St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School

Dates of inspection: 22 nd to 25 th March 2004

p.1

Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 420

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: York Avenue Hanwell London Postcode: W7 3HU

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 567 6293 Fax number: 0208 840 0278

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr. Gerard McMahon

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 st to 4 th June 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Saint Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School is a larger than average school on a split site in Hanwell, in West London. The area around the school has a wide variety of different housing and the social and economic circumstances of the parents, whilst very varied, are broadly average. A slightly lower than average proportion of pupils claim free school meals, but a significant proportion of parents who are entitled do not claim. There are 420 boys and girls on the roll. Attainment on entry spans the full range, but is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is broadly average, whilst the proportion with a statement of special educational need is slightly below average. The proportion of pupils with a mother tongue other than English (17.3 per cent) is much higher than average, the main languages spoken being Polish and Filipino. A small proportion of these are at an early stage of language acquisition. There are three refugees and asylum seekers,

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

four traveller children and one pupil in public care. Pupil mobility is low and in the past year nine pupils left the school and 15 joined at times other than the start of statutory education. There have been several important changes since the last inspection, including significant building work and the recent appointment of a new headteacher. The school is involved in the Schools Sports Co- ordinators Partnership. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 4

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20932 Tim Boyce Lead inspector Information & communication technology, art and design, design and technology. 9577 Elaine Parrish Lay inspector 31975 Kay Andrews Team Inspector The Foundation Stage area of learning, special educational needs, science, music. 4099 Rodney Braithwaite Team inspector Mathematics, history, geography. 32634 Matthew Heasman Team inspector English, English as an additional language, personal, social and health education and citizenship, physical education.

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School is a satisfactory and improving school with significant strengths and important areas for improvement. Under the effective leadership of its very new headteacher and deputy the school has developed into a caring and inclusive community where pupils are valued and where most are beginning to maximise their potential. Standards are generally satisfactory by the end of Year 2 and are good overall by the end of Year 6. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, but is very variable in its quality, spanning the range from very good to poor. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• By the end of Year 6 standards in English, mathematics, science and physical education (PE) are higher than are usually found. • Standards in mathematics are below average at the end of Year 2. • Whilst the provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved, standards are still below average in Year 6. Information and communication technology is not used sufficiently across the curriculum. • The school has a positive and supportive ethos, which is well supported by the good provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE). As a result pupils forge secure and trusting relationships, develop positive attitudes and behave well. • The headteacher has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses that exist and provides the school with effective and inspirational leadership and a clear vision for the future. • The quality of teaching is too inconsistent. Whilst strengths were observed in the nursery, Year 1

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

and the middle and upper years of Key Stage 2, there are weaknesses in the teaching and learning in some lessons in some Year 2 and Year 3 classes. The teaching in one Year 3 class is unsatisfactory. • There are very good arrangements for the care, welfare and support of pupils which are well supported by very effective links with the parish, the local community and other schools. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teachers and support staff and achieve well. • Higher attaining pupils and those who have English as an additional language do not always receive sufficient support in some classes.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has shown a satisfactory level of improvement since the last inspection. Standards at the end of Year 2 have improved in ICT and design and technology (DT), but have declined in English and mathematics. Standards at the end of Year 6 have improved in mathematics, science, ICT and DT. There have been improvements in the leadership, management and governance of the school, the quality of assessment arrangements, the provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, procedures for the support, guidance and welfare of pupils and the overall quality of the building. However, other areas have shown a decline from the position described in the previous report, notably the quality of teaching, which is now judged to be satisfactory overall, with strengths in Years 4 to 6. The capacity for further improvement is good.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English B B A A Mathematics A B A A Science A A A A

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 7

p.6

Overall, the achievement of pupils is satisfactory throughout the school, but is good, and

sometimes very good, in Years 4 to 6. Most children start school with broadly average skills. Achievement is very good in the nursery class and satisfactory in the reception classes. As a result, most children achieve the Early Learning Goals and enter Year 1 with broadly average standards.

p.7

Overall, the achievement of pupils is satisfactory throughout the school, but is good, and

Achievement is good overall in Year 1, and satisfactory overall in Year 2, where it varies from class to class depending on the quality of the teaching, which is not good enough in some lessons. However, despite this variation, inspection evidence shows that most pupils in Year 2 are on schedule to complete the year with average standards in English, science and ICT. Achievement in mathematics is unsatisfactory and standards are below average. Overall this is an improvement from 2003 when standards were below average for reading and well below average for writing and mathematics. When compared to similar schools, (those with between 20 and 35 per cent of their pupils eligible for free school meals), standards in 2003 were average in reading and below average in writing and mathematics.

p.7

Overall, the achievement of pupils is satisfactory throughout the school, but is good, and

Levels of achievement are good, overall, in Years 3 to 6, but are poor in one Year 3 class because of the quality of teaching. The scores gained by pupils in the national assessments in 2003 were well above average when compared to national standards and similar schools, and have been at least good for the past three years. Inspection evidence shows that current standards in Year 6 are above average in English, mathematics and science, but below average in ICT. The provision for geography is unsatisfactory and standards are below the national expectation.

p.7

Overall, the achievement of pupils is satisfactory throughout the school, but is good, and

Throughout the school the achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. However, the achievement of higher attaining pupils and those for whom English as an additional language, whilst satisfactory overall, varies considerably from class to class and lesson to lesson, spanning the range from good to unsatisfactory. Boys and girls achieve similar standards.

p.7

Overall, the achievement of pupils is satisfactory throughout the school, but is good, and

The overall quality of pupils’ personal development is good and is well supported by the school’s provision in these areas. Pupils develop positive attitudes and values, form secure relationships with adults and their peers and behave well. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance and punctuality are average.

p.7

sometimes very good in Years 4 to 6. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory

overall. The most effective teaching is seen in the nursery, Year 1 and the middle and upper years of Key Stage 2, but there are weaknesses in the teaching and learning in some lessons in some Year 2 and Year 3 classes. The quality of support provided by special needs support staff, support staff for pupils with English as an additional language and teaching assistants is good overall, and makes a positive impact on achievement of the pupils in their charge. Teaching in the nursery and the reception classes is satisfactory overall. The school has worked very hard to develop very effective assessment procedures for English and mathematics. The procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievement in other subjects are good. The use of assessment data is satisfactory overall, but in too many classes insufficient regard is paid to what pupils, particularly higher attaining pupils, have already learned when planning subsequent lessons. The school

p.7

sometimes very good in Years 4 to 6. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory

provides a satisfactory range of curricular opportunities that are enriched by a good range of extra- curricular activities, including very good opportunities for participation in sport. These have a very positive impact on achievement and standards in PE, which are good. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school has a suitable number of appropriately qualified teaching staff and satisfactory number of well-trained support staff. The accommodation is satisfactory but there are unsatisfactory resources to support learning in several subjects.

p.7

sometimes very good in Years 4 to 6. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory

Procedures to provide a caring and safe environment for the pupils are very good, whilst the provision for the guidance and support of pupils is satisfactory. The school’s partnership with Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 8 parents, other schools and the wider community is good and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ achievements.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school is satisfactory overall. Since his very recent appointment the headteacher has provided the school with clear and inspirational leadership and, with the support of his dedicated and hard working deputy he has encouraged the school to make the improvements that are essential for its long-term future. The leadership and management of the school provision for special educational needs is good and all subject managers have been given regular opportunities to monitor quality and standards in their subjects and areas of responsibility, although these have yet to have a significant impact on driving up standards. The governance of the school is satisfactory.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The majority of parents are very pleased with the work of the school. They have noticed an improvement in the school since the appointment of the new head and are pleased with the way in which information about the progress of their children is communicated to them. Pupils are satisfied with the school but would like the school council to have a greater impact on decision-making process within the school. They generally like their teachers and want to do their very best.

