Much Woolton Catholic Primary School

MUCH WOOLTON CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 6 th May 2005

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MUCH WOOLTON CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2005

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MUCH WOOLTON CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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MUCH WOOLTON CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 410

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Watergate Lane Woolton Liverpool Merseyside Postcode: L25 8QH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0151 4286114 Fax number: 0151 4287753

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs P Parker

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Much Woolton Catholic Primary School is situated in Woolton in the south east of Liverpool. It is larger than most primary schools, with 410 pupils on roll, aged between four and eleven years. The school serves the immediate community but also admits pupils from a wider area. The pupils come from a range of social backgrounds. The school admits children at the beginning of the school year after their fourth birthday. Pupils’ attainment on entry is slightly below average, although a wide range of attainment is evident and there have been very wide fluctuations between different year groups over recent years. The majority of pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds. There are two pupils with English as an additional language. Sixteen per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is broadly average. Four children have a Statement of Special Educational Need, which is broadly average. The proportion of pupils in receipt of free school meals is below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school received a Healthy Schools award in 2004. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

20950 R W Burgess Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology 9652 C Herbert Lay inspector 6282 P Raja Team inspector English Music Physical education 10144 M Marriott Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology 29989 P Goodsell Team inspector Foundation Stage Geography History Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus ltd Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 6 Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school. The sincerity with which all associated with the school work together and endeavour to fulfil its mission statement is a particularly strong feature and is reflected in the pastoral care for pupils. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and the governing body is highly effective. Standards are above national averages by the end of Year 6. Teaching and learning are good overall, with some very good features in Years 3 to 6. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The school makes very good provision for pupils’ personal development and their behaviour and relationships are consequently very good. • Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is very good. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well because of the quality of teaching but more able pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not sufficiently challenged and should do better. • In some lessons for reception children there are too few opportunities for the children to develop independence in their learning. • There is a very good range of activities outside of lessons. • The school has very good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school was last inspected in November 1998 and has made a good improvement since then, effectively addressing all the issues raised. There is now good provision for information and communication technology (ICT) and standards have risen. Curriculum planning and assessment are good but there is still a need to develop challenge for more able pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English A B A B Mathematics B B A C Science B C A B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Achievement is good overall. It is satisfactory in reception and Years 1 and 2 and good in

Years 3 to 6 . The table shows that in 2004 pupils in Year 6 did much better than in most other schools and better than those in similar schools. Higher attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 do not always do as well as they should because the work does not always challenge them enough. Pupils with learning difficulties and those for whom English is an additional language achieve well. Standards in relation to the targets children are expected to reach by the end of reception are good in creative development and physical development. They are satisfactory in all other areas of learning. The children are achieving satisfactorily on the whole but activities do not always move the learning on well enough. In Year 2, standards in speaking, listening, reading, writing and mathematics are average. Standards are average in all other subjects seen. In Year 6, standards in English, mathematics, science, ICT and art and design are good. They are average in all other

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Achievement is good overall. It is satisfactory in reception and Years 1 and 2 and good in

subjects seen. No judgement was made on standards in design and technology, geography, music or physical education because insufficient lessons were observed during the inspection.

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Pupils’ personal development is very good. The provision for their moral and social

development is very good. The provision for their spiritual and cultural development is good. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 8 Attitudes and behaviour are very good. Pupils behave very well in class and have positive attitudes to school. The staff have high expectations of the pupils' behaviour and teach the differences between right and wrong very well. The pupils like coming to school. They are punctual. Attendance is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided is good. Teaching is good overall. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in reception and in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6 with some very good teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6. The overall good quality teaching is resulting in good learning and good achievement by the end of Year 6.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality and range of the curriculum are satisfactory in the reception classes and Years 1 and 2, and good elsewhere. Throughout the school, pupils with potential difficulties are identified early and given very good levels of support. Pupils with learning difficulties make very good progress towards their individual targets. All pupils learn effectively in a secure environment where health and safety provision and child protection procedures are fully in place. Links with parents are very good. Most parents are supportive of the school.

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Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher shows very good

leadership and is well supported by the deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and other senior staff. Management is good ; there is a shared vision and determination throughout the school to improve standards and the quality of educational provision. The governance of the school is very good. Governors are a committed team who know and understand the school and give strong support to the work of the staff as they strive to improve the school. There is a continuing review of the way the school is heading and all aspects of the work of the school are kept under constant assessment. It has good resources, which are used effectively for the benefit of all its pupils.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Comments received from most parents were positive and supportive of the school. Responses from pupils indicate a high level of pride in their school. They feel they are given good opportunities for taking responsibilities and are listened to when sharing their views with staff.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Continue to develop the curriculum for reception children by:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Ensuring planning provides sufficient structure and challenge for children’s learning; Consistently providing appropriate activities to ensure children achieve their learning objectives; Providing greater opportunity to develop independence in children’s learning;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Provide appropriate challenge and expectation for pupils in Years 1 and 2 by:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Making effective use of ongoing assessment of how well pupils are doing in their learning; Ensuring teachers planning makes appropriate provision for the full range of abilities within each class. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 3 to 6 and standards are above average by the age of eleven. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and standards are average. In the Foundation Stage, achievement in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory and standards are average. In creative and physical development standards and achievement are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 3 to 6 because of the good and sometimes very good teaching. • Pupils with special educational needs make rapid progress. • More able pupils in Years 1 and 2 do not always make the best possible progress.

