the headteacher, the former subject leader. Since the previous inspection there has been considerable development of assessment procedures in the subject and the use of this information to aid planning. The subject is currently an area for development and the school is purchasing ongoing support from an advisory teacher who has contributed to the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses in the subject. Inspection findings support the school’s conclusions and their current focus on data handling. The new subject leader has plans to produce a more detailed development plan as an aid to the evaluation of development activity currently taking place and to plan future activity. The headteacher has monitored teaching in the subject and the new subject leader will do

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MATHEMATICS

so as part of a rolling programme. The school is well placed to continue recent improvements in the quality of teaching of this subject.

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SCIENCE

107. In the 2002 National Curriculum teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 pupils’ attainment was average in terms of the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 2 but a greater proportion achieved the higher Level 3 than seen nationally. The results of the National Curriculum tests for Year 6 pupils in 2002 show pupils’ attainment to have risen dramatically from the previous two years and is well above the national average and above average when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings show attainment to be above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Any variance between inspection findings and test results is explained by the differences in natural ability of the quite small groups of pupils. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 40 108. Pupils have positive attitudes to the subject and behave very well. Their interest in the subject together with good teaching in Key Stage 1 and very good teaching in Key

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SCIENCE

Stage 2 ensures that pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make progress that is at least good and they achieve well. Standards have risen particularly in Key Stage 2 through the considerably extended assessment procedures and a more rigorous approach to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. Overall improvement in science has been good since the time of the last inspection. The school has worked hard and with success to extend pupils’ opportunities to carry out experimental and investigative activities.

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SCIENCE

109. In Year 1 and Year 2 pupils are provided with a good range of opportunities to carry out scientific investigations. They are encouraged to question whether investigations are a fair test, what they think will happen and then review results. These activities give the pupils a good grounding in investigative skills. By the age of seven pupils have a good understanding of how to make an electrical circuit and to persevere when making circuits and adding buzzers or switches to their original circuits. They identify the power cell, wires and switches when using a computer programme to record their work and recognise that a circuit using two bulbs will create a dimmer light.

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SCIENCE

110. In Year 2 pupils make good progress when investigating forces and predict and carry out tests to see which slope makes a toy car travel faster. Pupils enjoy their work on finding out more about living things when growing broad beans. They have good understanding of the conditions needed for living things to flourish. They know that their beans need water, heat and sunlight and record how the beans grow. When finding out about sounds pupils identify natural and man made noises and have a good understanding of what makes sounds. When finding out about their senses they carry out tests to see who can smell things from a greater distance and record their findings in bar charts. Occasionally too much use is made of worksheets rather than encouraging pupils to record their findings and results in their own words and this hinders the development of a wider scientific vocabulary and does not allow pupils full

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SCIENCE

111. Pupils continue to develop their scientific knowledge and skills at a very good rate during Year 3 to Year 6. An effective strategy in Year 3 and Year 4 is the emphasis on pupils recording their findings using different formats, particularly writing results and evaluations in their own words. Pupils’ progress is accelerated in Year 5 and Year 6 because of the very good teaching which ensures that opportunities are capitalised on to learn through investigative activities. Pupils are expected to use their scientific knowledge to accurately predict the outcome of experiments and to explain why things happen as they do, and they do this well.

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SCIENCE

112. There are good cross-curricular links made between science and mathematics. For instance pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 carefully measure the height of 50 daisies in order to work out what the mean of white and pink daises is and therefore conclude that those with pink tips are taller. Pupils also enjoy collecting data on eye and hair colour; height and arm span which helped them to identify that “people’s heights were similar to their arm span”. Pupils’ knowledge of forces is good and they know that forces, such as the amount of stretch in a range of elastic bands, is measured in Newtons. Pupils use a good scientific vocabulary with confidence. When revising what they know about living things higher attaining pupils are able to explain that “plants need chlorophyll to live” Pupils’ ability to construct electrical circuits is secure and they accurately observe and record the chemical changes that occur when vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are

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SCIENCE

mixed. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 41 113. Pupils' learning is good. They have very good attitudes to the subject and thoroughly enjoy taking part in practical and investigative activities. Pupils work very well together and share their ideas very readily. These activities make a significant contribution to developing pupils personal and social skills. Pupils listen with high levels of attentiveness and older pupils in particular behave very well. Pupils enjoy being set challenging tasks and activities and show very good levels of concentration and perseverance.