p.8

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

• Raise standards in mathematics at Key Stage 1. • Improve the use of ICT throughout the school and improve resources so that access is increased for all pupils and standards are raised, particularly in Year 6. • Improve the quality of teaching in one Year 3 class and in some lessons in Year 2, so that learning is consistently effective and all pupils achieve at least satisfactory standards. • Ensure that better use is made of assessment information to plan work that is matched more effectively to the needs of individual pupils. In particular to raise the achievement of higher attaining pupils and those for whom English is an additional language. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 9

p.8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

The achievement of pupils is satisfactory but there are variations from year to year. Achievement is satisfactory overall in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 and is good overall in Years 3 to 6. Standards in English and science are satisfactory by the end of Year 2 and good by the end of Year 6. Standards in mathematics are unsatisfactory by the end of Year 2, but are good by the end of Year 6. Standards in ICT are satisfactory by the end of Year 2 but are unsatisfactory by the end of Year 6. Standards in other subjects are generally satisfactory throughout the school. They are good in PSHE and very good in PE. Standards in geography are in line with national expectations in Years 1 and 2, but below expectations in Years 3 to 6.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the nursery class are given a very good start to school and achieve very well. • Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well in their personal, social and emotional development, their mathematical development and in their creative development. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. • Achievement is unsatisfactory overall in Year 3. • By the end of the Year 6 pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science. • Standards in mathematics are not high enough at the end of Year 2. • Standards in ICT are broadly satisfactory throughout the school, but are not yet high enough in Year 6. • Standards in PE are good throughout the school but standards in geography are below the national expectation in Years 3 to 6.

p.9

Commentary

1. Children in the nursery class make a very good start to their learning, because of the very good provision, and quickly settle into school routines. They achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development, their mathematical development, communication, language and literacy skills, and in their creative development. As a result they learn to behave very well, form very positive relationships with adults and other children and communicate clearly in words, numbers and pictures. Achievement is satisfactory for children’s physical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.9

Commentary

2. The provision in the two reception classes is satisfactory overall and results in satisfactory achievement. Children achieve well in their mathematical development and their creative development. Achievement in all of the other areas of learning is satisfactory. Most children achieve all of the Early Learning Goals and enter Year 1 with broadly average standards.

p.9

Commentary

3. When compared to national standards the scores gained in the national tests for seven year olds in 2003 were below average for reading and well below average for writing and mathematics. When compared to similar schools (those with between 20 and 35 per cent of their pupils eligible for free school meals), the scores gained were average for reading and below average for writing and mathematics. Teacher assessments indicated that standards in science were broadly average. The scores gained in 2003 were not as good as those gained in the in the previous year, when standards in writing were good and standards in reading and mathematics were average. This is due to the much higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs in that year group. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 10

p.9

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.1 16.0 Writing 13.4 14.5 Mathematics 15.1 16.6 There were 60 pupils in the year group.

p.10

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

4. Inspection evidence shows that achievement is good overall in Year 1, where the teaching is consistently good, and satisfactory overall in Year 2, although the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Standards in the current Year 2 cohort are satisfactory in reading and writing, but are below average in mathematics. Standards are very good for PE and are good for personal and social education and citizenship. Standards are satisfactory for science, ICT, geography and design and technology. There was insufficient evidence to reach a secure judgement on standards in art and design, history or music, although the work seen in art and design and history was of a satisfactory standard.

p.10

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

5. Standards attained in the national tests administered by the school at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were well above average for English, mathematics and science when compared to all schools nationally. When compared to similar schools by prior attainment, standards were well above average in all three subjects, showing that these pupils had achieved very well in Years 3 to 6.

p.10

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

Standards in: School results National results English 29.1 27.1 Mathematics 28.6 27.0 Science 30.1 28.7 There were 55 pupils in the year group.

p.10

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

6. Inspection evidence shows that levels of achievement in Years 3 to 6 are good overall, but that achievement improves after Year 3 where the quality of teaching is unsatisfactory overall. Standards in the current Year 6 are above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in ICT are broadly average in Years 3, 4 and 5 but are still below average in Year 6 because many pupils have not been able to catch up the shortfall in basic skills from previous years. Standards are very good for PE and are good for personal; and social education and citizenship. Standards are satisfactory for and design and technology. Standards for geography are below the expected level. There was insufficient evidence to reach a secure judgement on standards in art and design, history or music, although the work seen in art and design and history was of a satisfactory standard.

p.10

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

7. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning. This is because in the majority of classes they are well supported by both teachers and class assistants and work is provided at the right level for them. Evidence shows that many of these pupils, as they move up through the school, become successful independent learners and achieve standards that are in line with their peers. The achievement of higher attaining pupils is satisfactory overall, but varies considerably from class to class and lesson to lesson, spanning the range from good to unsatisfactory. The achievement of those pupils who have English as an additional language is satisfactory overall but although the level of support provided by school support staff is good, in some lessons pupils receive insufficient individual support from teachers and are not able to Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 11 access the curriculum appropriately. Traveller children and the small number of looked after

p.10

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

pupils achieve satisfactory standards. Boys and girls achieve similar standards.

p.11

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

8. The application of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum is satisfactory, but despite improvements in the provision there are still insufficient opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their ICT skills in other subjects.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good overall. Pupils' attitudes, values and other personal qualities are good. Pupils' behaviour is also good.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils like school. They enjoy their lessons and are eager to undertake the wide range of responsibilities on offer. • Pupils are polite and courteous and behaviour is generally good in lessons and around the school. Some challenging behaviour was observed in a small number of lessons. • Attendance is improving and there are good procedures in place to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and punctually.

p.11

Commentary

9. A strong religious faith and positive relationships permeate the life and work of the school, helping it to provide a caring ethos and making a very strong contribution to the values and the behaviour that are developed by the pupils. Pupils are effectively encouraged to feel proud of their religious beliefs, which are celebrated throughout the school day, and they develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children in the nursery are given a very good start with their personal, social and emotional development and this benefits them as they move up through the school. They show a high degree of independence and self-sufficiency in their work, and in their ability to find, use and tidy up equipment. Pupils say they love coming to school because they enjoy their work and they feel happy and secure in their learning. Even when the pace of teaching slows, as it does in small minority of classes, the majority of pupils remain patient and tolerant

p.11

Commentary

10. Bullying and racial disharmony are rare and pupils report that if they do happen the school deals with it quickly and effectively. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs play and work well together. The behaviour of the majority of pupils is good across the school. When lessons are really interesting and stimulating, pupils become so engrossed in their tasks that they do not want to stop. In these cases behaviour is very good. Pupils and teachers draw up class rules together and all unacceptable incidents are thoroughly discussed and followed up in order to foster values of fair play, honesty and respect for others. There have been no permanent exclusions in the past 6 years.

p.11

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 White – British 145 1 0 White – Irish 31 1 0 White – any other White background 43 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 13 0 0 Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 12 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 3 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 5 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 23 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 18 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 42 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.11

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

11. The promotion of good behaviour remains a high priority for the new headteacher as, despite the recent improvements, the pupils themselves feel that behaviour could be even better. The absence of a proper playground over recent months, due to building work, has not been helpful in this respect. Currently the school is exploring different strategies for developing social and moral awareness and further improving behaviour. The new personal, social and health education programme is of good quality and, with Circle Times, is making a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development as pupils are now given many good opportunities to reflect on their own behaviour and that of others. Behaviour contracts with those pupils displaying very challenging behaviour are very broad reaching and thorough and are working well. The school makes very effective use of a school counsellor, funded by the parish.

p.12

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

12. The good provision for pupils’ moral and social development effectively enables pupils to develop a good understanding of responsibility and justice and this is consistently re-enforced through daily assemblies, the good role models provided by most teachers and the school’s very effective programme for PSHE. The provision for the spiritual and cultural development of pupils is satisfactory and the curriculum is being adapted further to ensure that pupils learn about the cultures and faiths of the wider world. The school acknowledges, however, that much still needs to be done in this area to ensure that pupils benefit from the richness of experience that learning about other ways of life can bring, particularly as the school now contains a significant proportion of pupils with a multi-cultural background.

p.12

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

13. The school has developed rigorous procedures to improve attendance and punctuality and these have impacted well on overall attendance figures which are now satisfactory and in line with the national average. There are good procedures to monitor attendance, which include timely telephone calls and letters to parents, rewards for pupils achieving 100 per cent attendance and good liaison with the Education Welfare Service. The majority of parents support the school’s efforts to maintain regular attendance. A few pupils arrive late for school, but this is not allowed to disrupt the smooth start of lessons.

p.12

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.2 School data : 0.2 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 13 year.

p.12

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory .

p.13

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teaching is satisfactory overall in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. Teaching is good overall in Years 3 to 6. The overall quality of assessment is satisfactory .