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SCIENCE

114. The quality of teaching and learning is good in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2. In Year 5 and Year 6 there is a very high level of challenge for the pupils who at the end of the school year are working on areas associated with the Key Stage 3 programmes of study. The teaching is good and sometimes very good because opportunities are provided for pupils to learn through investigative activities alongside the systematic development of scientific knowledge. Experiments are often well planned and organised and teachers’ questioning, particularly of the older pupils is incisive and open-ended and is successful in getting pupils to think things through for themselves.

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SCIENCE

115. In many lessons, learning objectives are shared with pupils so that they recognise that they too have a part to play in their own learning. Lessons benefit from the secure subject knowledge of the teachers, which means that topics are explained in a way that readily advances pupils’ knowledge and understanding. A particularly good example of this was seen in Year 6 where the teacher’s focused and precise teaching style enabled pupils to understand simple genetics and classification by examining the possible permutations of eye and hair colour together with mouth and nose shape, from two different parents.

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SCIENCE

116. There are some good examples of information and communication technology being used to enhance pupils’ learning in the subject. This includes the regular use of a digital camera to record experiments and particularly in Key Stage 2 of pupils presenting their findings using different tables, charts and graphs as well as in text form. Good examples were seen of the marking of pupils’ work being used effectively to explain to pupils what they need to do to improve or outlining why a particular piece of work is good.

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SCIENCE

117. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader has worked hard to develop assessment procedures which are now extensive and well used to inform future planning. Careful analyses of test and assessment data are made and staff use the information well for tracking pupils’ progress and for identifying areas for improvement. The subject leader has also provided guidance to colleagues in how to extend the opportunities for pupils to carry out investigative and experimental activities. She has monitored teachers’ planning and staff have been involved in carrying out scrutiny of pupils’ work. The subject leader has also carried out lesson observations in science with formal feedback provided for teachers. These have all been significant improvements since the previous inspection and clear influences upon raising standards. Resources in science are satisfactory and used well to enhance the

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SCIENCE

quality of pupils’ learning although there are some shortfalls such as torches for light and shadow tests.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. Standards of attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above national expectations which indicates improvement in both key stages since the last inspection. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 42 All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well. A significant minority of pupils in all classes attain standards that are well above expectations for their age group. Pupils’ work is displayed throughout the school and contributes an important element to the overall high quality appearance of the learning environment. The displays are valued by pupils and their parents and add to the self-esteem of the pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 use sketchbooks from the beginning and are confident in the knowledge that they can try different ideas and that there is no need to have a finished outcome without trial and error. The good quality teaching encourages experiment and practice with a range of materials and methods. By the end of Year 2 pupils have produced work that demonstrates good brush and pencil control and an ability to use non-paint media such as chalk and pastel. Photographic evidence of work over time shows that pupils have used a visit to a conservation garden as a basis for working with textiles and fabric dyeing. Artwork frequently supports work in other subjects including science and history, for example. This has contributed to an ability to reproduce ‘real’ items and high quality drawing which is above the quality expected for the age group.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. By the end of Year 6 pupils show a further development and refinement of skills and sketchbooks continue to provide a basis for work in art. Pupils have regular opportunities for observational drawing using pencils and pastels. They show an increasing eye for perspective and detail in their work and begin to appreciate the styles of well-known artists and craft workers. In a Year 3 and Year 4 lesson pupils tried to reproduce an impression of cobwebs based on watching a video presentation. A strength of their work was a realisation that effects can be created using different techniques and approaches and they shared their ideas and evaluations with great enthusiasm. In discussion Year 6 pupils indicate that they are much affected by the mastery of colour and the overall impact of the work of Van Gogh and a number of them use his work as the yardstick for judging ‘great art’. Throughout the school