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning in the nursery class is very good. • Teaching and learning are good in Year 1 and in Years 4 to 6. • Teaching is unsatisfactory overall in Year 3 because of weaknesses in the teaching and learning in one of the classes in that year group. • Procedures for gathering assessment data are good overall and are very good in English and mathematics. • Insufficient use is sometimes made of assessment data, particularly to match work accurately to the needs of higher attaining pupils. • Support staff for pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language do a good job. • The teaching of higher attaining pupils requires improvement in some classes.

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

0 (0 %) 16 (24 %) 23 (34 %) 22 (33 %) 4 (6 %) 2 (3 %) 0 (0 %)

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

14. Children make a very good start in the nursery. They settle very well into the routines of the school and quickly form purposeful and secure relationships with the skilled and friendly staff. Because the children are happy and the range of tasks available is so carefully planned and interesting all the children are fully involved with what is going on and learn very effectively. Children are very carefully assessed and monitored and, as a result, the tasks set are very well matched to the needs of the children, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language. This has a very positive impact on their achievement, which is very good.

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

15. Teaching and learning in the reception class are satisfactory. Teaching is particularly good in the mathematical and creative areas of learning and in the development of personal, social and emotional development. Learning is particularly good and skills are developed well when the adults work alongside the children, exchanging their views and ideas as they chat about what they are doing and why. However, whilst there are several positive aspects to the teaching, including secure subject knowledge and the very effective use of the skilled support staff, expectations are not always high enough and the pace of learning sometimes slows because the work lacks sufficient challenge. The planning, though thorough in both classes, does not always Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 14 pay sufficient regard to the available assessment information and in some lessons there is insufficient progression in learning when children work on skills they have already developed in

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

16. Teaching is satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2, but varies in its quality from class to class and lesson to lesson. It is generally good in Year 1 and satisfactory overall in Year 2, where it spans the range from very good to unsatisfactory. In the good and very good lessons pupils make rapid progress because introductions are sharp and exciting and they are enthused by the interesting tasks that they are set. They are given sufficient time to complete the tasks properly and because expectations are so high they make every effort to complete the work to the best of their ability. However, in too many of the lessons seen in one Year 2 class the introduction to the lesson is often far too long and detailed and pupils spend most of the lesson listening to the teacher rather than completing the activity. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 make good use of support staff to help pupils in their learning and are so inclusive in their approach to all pupils that they are

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

very effective in promoting very high levels of social integration.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

17. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good overall but, as in Years 1 and 2, it is too variable. Whilst the quality of teaching in Years 4, 5 and 6 is good overall, and is sometimes very good, particularly in English, mathematics and science, the teaching in Year 3 is unsatisfactory overall because the provision in one class is poor. Teachers generally have secure subject knowledge and there has been a significant improvement in the teaching of ICT and DT, both of which were identified as areas of weakness in the previous inspection.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

18. In most of the lessons seen in Years 4 to 6 the planning is very clear and pupils know exactly what has to be achieved in the time available. Introductions are sharp and learning objectives are shared with the class with the minimum of fuss. Pupils get on with the activities quickly and enthusiastically because they know exactly what is required and learning proceeds at a brisk pace because expectations are high and activities are well matched to their prior attainment. In the very best lessons teachers’ skilfully keep pupils on task with regular, well-focused questions that effectively challenge pupils, but in a small number of the lessons seen the higher attaining pupils were not always challenged effectively and the learning of this group was reduced. Challenging, but achievable deadlines are set for the completion of the tasks and care is taken to deploy support staff, if they are available, very effectively so that all pupils, including those at an

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

early stage of English acquisition, are able to complete the work set to the best of their abilities.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

19. The teaching in Year 3 is satisfactory overall in one class and poor in the other class. Where teaching is poor expectations are too low and the planning is often inappropriate because the lesson is simply based on national guidance and insufficient work has been done to make the tasks set interesting and relevant to the prior attainment of the individual pupils. Introductions to lessons lack excitement and pupils, some of whom are only at an early stage of English language acquisition, are all required to copy the learning objectives into their books before they move on to the main activity. As a result some pupils quickly lose interest and a small minority go off task and become disruptive. Since the teacher does not have effective pupil management strategies, the quality of learning quickly becomes unsatisfactory for all the pupils and the work produced is of a poor quality. Much of the work in the books is unmarked and where marking is

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

completed it gives the pupils insufficient information about how to improve. The headteacher is aware of this situation and already has plans to resolve it.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

20. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs is generally good, and sometimes very good. This is because difficulties are identified very quickly in the nursery and the children are carefully monitored and supported from that point. It is also because in most classes and in the well-planned withdrawal and booster sessions, tasks are suitable and carefully linked to targets in the individual education plans. In withdrawal sessions, literacy and mathematics work is carefully linked to the work done in class, so that when pupils return to class they are usually able to get on with their work independently. In some lessons in the foundation subjects, when teaching assistant support is not available, pupils do not make Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 15 sufficient progress because they do not have sufficient skills in language, to be able to work independently. In these lessons these pupils sometimes make insufficient progress.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

21. Procedures for assessment have improved since the previous inspection and are now good overall and very good in English and mathematics. However the use of the information they provide remains only satisfactory. This is because there is inconsistency through the school in how teachers plan for the needs of individual pupils. In some classes, for example, higher attaining pupils are provided with challenging and stimulating work throughout a lesson, but in other classes, though, higher attaining pupils are not extended, and are required to complete the same tasks as middle and lower attaining pupils. Some pupils with English as an additional language are well supported in lessons and work at tasks appropriate to their language understanding; but sometimes the same pupils attempt tasks with no support and are very reliant on their own initiatives or watching what other pupils do. Assessment procedures are generally

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

better in English, mathematics and science than in other areas of the curriculum, where pupils nearly all follow exactly the same studies.

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 67 lessons

22. Teachers’ marking is satisfactory, but varies between good and poor. Good marking combines rigour, suitable praise and helpful pointers to enable pupils to improve. Poor marking is inaccurate, sometimes non-existent, does not provide sufficient guidance to pupils and uses praise indiscriminately or where it is clearly unjustified. The headteacher and deputy are fully aware of the need for improvement in the use of assessment and already have plans for developing a better and more consistent approach.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is generally broad although it lacks balance, with insufficient time allocated to subjects such as history and geography. • Support for pupils with special educational needs is good and support staff support pupils effectively. • Links between curriculum areas are no always sufficiently developed and opportunities are missed to apply ICT across the curriculum. • The curriculum for PSHE is good and is a strength. • The school provides a very good range of extra curricular activities, particularly in sport. • The curriculum does not sufficiently reflect the cultural diversity of its intake. • Accommodation is greatly improved and is satisfactory overall, although pupils’ toilets in the junior building are unsatisfactory. • Resources are unsatisfactory for some subjects and for some areas of the school.

p.15

Commentary

23. Whilst the curriculum is broad and contains all the required elements, insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of history and geography and opportunities to expand coverage in these subjects by teaching aspects of them through literacy, for example, are often missed. When meaningful links are created between subjects, pupils respond with enthusiasm and make good progress. For example, in a good Year 4 science lesson on air resistance, pupils worked with endeavour and enthusiasm to create various sizes of parachute before using a stopwatch to measure the time it takes for each parachute to drop to the ground. They then used the computer to present their findings in graphical form. The school is aware that better links between subjects are required and is planning a major overhaul of the curriculum to make it more relevant and inspirational for all pupils. Pupils at an early stage of English acquisition benefit enormously from

p.15

Commentary

these practical, cross-curricular activities that involve high levels of speaking and listening. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 16 24. Opportunities to weave into the curriculum contexts for learning that reflect the cultural diversity of the pupils are increasing, but are still underdeveloped. Although the junior school library contains an impressive selection of texts that represent the rich cultural mix of the school, curriculum planning is often not sufficiently well developed to include and maximise these opportunities when they arise. Insufficient use is made of ICT across the curriculum and pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to apply and develop their ICT skills in a broad range of contexts. This is mainly because resources in this subject are unsatisfactory, particularly in the junior department. The school is aware of this weakness and is looking for cost effective ways of improving the provision in this subject and thus across the curriculum. The curriculum for PSHE

p.15

Commentary

is good and is a strength of the school as it provides pupils with a very effective programme for personal development that includes sex and relationships education, and effective teaching about the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse.

p.16

Commentary

25. Pupils with special educational needs greatly benefit from the broad curriculum provided by the school. This is because there is a strong commitment in the school to including these pupils fully in the life and work of the school. At the time of the previous inspection criticisms were made about the lack of suitable access and other provision for pupils with disabilities. This has been thoroughly addressed. Pupil's individual education plans are very detailed and provide the school with useful working documents that support learning well. In particular, behaviour contracts with pupils displaying emotional and behaviour difficulties are effective, relevant and thoroughly discussed and agreed with the pupils themselves. Recent building work means the school can now offer good access for pupils with physical disabilities.

p.16

Commentary

26. The curricular provision for those pupils who are at an early stage of English acquisition is satisfactory overall, but in too many lessons, particularly in the afternoons, there are no support staff available and needs of this growing numbers of pupils is not effectively met. However, where support is in place, it is very effective in helping these pupils to make good progress. Support staff liaise well with class teachers to ensure that the help provided ties in as closely as possible with the work of the rest of the class. The work of the existing support staff acts as a good model for the necessary future expansion of support for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English.

p.16

Commentary

27. Provision for pupils who are gifted and talented is satisfactory. The school is developing its policy for this area, but at present it has not sufficiently developed its identification procedures since a number of pupils identified as gifted and talented are in fact higher attaining pupils rather than gifted and talented. The provision for the small numbers of travellers, refugees and asylum seekers and looked after children is appropriate and these children are very effectively integrated into the life of the school

p.16

Commentary

28. The curriculum is considerably enriched by the wide variety of activities that take place after school and at weekends. Pupils are given very good opportunities to participate in a wide variety of sports, including regular sporting fixtures with other local schools. Pupils also have the opportunity to take part in other activities such as the school choir and clubs for gardening, drama, sewing, art and craft and computers. The quality of curriculum enhancement makes a very positive impact on the achievement of those pupils who take part.

p.16

Commentary

29. The accommodation provided by the school is satisfactory and has improved significantly since the previous inspection. An impressive new entrance hall, offices, dining hall, expanded playground and two new classrooms have already begun to have a positive impact on the quality of education provided by the school as there is now more space and teachers are beginning to introduce a wider range of teaching strategies. The school has already identified the need to allow alternative access to two classrooms in the infant school, to avoid staff and visitors having to walk though a toilet area, which is unsatisfactory. The pupil toilet areas in the junior building are at present unsatisfactory and need to be refurbished. Due to the hard work of the caretaker and his team the school building is now a much cleaner and increasingly attractive environment than was previously reported. Resources are unsatisfactory overall and there are insufficient good

p.16

Commentary

quality computers to effectively support teaching and learning throughout the school and to Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 17 underpin the required integration of ICT into the curriculum as a whole. Many of the resources available in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 are old and shabby and need to be replaced.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

Procedures for pupils’ care, welfare and safety are very good. The procedures employed by the school to seek, value and act upon the views of pupils are good, whilst those to support and guide pupils are satisfactory.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good systems to ensure that pupils work in a safe and caring environment. • Child protection procedures are very good. • Induction procedures are very good. • Although procedures to assess what pupils know and can do are good, this information is not always used effectively to promote their personal and academic development.

p.17

Commentary

30. All pupils, including those in local authority care, are very well cared for and this is a significant strength of the school. This shows a very good improvement since the last inspection when standards of care were considered satisfactory. There are very effective child protection procedures that are reviewed regularly and understood by all teaching and support staff. All decisions about health and safety are based on careful risk assessments that ensure that pupils and adults work in a safe environment. There is close co-operation with parents and other responsible agencies to safeguard pupils’ welfare at all times. Staff frequently smile encouragingly and show genuine affection for the pupils. This puts them at their ease in the classroom and helps them to concentrate and make progress. Pupils report that teachers and support staff are friendly and approachable. As a result there are very high levels of trust between

p.17

Commentary

pupils and all the adults who work in the school.

p.17

Commentary

31. A very good induction programme and very good routines have been established in the nursery class. These ensure that children settle down very quickly and feel confident to talk about anything that worries them. Children under-five are very well looked after, and this means that they enjoy school and think that learning is fun. Pupils who join the school at a later stage are generally well supported although pupils with English as an additional language do not always receive sufficient support in some lessons.

p.17

Commentary

32. Teachers know their pupils and their families very well and the school makes very good use of outside support agencies to support and counsel pupils. However, although teachers make systematic assessments of their pupils’ progress, they do not always use this information to ensure that pupils get the help they need. Whilst the support and guidance given to pupils with special educational needs is good, higher achieving pupils and those whose first language is not English do not always receive additional support to help them progress further.

p.17

Commentary

33. The school takes great care to acknowledge pupils’ achievements, particularly when they have made efforts and tried hard and good use is made of pupils’ individual records of achievement. There is a good system of headteacher awards which are greatly prized and which encourage pupils to work well and do their best. The school makes good efforts to seek older pupils’ views through an effective School Council, and pupils do this responsibly because they know their opinions will be taken seriously. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 18

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents and the community is good. There are very good links with other schools which impact positively on the curriculum and pupils’ opportunities for learning.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides good information to parents about their children’s progress. • There are good links with the local community and a very close and supportive partnership with the parish. • The school has developed very good links with neighbouring schools that enrich the curriculum and children’s learning.

p.18

Commentary

34. The school works effectively with all parents to support pupils’ learning. Parents are supportive and are pleased with the school’s provision for their children. The school has maintained the good standards found in the last inspection report. Parents feel that the school shows clear commitment to working in partnership with them. Teachers are approachable and parents feel confident that the school keeps them well informed. They like the regular newsletters, termly curriculum maps and the good annual reports. Parents know that any concerns they may have will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

p.18

Commentary

35. Families with children with special educational needs are fully involved in reviewing the support their children receive and the progress they make. A few parents make a commitment to help regularly by holding book sales, helping in the classroom and accompanying outside trips and they feel that the school values their contribution. Many more parents help occasionally on individual projects, such as improving the playground and raising money for the new building. There is a very active Parents’ Association, which organises an extensive programme of social and fundraising events to support the school’s work and which effectively cements the good relationships that exist between home and school. Much of the money raised recently has been donated to the school’s building fund.

p.18

Commentary

36. The school is making good efforts to involve those parents new to the school and particularly those whose first language is not English. There are regular coffee mornings and good translation facilities are provided to Polish families by members of the school staff. The school is actively considering ways of helping other minority groups to participate more fully in the life of the school community and all school notices are now displayed in English, Polish, Arabic and Filipino.

p.18

Commentary

37. Good links with the community make a positive impact upon pupils’ progress and their knowledge of the wider world. Teachers make good use of the local area to extend pupils’ learning and there are good links with the emergency services and various visitors who come into school to support aspects of the curriculum. Pupils are actively involved in community events such as the Hanwell Carnival, carol singing at Christmas and distributing Harvest gifts. There are particularly strong links with the parish which actively support all aspects of the school’s work and who have raised valuable funds for the school’s building programme.

p.18

Commentary

38. Very good links with partner institutions ensure that transition and induction arrangements are smooth and efficient, but also make a very positive impact on pupils’ achievements and staff development. The school has played a leading role within its cluster group of neighbouring schools, for example on the school sports co-ordinator scheme, where the school is used as a model to help raise the profile of PE within the Borough. This partnership has been a contributory factor to the high standards of PE in the school. Staff are benefiting from a local education authority initiative to improve the use of interactive white boards within school. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 19

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide the school with good leadership. Management of the school is satisfactory . Governors make a satisfactory contribution to school management.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The head and deputy have very high aspirations for the future development of the school and provide the school with a great sense of purpose. • The head and deputy provide very good role models to teachers and pupils. • The school promotes inclusion and equal opportunities effectively. • The school’s finances are greatly supported by considerable contributions from the parish, the PTA and the local community.