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ART AND DESIGN

examples can be found of work derived from a study of the art of different cultures. Year 3 and Year 4 have produced work in the pointillist style of aboriginal artists from Australia and Year 6 have used scraperboards to replicate the style of African artists.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. The quality of teaching in art is good throughout the school and the sample of recent work and sketchbooks indicate that some very good teaching is taking place. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and do a great deal to engender confidence in their pupils. A strong feature of the teaching is the way in which sketchbooks are monitored for progress and this is very helpful to those pupils who sometimes lack confidence in their abilities. Good links are made between art and the environment as shown by the earth palette work produced by the younger pupils. High expectations from teachers encourage pupils in refining their work and having positive attitudes towards the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. The subject makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. During the course of the inspection pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 were deeply affected by the beauty of the natural world in the video ‘Microcosmos’ which they watched prior to their work on cobwebs. Explorations of other cultures such as those found in Australia and Africa alert pupils to the different strengths to be found in these areas and also enables comparisons to be made with the art typical of the European tradition. A popular extra-curricular art club contributes to pupils’ social development and sense of community as indicated by the attractive outdoor display panel that greets visitors to the school. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 43 123. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader is well informed concerning teaching and learning in art and design and has good assessment

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ART AND DESIGN

information to inform future planning and developments in the subject. Resources are good and are well used by teachers and pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Standards in design and technology are well above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 which show that standards have risen in Key Stage 2 since the previous inspection. Teaching is very good, and all pupils, including those with special educational needs make very good progress. Attitudes to learning are very positive, pupils have an enthusiasm for the subject and many, especially in Year 5 and Year 6, are producing work of outstanding quality.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 engage in a wide variety of activities that develop their skills progressively both in designing and making. A strong feature of the work at this stage is the very good quality of the initial designs and the investigations that inform them. Pupils have researched a design for playground equipment in catalogues and books and, where possible, have attached pictures of these to their own design sheets. The links between designs and outcomes in building models show an equal attention to detail and by the end of Year 2 pupils have a very good repertoire of skills in the subject. Food technology and its links with healthy eating play an effective part in design and technology at this stage and the concept of designing balanced food is well supported by the healthy snacks enjoyed by the younger pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. Pupils continue to make very good progress as they move through Year 3 to Year 6 and make strong links between design and technology and other areas of the curriculum. Pupils in Year 6 have produced some remarkable designs for slippers that have greatly enhanced their knowledge of the properties of materials, linking their work with science and knowledge and understanding of materials used in industry. In this work older pupils have come to an understanding of the dilemmas found in the link between design and fashion. They know that fashion may dictate designs that are not entirely suitable for the purpose especially in the world of clothing and footwear. In their maturity they also realise that the designs that they seek to own or wear may be part of a problem of pollution or using child labour in developing countries. This makes a very effective contribution to developing pupils' moral and cultural development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. Teaching in design and technology is very good. Few lessons were seen during the course of the inspection but discussions with pupils and scrutiny of work and planning indicate the high standards attained. Teachers ensure that pupils consistently revisit and improve key skills to underpin their work and the quality of the design process is a major strength in establishing high levels of self-confidence across the school. The quality of teaching and learning is enhanced by the very good behaviour of pupils and the excellence of their relationship with their teachers. Resources are used well and information is collected and used for assessment through the establishment of portfolios of work and the increasingly effective use of the digital camera. Pupils have design and technology workbooks that contain photographic evidence of their finished products, an innovation that is a source of great pride in achievement. Increasing use is