p.19

Commentary

39. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are determined to increase the pace of change and the rate of improvement achieved recently in order that standards, learning and the achievement of pupils will continue to improve. The headteacher has only been in post for 10 weeks in the school but he has already had a very significant impact upon the whole school community. His leadership has galvanised staff, governors and parents alike into examining closely the effectiveness of the school. He has shown energy, clear sightedness and considerable humour in dealing with the completion of building alterations and coping with many safety aspects in site development. His main leadership skill, though has been to unite staff into facing and dealing with identified urgent needs for improvement in, for example, improving standards and in managers becoming more rigorous in their monitoring of teaching and learning. This has, inevitably, led to

p.19

Commentary

some tough messages, but staff and governor morale has clearly improved as a result of this dynamic approach.

p.19

Commentary

40. The head’s skills are effectively complemented by those of the talented and dedicated deputy headteacher, who led the school very effectively in the period before the new headteacher took up post. Her very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses that exist, and exemplary management of the pastoral aspects of life in the school ensures that the school’s desire for improvement is shared appropriately between the senior management. Additionally, both the head and deputy are very good teachers, as observed during the inspection, which gives them great credibility as teaching role models to the rest of the staff.

p.19

Commentary

41. The leadership and management of other members of staff in their roles as subject leaders, is generally satisfactory. They have been given good training opportunities and time to monitor teaching, learning, planning and standards in their areas of responsibility. However, they have received insufficient guidance in how to use the information gained from this analysis in order to improve standards and most of this monitoring has not led to a significant improvement in teaching. The monitoring now being completed by the headteacher and deputy is of a much better quality and is leading to improvement.

p.19

Commentary

42. Subject co-ordinators have also to establish ways in which the disadvantages of the split site can be overcome, so that they can have a better understanding of the standards achieved in their subject in the other building. All leaders and managers are committed and effective in promoting inclusion and equality for pupils throughout the school.

p.19

Commentary

43. There have been many changes recently in the composition of the governing body. The governing body has a very effective chair who has been dedicated to the needs of the school for many years. The school is fortunate in having a core of very committed governors, particularly staff members and the Parish priest, who devote a considerable amount of time to their responsibilities and are passionate in their desire for the school to continue its progress. However, they carry a heavy load, as there are currently a number of governor vacancies, whilst several are new to their positions and are still being trained and gaining experience. Committees Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 20 have been re-organised so that they better match the needs of the school and the contribution of the governors to the direction of the school is satisfactory. Their support for the school is boundless, but at present they feel less confident in challenging managers, and are reticent to

p.19

Commentary

identify weaknesses. The governing body, though, is well led and positive and making increasingly effective contributions to the management of the school.

p.20

Commentary

44. Strategic planning is satisfactory and improving with the preparation of a new school improvement plan that effectively identifies the key areas for improvement. The performance management and professional development of staff are at least satisfactory. Staff new to the school are effectively supported by a comprehensive programme of training and mentoring which gives them a good start to their life in the school.

p.20

Commentary

45. Financial management and the application of the principles of best value are satisfactory. The school has managed well the considerable distractions of the large building programme and has used its entire indicative funding appropriately. It has also benefited considerably in funding from the significant contributions of the parish and the hard working PTA. Everyday administration and financial management is satisfactory and the headteacher is well aware that there are shortfalls in the resources available in certain subjects and areas. The value for money is satisfactory. The very helpful and competent school administrator and her two assistants are a very positive introduction to the ethos of the school for many parents and pupils.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,231, 074 Balance from previous year 46,622 Total expenditure 1,242,153 Balance carried forward to the next 35,500 Expenditure per pupil 2,754 Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the nursery is very good. In reception it is satisfactory overall, sometimes good. Overall provision is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children settle into the nursery class very well. • Achievement in the nursery is very good. • The outdoor environment is well used to develop children's learning.

p.21

Commentary

46. Children settle very well into the routines of school because induction procedures are so good and because purposeful and secure relationships with all staff are quickly established. From the time they enter school they are very carefully assessed and monitored and as a result, nursery staff know the children very well. Assessment of need is thorough in the Foundation Stage and ongoing on a daily basis, particularly in the nursery. This means that any difficulties the children might have are identified early and measures put into place to help them. Staff in the nursery work well with children identified as having special educational needs and to accommodate and support parents involving them as closely as possible in their children's learning. This has a very positive impact on achievement.

p.21

Commentary

47. Teaching and learning are very good in the nursery and satisfactory overall in the reception classes. Teacher's planning, although thorough in both classes, does not always ensure that work builds upon what was learned in the nursery, and sometimes repeats tasks at the same level. Children with speech and language difficulties benefit from a varied programme of role-play and other similar activities. This is also a great help to the increasing number of children with English as an additional language. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is good overall. All staff work, plan and assess children's progress together effectively.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good in the nursery and good in the reception classes.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning is very good, often excellent in the nursery. • Girls and boys play and work very well together. • Children in the nursery develop very good skills of independent learning.

p.21

Commentary

48. Children achieve well and have high standards. Each day children in the nursery leave their parents and helpers confidently and happily. This is because activities prepared for them are such fun that they cannot wait to get started. They have a high degree of independence when undertaking tasks and take turns and share very well, for example, when they take their snacks and clear up after themselves. They concentrate and behave very well because the tasks that are prepared for them are so interesting and varied. The teacher and assistant are warm and friendly and know the children well and as a result, a calm and purposeful atmosphere prevails. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 22 Relationships between children and all adults are very good, and this creates a positive, friendly atmosphere in which achievement flourishes. Children are polite and courteous because adults are such good role models and children know that expectations are high. At the end of each

p.21

Commentary

session they willingly clear away their equipment.

p.22

Commentary

49. In reception the picture is more mixed. Teaching and learning are good overall and children make good progress. They are equally eager to learn and often work happily on their own. Behaviour is at least satisfactory and often good. However, when they are not clear what is expected of them, the pace of work slows and they go off task. Sometimes, where inappropriate strategies are used, or work is not planned at quite the right level, some children fidget in their chairs, call out inappropriately and flit from task to task.

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good in the nursery and satisfactory in reception.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the nursery and reception love books and stories. • Writing skills are developing well across the Foundation Stage.

p.22

Commentary

50. Teaching is consistently very good in the nursery and children make very good progress because they are excited and stimulated by the wide range of interesting activities that are planned for them. Children frequently enter school asking if it is story time. They enjoy these moments so much because the lessons are so well prepared and make very good use of lovely puppets and models that illustrate characters and events very effectively. Children listen very attentively and enjoy making their own puppets that they use them to help tell the story to visitors. They enjoy using role-play equipment to become the characters in their stories and speak clearly and confidently. Writing skills are developing very well and most children can form clear letters and write their names independently. Many children know many single sounds.

p.22

Commentary

51. In the reception classes the teaching is good because skills learned in the nursery are built on effectively and consequently children make good progress. Many children know single sounds and have a small bank of familiar words. With support, they can talk about characters and events in their books and are interested in reading. Children take books home regularly to share with parents and carers. Writing skills are developing well and higher attaining children write simple sentences independently. Children speak clearly and have good listening skills.

p.22

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good in the nursery and good in reception

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children throughout the Foundation Stage are enthusiastic about their mathematical development. • Most children achieve well in this area.

p.22

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning are very good in the nursery where a large number of children are already confident when using numbers to five, including independent use of a computer program to count and recognise numbers to five. Many count confidently beyond five and match items to their Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 23 number name. When they work with the competent assistant to complete number games to five they are proud of their very good achievement and want to share it with others. When they count animals into Noah's Ark in two's they share and co-operate extremely well. They know basic colours and shapes.

p.22

Commentary

53. Teaching is good in reception, where staff build on these skills and children make good progress and achieve well as a result. Children recognise numbers to five to nine and more able children count and add accurately, often to numbers well beyond ten. On these occasions, where children are clear what they are expected to do, learning is good because pupils work independently, choosing, sharing and co-operating well with each other.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is very good in nursery and good in reception

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children benefit from well-planned opportunities for vigorous, physical activity.

p.23

Commentary

54. The school has done much recently to improve provision in this area. Good quality climbing and other outdoor apparatus has enabled children to improve their skills of co-ordination, mobility, balancing and control and they really enjoy energetic play outside.

p.23

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are very good in the nursery and as a result children achieve well. In the nursery teaching is particularly successful, both in well-planned outdoor play activities and in lessons in the hall. Children move spontaneously, experiment with different ways of moving their bodies, striding out and creeping small. They make curled, small shapes and long wide shapes easily and confidently. They listen very well to instructions and behaviour is excellent. They already demonstrate very good spatial awareness. They are excited and well motivated, thoroughly enjoying their activities. Warm-ups are fun and routines are well established, because teaching is so good.

p.23

Commentary

56. In reception teaching and learning are good in this area and children make satisfactory progress. Children get equal pleasure from their physical activities, when using outdoor equipment, but because tasks are not always well focused, children tend to rush to use all the equipment and specific skills, such as balancing, are not as well developed as they could be. In PE lessons, in the hall, children are very interested because the lesson is fun, and catching and throwing skills are developing well.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in this area is good in the nursery and satisfactory in reception

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children show care for others and living things in their environment. • Children are beginning to differentiate between past and present.

p.23

Commentary

57. In the nursery teaching and learning are effective because children are presented with an environment where curiosity and investigation are actively promoted and children achieve well. They are constantly asking questions and are keen to share their many observations with visitors. The computer is frequently in use and most children are able to operate simple Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 24 programs independently. They begin to learn about the world around them when they observe seasonal and weather changes and when they learn how to care for living things, such as mini- beasts, and themselves.

p.23

Commentary

58. Teaching is satisfactory, often good in reception when children learn, from discussing and looking at themselves and photographs from babyhood, that things change over time. They begin to learn about their locality when they take a walk in the area around the school and identify different types of houses and buildings. Also when they draw a map of their journey to school. They start to learn about life processes when they grow various seeds and beans and carefully monitor what they need for healthy growth. Achievement is always at least satisfactory, and often good.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good in both nursery and reception

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children sing with great enthusiasm. • They enjoy exploring a wide range of media.

p.24

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning are good in both nursery and reception because the teachers plan well for this area, enabling children to achieve well. Children are enthusiastic about their music making and sing a wide range of songs and rhymes tunefully, clapping and tapping out the rhythm. They begin to understand that sounds can be changed when they create loud and soft sounds. They manipulate play-dough, sand and foam carefully and thoughtfully as they try to create shapes to support their work. Colour mixing skills are developing well and children enjoy exploring colour using hands and other familiar objects, such as fruit, to print and create pattern. They learn about texture when they feel and describe the coats of the three bears. Paintings are bold and colourful. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading and writing are good in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. • Standards in speaking and listening are good throughout the school. • Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, but good in Years 4,5 and 6. • The presentation of many pupils’ work is not good enough in some classes. • The marking of pupils’ work in some classes is overly generous and does not show pupils how they should improve. • Pupils who are in the early stages of English acquisition do not always receive sufficient support in some lessons. • The needs of higher attaining pupils are not always met sufficiently.

p.25

Commentary

60. The results of the national assessments administered by the school were below average at the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. Inspection evidence, and the schools own assessments indicate that standards in the current Year 2 are broadly average whilst standards in the current Year 6 are above average. The standards found in Year 2 are better than those achieved in 2003 because the cohort contains fewer pupils with special educational needs than last year. The standards in Year 6 are not quite as good as those gained in 2003 because fewer pupils are expected to gain the higher Level 5. By the time they leave the school, standards are above average in reading, writing and speaking and listening. Achievement is satisfactory overall although in some classes higher attaining pupils are insufficiently challenged. The achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language is satisfactory overall, but

p.25

Commentary

good where they receive focused support. Where this support is not in place a few pupils make unsatisfactory progress.

p.25

Commentary

61. By the end of Year 2 pupils can talk and listen with assurance in a range of situations. They demonstrate careful listening through relevant responses. By the end of Year 6 pupils listen attentively and thoughtfully adapt their responses to match the purpose. Pupils in a Year 6 lesson, for example, on ‘feelings’ confidently shared their opinions on the way in which the area you live in can influence the sort of person you become.

p.25

Commentary

62. Standards in reading are good in Year 1 and satisfactory in Year 2. Pupils are able to read simple passages of writing and demonstrate understanding. Pupils of lower and average ability tend to rely too much on pictures to help them read the text. Pupils generally have positive attitudes about reading and speak with enthusiasm about the recent celebration of World Book Day at the school. Despite being raised as an issue in the previous inspection report, there is still no library for pupils in Years 1 and 2. The school has recognised this lack of provision and plans to develop a library in the near future.

p.25

Commentary

63. Most pupils in Years 3 to 6 enjoy reading and are able to describe significant themes and characters within texts. They understand how to retrieve information from non-fiction texts and regularly use local public libraries. Pupils read with expression and pay clear attention to punctuation in the text. A small number of pupils become frustrated when reading books that are too hard for them and would benefit from additional guidance from the teacher when selecting a reading book. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 26 64. Standards in writing are satisfactory by the end of Year 2. Ideas are developed into a sequence of sentences, sometimes punctuated with capitals and full stops. Simple words are usually spelt correctly. The standard of pupils’ handwriting is satisfactory overall and spans the range from very good to unsatisfactory. By the end of Year 6 the standard of pupils’ writing is good. Pupils

p.25

Commentary

write in a sustained manner using a lively and thoughtful range of forms. Pupils’ grasp of punctuation is very secure. For example, in a Year 6 lesson pupils demonstrate good skills when editing a narrative text from a previous year’s test paper. The presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent. Where it is good, the teacher provides clear developmental comments about how pupils can improve their layout of their work. Where it is unsatisfactory, pupils’ work is sloppily presented and uncorrected mistakes are widespread. Overall, pupils enjoy English and their attitudes to work are positive.

p.26

Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, although most teaching in Year 1 and Years 4 to 6 is good. Where teaching is good, teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and use questions effectively to probe pupils’ understanding. In these lessons pupils respond well to engaging teaching and the use of interesting contexts for learning and achievement is at least good, and often very good. For example, following a lively explanation by two teachers in one lesson, many pupils made good notes while watching a brief extract from a Jamie Oliver cookery show. The interesting context for learning was reflected in the pupils’ evident enjoyment of this lesson. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, an over dominance of teacher talk fails to engage the pupils and as a result many pupils do not achieve as well as they should. In these lessons, the absence of precise instructions by the teacher about the amount of time allotted to

p.26

Commentary

activities mean that pupils demonstrate little urgency about the learning process and therefore do not make the progress of which they are capable. The needs of higher attaining pupils are not always fully met. In several classes the opportunity is rarely taken to move more able pupils onto more demanding work earlier in the lesson, rather than simply to present them with an extension task towards the end of a lesson.

p.26

Commentary

66. The quality of the marking of pupils’ work varies widely across the school. Where practice is good, marking is characterised by precise guidance about what is good about a piece of work, usually in relation to the learning objective, and a constructive comment is made about how to improve. Where marking is unsatisfactory it tends to be over generous in the use of praise.

p.26

Commentary

67. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership and management of the subject. Her limited impact on the subject is mainly because of the relatively short time she has been in post. However, she has undertaken an audit of staff training needs in English and is now planning a programme of training to meet the needs that have been identified. She has monitored the quality of teaching and learning in all classes and has identified the need to make literacy lessons more interesting. She also recognises the need to develop the English curriculum to more accurately reflect the cultural diversity of the school. Overall, progress since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

68. Support for pupils who are at the early stages of English acquisition is good where it is in place, but the overall level of provision does not sufficiently meet the needs of these pupils. Where provision is good, pupils receive good support that enables them to access similar areas of learning to their peers. For example, in a Year 2 lesson on story settings, very good practice was observed when the teaching assistant took a pupil who is at an early level of English acquisition out to the playground to discuss related vocabulary. They then returned to the classroom to record onto a tape recorder words related to their discussion. By the end of the session, the pupil had made clear progress in his acquisition of English and in his understanding about story settings. The overall standards found are similar to the findings of the previous inspection.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

69. The school’s provision for the use of language and literacy across the curriculum is satisfactory. Where practice is good, pupils are able to develop their literacy skills within interesting and purposeful contexts. For example, in a Year 4 Geography lesson, most pupils produce very good Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 27 writing in response to a stimulating discussion on differences between school life and life in Kenya. However, similar examples are limited. In order to allow sufficient time to cover the wider curriculum the school will need to consider ways to expand the integration of work in literacy with other subjects across the curriculum.