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

being made of information and communication technology as a component of design and technology and pupils are developing their understanding of its use to model and control. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 44 128. The subject leader offers very good leadership for the subject and has a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject. Assessment is used to good effect and related to national guidelines for the subject. Work and planning is monitored on a regular basis and the monitoring of teaching and learning in the classroom is carried out as part of the roiling programme established by the school. Resources are good overall and are under review to allow for up dating where necessary. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, especially by the end of Year 6 when pupils are fully engaged with some of the moral dilemmas thrown up by modern technology.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards in geography are above national expectations for the age group. Standards have improved in both key stages since the previous inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs make good progress as they move through the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. In Year 1 and Year 2 pupils start to develop their geographical skills with their knowledge of the immediate and local environment. They also have a good understanding of the fact that the world extends beyond their home area as they engage with visits to places of interest and take their holidays in different parts of the world. They have a good understanding of maps as pictures of the physical world and make sensible distinctions between man-made and natural geographical features. Good links are made with other areas of the curriculum as, for example, pupils use data handling skills in recording how everyone travels to school. As the class teacher played the role of Florence Nightingale in a literacy session pupils also talked of her work in Scutari which extended the pupils understanding of living conditions in a hot country.

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GEOGRAPHY

131. Pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 develop their geographical skills in a wider context, which is relevant to their experiences and interests. For instance pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 looked at the impact on Blackpool of setting up a branch of Disneyworld there. This work also linked with the themed week in citizenship and allowed pupils to explore in some depth the dilemmas attendant on changes in the environment. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 have undertaken a project on medieval Chester that has brought geography and history to life in new ways. They have made three-dimensional representations of the medieval city centre and have scaled these to show the link with the physical features. This work is often of a high level and has provided insights into the concept of the organic growth of our older towns and cities compared with, for example, the new town style of nearby Skelmersdale. A member of the governing body also contributes

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GEOGRAPHY

well to the extension of pupils’ knowledge in geography with an examination of the emergence of the map as the basic tool of the geographer.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. Teaching and learning in geography are good overall. Very good use is made of the local environment from the school grounds outwards into the wider community of Parbold where the juxtaposition of road, canal and railway routes provides a fruitful source for linking geography with history. In lessons teachers set high expectations and these are rewarded, as in Year 3 and Year 4, with a high quality response from pupils. Pupils’ books are marked comprehensively and comments always encourage the motivation to improve. The subject is making a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the study of contrasting locations links in well with the explorations of other cultures in art and music. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 45 133. Leadership and management in geography are good with the role of the subject leader clearly set out to include assessment and the monitoring of planning, teaching and

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GEOGRAPHY

learning. Monitoring has been established as part of the rolling programme for the whole school and a portfolio of pupils’ work is being developed for each pupil. Resources are satisfactory overall and are currently under review. Up dating of the stock of atlases is now complete.

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HISTORY

134. Standards in history are above national expectations at the end of Year 2 and well above national expectations at the end of Year 6. This indicates considerable improvement since the previous inspection when standards were average for the age of the pupils. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make good and sometimes very good progress as they move through the school.

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HISTORY

135. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 have a good understanding of the passage of time and the link between it and events in their own lives. In discussion they explain the history of relationships in their own family although some wrestle with the more obscure links of the relationships involving cousins, aunts and uncles. They have access to a suitable range of artefacts; many borrowed through the good links with parents, the local community, and agencies such as Preston Museum and the local library service. In addition to artefacts they also know that photographs are an important source of information on the passage of time and this understanding is well supported by the effective use of the digital camera to record events. Teaching throughout the school encourages independent learning and even young pupils are at home with the idea of collecting information from a variety of sources. In speaking and writing pupils are

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HISTORY

beginning to make the important distinction between fact and opinion in the interpretation of history and were much engaged by their teachers impersonation of Florence Nightingale.

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HISTORY

136. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a very good sense of history and clear enthusiasm for the subject that enables them to engage with many problems of the modern world because they are able to understand the historical antecedents behind them. These include the mass movement of populations and refugees today compared with the pattern of invasion and settlement in the past. Very good use is made of the local environment for the practise of historical skills in the collection and interpretation of evidence. The nearby presence of the Leeds to Liverpool canal has provided some very good links between history and geography. Ancient civilisations provide an underpinning from the distant past and enhance the sense of time and change acquired by the pupils by the time they reach the end of Year 6. The quality of recorded work is high, especially by the end of Year 6 and some of the individual projects produced by pupils

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HISTORY

137. The limited amount of teaching seen during the inspection and discussion and analysis of pupils’ work indicate that the quality of teaching and learning in history is never less than good in Year 1 and Year 2 and is very good by the end of Year 6. The quality of presentation of pupils’ work in books and in the classroom indicates that there is a mutual commitment to high standards. Strong cross-curricular links are apparent in all year groups and the marking highlights good examples of the transfer of literacy skills. Information and communication technology is being used more systematically as a source of information and as a way of recording and presenting work. Teachers encourage pupils to become independent learners and it is clear that many use the Internet as a source of information at school and at home. In discussion pupils from Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 46 Year 6 indicate that history has been a favourite subject and they enjoy the ‘detective

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HISTORY

work’ inherent in unravelling historical information.

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HISTORY

138. Leadership and management in history are good. Teaching and learning are monitored as part of the school wide rolling programme and good assessment information informs planning across the year groups. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and ensures the inclusion of all pupils as part of the schools’ commitment to equal opportunities.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

139. There has been a very significant improvement in this subject since the time of the last inspection when standards were judged to be satisfactory. Standards are now above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. This indicates very good and consistent progress as pupils move through the school. A great strength of the subject is the way that information and communication technology is incorporated into other curriculum subjects, this both extends the amount of time available for the subject and learning in other areas across the curriculum. The school is well resourced with computers available in every classroom. There are also six laptops which can be used for group teaching, and a further two lap tops for word processing. The use of this flexible resource greatly increases the opportunities for information and communication technology teaching in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

all classes. All pupils make progress that is at least good and is often very good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

140. By the end of Year 2 pupils are able to confidently describe their use of information and communication technology and its use outside school. They know that many household electrical appliances have electronic devices within them, including calculators, videos and digital cameras. They are able to talk about learning and “doing maths” from the Internet as well as describing how to download music. Pupils both print out work to store in a folder as well as storing work on a floppy disc. They are competent in using simple word processing, for example, when writing letters of thanks to visiting firemen, and creating stories decorated with “clip art”. The more able pupils have created their own fiction books illustrated with more sophisticated clip art downloaded from a Compact Disc. This element of their work gives strong support to literacy. They have effectively used programming to control a floor robot and have used an overhead

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

projector. They use information and communication technology well in mathematics where during a lesson pupils entered data onto a simple spreadsheet and with support from their teacher presented their findings as a bar chart. Pupils are currently learning how to navigate menus and use questions to find out information from CD-ROMs containing information about different periods in history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. As pupils move through Key Stage 2 their use of information and communication technology becomes increasingly sophisticated so that by the end of Year 6 they discuss with confidence their knowledge and experience of using information and communication technology and their observations of its use outside school. They select information and present it in different ways for different audiences. For example, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 have produced power point presentations of a very impressive standard, containing information for parents of new reception children. Some of the presentations have been used in a meeting to welcome new parents to the school. Another presentation on “Living in England”, which contained pictures downloaded from the Internet, was emailed to children at a school in Hong Kong. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 47 142. Electronic mail is used well in Year 3 to Year 6. The pupils have “Epals” in Canada and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

America and pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 have a link with Australia. The “Epals down under” folder in Year 3 and Year 4 was a very good example of a cross-curricular topic containing the results of other research into Australia. Pupils make good use of programs which are specifically designed to support the mathematics curriculum, for example a program on sorting shapes in Year 3 and Year 4. They also produce a good variety of line, bar, and pie graphs using data collected in other subject lessons such as history or geography. A very good example of how information and communication technology can be used to support art was seen when pupils used images of Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn”, which they had previously downloaded from the Internet, to notice how colours mixed, merged and transformed. They then experimented with the paint programme to produce a range of effects. Digital camera photographs are also used to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

very good effect throughout the school illustrating work across the curriculum. Pupils keep records of their work in folders on their classroom computers. Larger files are stored on floppy disc.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