p.26

Mathematics

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average when pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6. • Standards are below average at the end of Year 2. • Achievement is inconsistent across the school, being more effective in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. • Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, but good in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. • Some higher attaining pupils are underachieving in Years 2 and 3. • Pupils have good attitudes to their learning in mathematics. • The use of numeracy across the curriculum is satisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

70. The results of the national assessments administered by the school were well below average at the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. Inspection evidence, and the schools own assessments indicate that standards in the current Year 2 are below average whilst standards in the current Year 6 are above average. The standards found in Year 2 are better than those achieved in 2003 because the cohort contains fewer pupils with special educational needs than last year. The standards in Year 6 are not quite as good as those gained in 2003 because fewer pupils are expected to gain the higher Level 5. Standards are below average at the end of Year 2, and above average when pupils leave at the end of Year 6. The reason for this unevenness of attainment is largely due to inconsistencies in teaching.

p.27

Commentary

71. Children make a good start to their mathematical development in the nursery, consolidate in reception and Year 1, but then slow a little in Year 2. This is because too few of the higher attaining pupils are extended sufficiently so that they can reach higher levels. Pupils also make insufficient progress in Year 3, but thereafter their progress and standards improve considerably and is at least good and often very good. This has been the case for the last two or three years when there has been a higher than average level of progress in the upper years of Key Stage 2. Pupils of all abilities are well challenged in the older year groups and a significant proportion attain higher than average levels. The achievement of average and lower attaining pupils, and those with special educational needs and English as an additional language is satisfactory in the infant years and good in Years 4, 5 and 6. The achievement of the higher attaining pupils is

p.27

Commentary

unsatisfactory in Years 2 and 3, and good in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6.

p.27

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning reflects achievement. Mathematics is often taught well in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. All pupils are well challenged and supported, lessons are lively and there is good balance between mental and written work. The books of the pupils are well presented and accurately marked. There is considerable emphasis throughout the teaching on number work. Although there is evidence of work in problem solving, shape and space and data handling, these areas are not so well developed, and the curriculum lacks sufficient balance. Good teaching in the school is also characterised by the good subject knowledge of the teachers, and good expectations of the pupils, because the teachers know their capabilities well. An example of this was seen in a Year 4 class, when pupils increased rapidly their learning of prime numbers, right angles and other two dimensional shapes.

p.27

Commentary

73. Assessment is used effectively to match work to the individual needs of the pupils. Pupils learn less effectively in the school when they are insufficiently challenged by their teachers, or spend Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 28 too long listening and not enough time ‘doing’ and finding out. Good habits of presentation and care in their work are not promoted consistently and in some classes, where expectations are not high enough and marking is weak, pupils do not take sufficient pride in their work.

p.27

Commentary

74. Pupils enjoy their mathematics when sufficiently challenged and when they have opportunities to get on with their tasks. They respond enthusiastically to questioning in mental sessions, and usually work hard when in groups. Although targets are set for them to achieve, only a small number are clear on what the targets are. Pupils co-operate well with each other, especially when they have to share textbooks, and in older classes are beginning to work independently and without overdue reliance on adult support.

p.28

Commentary

75. Leadership and management of mathematics are satisfactory. Self-evaluation by the managers of the school has been realistic, and there is a firm realisation of the areas in which the subject needs to improve. This particularly applies to the priority for rigorous monitoring of the work, learning and achievement of pupils in order to achieve consistent progress throughout the school.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

76. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. The basic skills of numeracy are taught well in all years. There is some evidence that these skills are also being promoted occasionally in science and design and technology. Nevertheless, more attention is necessary to enable pupils to have planned opportunities to use their wider mathematical skills throughout the curriculum and accelerate learning.

p.28

Strengths and weaknesses

• There have been many improvements since the time of the previous inspection. • The rate of progress across the school is still uneven but by Year 6 pupils are now making good progress and achievement is good. • Investigative work is strong in many classes. • In most classes pupils written work is good because it is neat and well constructed. • In some classes pupils make insufficient progress because the quality of teaching is not good enough.

p.28

Commentary

77. The results of the national assessments administered by the school were satisfactory at the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. Inspection evidence, and the schools own assessments indicate that standards in the current Year 2 are average whilst standards in the current Year 6 are above average. The standards found in Year 6 are not quite as good as those gained in 2003 because fewer pupils are expected to gain the higher Level 5. Achievement throughout the school, although it is variable from year to year, is good overall. Taking all the evidence together, from observing in lessons, talking to pupils and looking at their work, a clear picture emerges, which shows that in Year 1 provision is good, sometimes very good and standards of achievement are good overall. In Year 2 there is a dip, especially in the one class and by the end of Year 2 standards of achievement are broadly average. This continues through

p.28

Commentary

Year 3, where there is a similar picture, but from Year 4 onward there is sustained improvement and standards continue to rise until by the end of Year 6 they are good.

p.28

Commentary

78. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but is often good and sometimes very good, particularly in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. Pupils enjoy their science work and older pupils talk knowledgeably about topics that they have studied using an appropriate scientific vocabulary. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 29 Investigative work is a strong feature throughout most classes and pupils are given good opportunities to find things out for themselves. Lessons are thoroughly planned. Teaching is often exciting for the pupils, as for example, when pupils in one Year 2 class were observed, actively engaged, working happily in pairs, making their own circuits and lighting up one or two bulbs successfully. They were enthralled by their work, very interested in what was happening and well motivated and their own independent recording of their experiments indicated that they had gained much from the session and had very good knowledge and understanding of how

p.28

Commentary

circuits work. This was reinforced very effectively in a well-planned follow up lesson where pupils effectively used a computer program to complete and break circuits. In these lessons, pupils with special educational needs make equally good progress as their peers because a trainee assistant and the teacher support them competently. In a class for older pupils a lively teaching style and warm relationship between pupils and teacher served well to maintain pupil's attention, enabling some inappropriate behaviour to be dealt with skilfully through the subtle use of humour. As a result learning in the lesson was not disrupted.

p.29

Commentary

79. Planning is satisfactory overall, but in a few lessons pupils of all abilities copy work from the white board and because this does not challenge them sufficiently well, they do not achieve as well as they could. There are also occasions when older pupils cover work that they have done before in previous years with little extra added to stimulate further learning. Subject confidence and knowledge is secure, but an exciting opportunity was missed, for example, when pupils discovered that the roots of plants they were studying contained a myriad of wild life and did not get an opportunity to investigate it. In only a few classes is marking used well to help pupils to understand where and how they need to improve their work. There is little use of ICT in science in the school, but good use of mathematical skills, including data collection and analysis.

p.29

Commentary

80. Leadership of the subject is good. The relatively new co-ordinator has monitored thoroughly and has a good idea where strengths and weaknesses lie. She is enthusiastic and clear where she wants to improve the subject and is currently building up resources for ICT to be used more regularly. She has worked well with the assessment co-ordinator to assess and track pupil's progress and to set targets for their future development. The subject is in a good position to improve even further.

p.29

Information and communication technology

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are at least satisfactory and often good in Years 1 and 2. • Whilst satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6, standards are still below the national expectation in Year 6. • The use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. • There are insufficient good quality computers to support sustained improvement. • The leadership and management are good.

p.29

Commentary

81. Achievement is satisfactory overall and pupils generally achieve standards that are at least in line with the national expectation. The only exception to this is in Year 6 where pupils have not quite made up the ground lost when the school’s provision was not of an appropriate standard.

p.29

Commentary

82. The teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is good overall. Pupils in Years 1 are achieving good standards because of the good, and sometimes very good teaching they are receiving both from their class teachers and from the co-ordinator who is given good opportunities to support and develop the subject across the school. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and are planning good, well-structured lessons using data handling that are well integrated with the work the pupils are completing about different sorts of buildings in geography. Pupils in Year 2 are Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 30 producing work of an appropriate standard that is effectively linked to their scientific studies of electrical circuits. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a significant advantage in that they are close to the ICT suite and can easily take advantage of any spare slots that arise during the week to practise their skills. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall and sometimes good, and

p.29

Commentary

effectively supports the satisfactory achievement found. In some of the lessons observed during the inspection the learning in the lesson was not as good as the teaching deserved because of technical problems with the computers, which are now old and unreliable. In these lessons, despite the best efforts of the staff and pupils, only limited progress was possible.