143. The quality of teaching of information and communication technology is very good across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. All teachers have completed training in information and communication technology during the last two years and the increase in teacher confidence has clearly had a big impact on standards. Teachers now include information and communication technology in their planning and look for opportunities to use it to enhance learning. Classes follow the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s recommended scheme of work on a two-year rolling cycle. Through the small school cluster the school buys in support from a specialist technician and support assistant, who also work with groups of pupils across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. This is clearly boosting the pupils’ information and communication technology skills. An information and communication technology record of achievement is maintained throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and this contains level

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

descriptions that help teachers with their assessments. Further use could be made of this scheme to help plan the next stages of pupils’ learning, particularly in Key stage 2.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

144. The subject is very well led by an able and knowledgeable subject leader. She has observed teaching and monitored planning as part of a rolling programme. Although information and communication technology is not a development priority for the school it is, none the less, developing all the time. A development plan is in place. Currently all classroom computers are connected to the Internet, and the subject leader has plans to set up a radio link so that the laptops can be connected as well. Access to the Internet is via the Lancashire Intranet, which ensures Internet safety and all Internet use is closely monitored. Pupils are encouraged to use research tools to locate information to support their schoolwork and they do this both in school and at home. Links between home and school are further strengthened by the subject leader being involved in the “Parents as Educators” programme which saw a group of parents using the school's

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

lap tops to do work on “Publisher”. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 48

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MUSIC

145. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. As no music lessons were observed in Key Stage 1 during the week of the inspection it is not appropriate to make a judgement about attainment in this key stage. Teaching and learning are at least satisfactory, and higher achieving pupils are now being appropriately challenged. Pupils with special educational needs fully participate in music lessons and are appropriately supported so that they make the same satisfactory progress as other pupils. However, it is evident that in general girls are more engaged with musical activities than boys and no boys choose to attend the school’s choir club despite the encouragement of staff. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection when progress and teaching were judged to be unsatisfactory.

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MUSIC

146. By the end of Year 6 pupils are able to sing ‘by ear’ and from simple notations to maintain their own part. They have an awareness of how different parts fit together to achieve an overall effect. They satisfactorily improvise melodic and rhythmic phrases as part of a group performance and they suggest improvements to their own and other's work. Most pupils sing sweetly and in tune but singing in assemblies and class often lacks enthusiasm with many boys opting out. All pupils enjoy playing tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments and participate readily in this part of the lesson. Pupils have good opportunities to appraise the quality of performance in activities including a drum workshop and planning shows that pupils have appropriate opportunities to compose their own musical pieces. Very high standards are achieved in the choir club where pupils are able to sing beautiful two part harmonies and

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MUSIC

accompany themselves on tuned and un-tuned percussion at the same time.

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MUSIC

147. As no music lessons were observed in Key Stage 1 during the inspection it is not possible to make a judgement about teaching in this key stage. The overall standard of teaching in Key Stage 2 seen during the inspection was satisfactory and inspection evidence suggests that at other times the standard may be better than this. The few lessons observed followed a period of staff absence; as a result some of the pupils struggled with what would otherwise have been an appropriately high level of challenge. The pupils maintain a high level of concentration, and are able to match tunes played by the teacher on a xylophone to pieces of musical notation in their textbooks. However, there are not enough resources and this exercise was made more difficult by a shortage of books. The lessons contain a good variety of activities and discussions to reinforce learning, but lack the climax necessary in a performance lesson. The

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MUSIC

management of pupils and resources are excellent. Planning for music lessons is thorough and is now based on level descriptors, which in turn makes assessment of pupils’ achievement much easier. The comments on pupils’ reports are also related to level descriptors.

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MUSIC

148. A knowledgeable and experienced subject leader who is keen to raise the profile of the subject even further satisfactorily leads the subject. Music has not been a major concern during the school's recent focus upon core subjects. Nevertheless, following a period of absence by the subject co-ordinator there is much enthusiasm to develop the subject further. An appropriate scheme of work is in place to ensure that the National Curriculum is covered which includes a commercial scheme at Key Stage 2 to challenge the higher achieving pupils. Taking part in a range of extra curricular activity for example enhances pupils’ musical experience well: Easter and Christmas reflections including drama, singing, and the large number of pupils who learn to play the guitar. The pupils also sing in church, at a local convent, and on Radio Lancashire. Music also features in the school’s approach to accelerated learning, and the subject

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MUSIC

Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 49 leader is making a conscious effort to help children develop an appreciation of music from other cultures. An excellent example of this was the visit during inspection week of a workshop in African drumming. The pupils responded exceptionally well to this exciting workshop with excellent standards of concentration and behaviour.

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MUSIC

149. The headteacher as subject leader has been able to monitor teaching in other year groups, she also reviews planning. The subject is not a development priority for the school but will become so in February 2004. At this time there are plans to involve advisory support from the Local Authority. A development plan has been constructed and this highlights the need for music teaching to reflect a variety of styles and traditions. This emphasis is an appropriate area for development. The school has a satisfactory range of musical instruments including keyboards and tuned and un-tuned percussion. The school plans to increase this range to include instruments from other countries and cultures to meet its development priority. The school has tried to increase peripatetic music tuition but there has been insufficient interest from pupils and parents to make lessons other than for guitar viable. The school now plans to

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MUSIC

explore opportunities for co-operation with other schools within their cluster.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. During the week of the inspection no physical education activities were observed at Key Stage 1 and so it is not possible to make secure judgements about the levels of achievement or the progress that children make in this key stage. Planning and discussions, however, show that pupils experience an appropriate range of activities and that their learning is satisfactorily enhanced by support assistants and parents.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils practise and improve skills and techniques and also discuss with each other ideas for further improvements. They explain and apply basic safety principles when preparing for exercise. For example, Year 4 pupils know that they need to warm up “So you don’t pull your muscles”, and a pupil joining the lesson late warmed up thoroughly before taking part. In athletics pupils co-operate with each other and develop the skills necessary for relay running, and appreciate the different approach required for distance running compared to sprinting. They are able to throw and aim accurately and know when it is appropriate to use over or underarm throws. Pupils at an after school cricket club demonstrate their ability to bowl over arm and to throw and catch at the level expected for their age.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

152. Teaching at Key Stage 2 is good. The staff make learning purposeful but fun for pupils and clearly enjoy joining in with the games. As a result the pupils join in with enthusiasm. Lessons begin with a warm up and finish with a discussion where coaching points are reinforced. Planning for physical education is thorough and contains criteria for assessing the higher, average and lower attaining pupils. Coaching is sometimes less effective than it could be because of the large number of different activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

153. Pupils with special educational needs are identified for support and make good progress in the lessons. Several pupils who need to develop both gross and fine motor skills have additional sessions following programmes of work set by external specialists. Support assistants who interact with the pupils very effectively to enhance their skill development and to make the sessions more enjoyable supervise them in this work. Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Primary School - 50 154. Leadership and management of the subject are good and the subject is led by an able and knowledgeable subject leader. An appropriate scheme of work is followed which ensures full coverage of the National Curriculum. The scheme includes swimming in Year 5 and Year 6 where virtually all pupils achieve the expected minimum standard. These pupils also participate in outdoor adventurous activities when they visit Winmarleigh Hall for a residential weekend that takes place every other year. There are

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

good extra curricular clubs for rounders, High Five netball, and cricket. Parents and governors are involved in supporting club activities. The school also participates in the district swimming gala, tag rugby tournaments, and the district rounders competition.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

155. The subject supports the development of literacy through the use of appropriate language, discussion and evaluation, and aspects of shape and measures in numeracy. The subject leader monitors planning and will be able to observe teaching, as part of a rolling programme but this has not happened yet. Although the subject is not a priority for development an action plan has been drawn up which identifies the need for further training in dance. Recent training has included physical education in the early years and rugby. Progress in the subject since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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