p.30

Commentary

83. The co-ordinator provides the subject with good leadership and management and she has worked very hard to raise standards to their current level. She monitors and supports the work of her colleagues and has a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses that exist, particularly the technical problems that are frequently experienced with old and unreliable computers. She has organised better technical support and is now discussing the next stages of development with headteacher and senior management team. She is well aware of the limitations of a single suite in a split site school and the need to make better use of classroom computers that are not currently networked to the main system. The overall quality of the resources is unsatisfactory and these shortfalls are limiting the progress possible, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

p.30

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

84. The use of ICT across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. Some good links exist in Years 1 and 2 where pupils can make use of the ICT suite, and although there are some good links with geography, for example, in Year 4, there are not enough planned opportunities in Years 3 to 6. The situation is further compromised because the ICT resources in the Key Stage 2 building are wholly inadequate and cannot sustain an increased level of use. The co-ordinator is aware of these problems and is seeking to improve both the quality of resources and the opportunities available to the pupils.

p.30

Humanities

Since this is a Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic primary school, Religious Education was not part of the inspection schedule. During the inspection, history was not being taught in the school and no judgements are therefore made on the quality of the provision, although the work seen was of at least a satisfactory standard.

p.30

Geography

The provision in geography is unsatisfactory .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and achievement are as expected nationally at the end of Year 2. • Standards and achievement are below expectation at the end of Year 6. • Teaching and learning is inconsistent through the school. • Resources for geography are unsatisfactory.

p.30

Commentary

85. By the end of Year 2 standards are at the expected level but, by the end of Year 6, they are below the levels expected nationally. This is because the school has been unable to give sufficient time to geography in older classes as so much emphasis has been placed in recent years on teaching English, mathematics and science. Consequently, although by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, many pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of geographical facts, their geographical skills of investigation and application are not so well developed. The Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 31 achievement of pupils in Years 1, 2 and 4 is satisfactory. The achievement of pupils in Years 3, 5 and 6 is unsatisfactory because although pupils have an appropriate knowledge of geographical facts, they have not had sufficient opportunity to develop the full range of skills.

p.30

Commentary

86. Pupils in Year 1 learn to use ICT to help their knowledge of homes by age and identification of key features. Good links with other subjects are also present in Year 4 where pupils learn about school life in a Kenyan village, again with the help of ICT and develop an enthusiastic interest in comparing Kenyan life with that of their own in Hanwell. This is reflected in good extended writing. Discussion with some pupils in Years 2 and 6 also shows they have good knowledge of facts about other countries, especially Ireland, when they talk about Mayo, Sligo and the rivers Boyne and Liffey. Whilst some limited opportunities exist to develop ICT skills through the teaching of geography, the development of writing skills through the subject is mostly unsatisfactory in the junior years.

p.31

Commentary

87. Whilst some good teaching was observed during the inspection, the quality spanned the range from good to poor and is unsatisfactory overall. This is because teachers do not take sufficient opportunities to share the widely different knowledge that pupils have of different countries, and do not have the time or resources to develop the required skills. This prevents consistent learning and progress as pupils move through the school. Pupils themselves are genuinely enthused when given stimulating opportunities to learn about geography. However, discussions with older pupils shows that geography is very much a fringe area of their learning, and they have little in depth recall of their previous learning.

p.31

Commentary

88. The leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory and it is only now that the school management is taking significant steps to improve provision and raise standards, especially in the junior classes. The school’s resources are unsatisfactory and teachers often have to find and develop their own teaching and learning aids in order to help pupils’ understanding of the concepts being taught. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have too few opportunities for practical experiences and visits to places of geographical interest.

p.31

Creative, aesthetic, practical and physical subjects

During the inspection, music and art and design were not being taught in the school and no judgements are therefore made on the quality of the provision for either subject although a careful analysis of the work seen suggests that standards in art and design are satisfactory. No formal music lessons were available but the singing heard in assembly was of an appropriate standard.

p.31

Physical Education

Provision in physical education is very good .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management of the subject are very good. • Pupils achieve very good standards. • The subject has a high profile throughout the school. • There is a very good range of extra curricular sporting activities. • Good subject knowledge enables teachers to lead lessons with confidence.

p.31

Commentary

89. The provision for physical education is a strength of the school. Good teaching ensures that all pupils achieve good or better standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Learning is very good where teachers are able to give precise guidance to pupils about how to improve their performance. For example, in a Year 3 lesson on netball skills, the teacher was able to draw on her own expertise in netball to provide frequent helpful feedback to all pupils about how to develop Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 32 their skills. Pupils who are at an early stage of English acquisition make as good progress as their peers because of the clarity of teachers’ instructions. Most staff are confident teaching the subject either because of their personal involvement in sport or as a result of the effective training that they have received from the subject co-ordinator. The school also gains from its involvement

p.31

Commentary

in the Schools Sports Co-ordinators Partnership. As a result of the good teaching, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are generally very positive.

p.32

Commentary

90. The quality of the school’s provision is greatly enhanced by the very wide range of sporting activities that are available to pupils. There are regular opportunities for pupils to take part in football, netball, tag rugby, curling, bocce, basketball and cross-country, for example and the standards achieved are greatly enriched, for those who take part, by the wide range of extra- curricular sporting opportunities that are available. Year 6 pupils are able to take part in outdoor and adventurous activities, such as abseiling and kayaking, as part of the annual residential visit to Bratton Park

p.32

Commentary

91. The enormous enthusiasm and commitment of the co-ordinator has ensured that standards in the subject have continued to rise since the previous inspection. The co-ordinator provides the subject with very effective leadership and management and regularly provides feedback to staff following the monitoring of teachers’ plans and lessons. This has had a very positive impact on standards in this subject. The co-ordinator has recognised the need to introduce procedures for the formal assessment of pupils’ progress.

p.32

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory .

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are much improved from the previous inspection. • The leadership and management of the subject are good.

p.32

Commentary

92. Achievement is satisfactory throughout the school and pupils attain satisfactory standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is a significant improvement on the situation reported in the previous inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory. This improvement has been secured because of the hard work put in by both the current and the previous co-ordinators who, between them, have provided the subject with good leadership and management over the past six years and have supported staff as they have developed their confidence in the subject. The quality of teaching and learning is now satisfactory overall and in one very good lesson seen in Year 4 pupils were very effectively supported as they enthusiastically developed various pop- up mechanisms to incorporate into a children’s book, achieving good levels of finish to their completed products.

p.32

Personal, social and health education and citizenship

Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is good.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject has a high profile in the school and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • The subject is well led and managed. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 33

p.32

Commentary

93. The school’s personal, social and health education programme is a significant contributory factor to the harmonious ethos of the school. A recently introduced teaching programme has provided much more coherence to the teaching of this subject. The level of resources to support the teaching of this subject is improving but further investment is required if progress is to be maintained. Overall provision in this subject has improved since the last inspection.

p.33

Commentary

94. Teaching is good throughout the school. The warmth of the relationship between pupils and most members of staff provides a good foundation for open and meaningful discussion of delicate issues such as difficulties in relationships. Well planned lessons, teachers’ confidence in dealing with sensitive topics and the use of imaginative contexts when dealing with issues such as ‘feelings’, serve to hold pupils’ interest and attention. Opportunities to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills are regularly built into lessons. For example, in a good Year 6 lesson on the environment, pupils vigorously debate the issues raised by the teacher in the introduction to the lesson. As a result all pupils achieve well and make significant gains in their learning.

p.33

Commentary

95. The leadership and management of the subject are good and are key factor behind the rise in standards. The co-ordinator’s regular monitoring of teachers’ planning and delivery of lessons ensures that the quality of provision in this subject is being continually improved. The School Council in the junior school is well established and the same provision has recently been introduced into the infant school. Staff are confidently managing the peer mediation programme because of the good training they have received and this is making a significant and positive impact on behaviour and relationships throughout the school. Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School - 34

p.33

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.34