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Commentary

1. Children in reception are on track to exceed the goals set for their age in creative and physical areas of learning. In all other areas of learning children are on track to achieve the goals expected nationally. Achievement is satisfactory overall and good in creative and physical development where provision and teaching are better.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.9 (17.1) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.0 (15.7) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 14.9 (17.8) 16.2 (16.3) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

Standards in: School results National results English 29.2 (27.9) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 28.7 (27.7) 27.0 (26.8) Science 30.8 (29.1) 28.6 (28.6) There were 62 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

2. The tests taken at the end of Year 6 shows a trend, which is above the national trend for all core subjects. There is a much more variable picture in the Year 2 test results and the severe drop in 2004 tipped the school’s trend over time to below the national rate of improvement. The variability of results in Year 2 can be attributed to recent marked variations between the starting points of different cohorts. The very low results in 2004 were acknowledged by the school to be attributable to a particular cohort of pupils identified by the school on entry to reception classes. The leadership and management of the school set about providing support for teaching, improving accuracy of target setting and enabling closer tracking of groups and individuals. This has led to much improvement in results in Year 3. In Year 2 results are expected to improve because it is a different cohort of pupils. There is no significant difference

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

between the performance of boys and girls. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 10 3. Standards are now above average in Year 6 in reading, writing, mathematics, science, ICT and art and design. In history standards are average. Overall, pupils of all abilities in Years 3 to 6 achieve well. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 slows for some more able pupils because the work in English, mathematics and science is not always pitched at the right level for them. Greater use is now being made of assessment data to target groups of pupils. Although by the age of eleven pupils read very competently and write fluently, with correct spelling and grammar, in some classes there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects of the curriculum. They have a good understanding of how to solve problems in mathematics and a broad knowledge of all aspects of science. Pupils use

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

their competency in literacy, language, mathematics and ICT effectively to support achievement in other subjects.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

4. Pupils with special educational needs make consistently good progress in the Foundation Stage and very good progress from Years 1 to 6. This is because of the very good support they receive. Targets set for these pupils identify precisely what needs to be worked on next. The high level of inclusion for these pupils is a major factor in their very good achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The behaviour and attitude of pupils to school and to their learning are very good . Pupils have maintained this very high standard since the last inspection. The provision for spiritual, moral social and cultural development has improved and is now good overall. Pupils’ attendance and their punctuality to school remain very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. • The willingness of pupils to take responsibility is very good. • A very high quality of relationships and racial harmony exists in school. • All pupils are fully involved in all activities. • The very high attendance rate is well above national average.

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Commentary

5. Pupils at Much Woolton have very good attitudes to school and to their learning and they are very well behaved in and around school. The relationships between the pupils and between pupils and adults are also very good. All of those parents who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the pre-inspection meeting had very positive views about the behaviour of their children. They knew that their children behaved very well on visits into the community.

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Commentary

6. Pupils have very good opportunities to take on responsibility and show initiative. All pupils have the opportunity to undertake a range of responsibilities and in Year 6 pupils can volunteer to train as playground buddies. All pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, which further contributes to their social development.

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Commentary

7. From the moment that they arrive at school pupils are enthusiastic about the day ahead. In the breakfast club or the playground each morning as they come into school, pupils of all ages have a smile on their faces. This enthusiasm extends into the classroom. For example, in a Year 6 literacy lesson pupils were working together very well as they completed and performed their plays and they were very appreciative of each other’s efforts. This same enthusiasm was observed in many other lessons throughout the school. Standards of behaviour in the playground or when pupils are moving around school are also very good. There was no indication of any unsociable or racist behaviour whatsoever during the inspection. Pupils were polite and well mannered towards visitors. There have been no exclusions. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 11 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is good. Teaching and learning are good overall with very good features, particularly in Years 3 to 6. The promotion of equality of opportunity for all pupils is good with the exception of provision for more able pupils in Years 1 and 2. Provision for pupils with specific learning needs and with English as an additional language is very good. The breadth and balance of the curriculum are good. There is very good provision overall for pupils’ support, care and guidance. Links with parents, the community and with other schools are very good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall, with some very good features, especially in Years 3 to 6. This is a great strength of the school in helping to raise standards. Most lessons were judged to be good or better which is an improvement on standards of teaching at the time of the last inspection. Procedures for assessment are good although its use is inconsistent across the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ good subject knowledge leads to good learning of basic skills and facts. • There is insufficient provision for more able pupils in Years 1 and 2. • The teaching meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language very well and has a positive effect on their learning. • Good use of support staff contributes strongly to the achievement of many pupils. • Assessment and recording procedures in the school are good overall but are not yet used consistently to help pupils understand how they can improve.

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Commentary

8. In reception the quality of teaching is satisfactory across all the areas of learning with some significant strengths in the teaching of the creative and physical areas of learning. In some lessons there is too little opportunity for children to make choices about their learning and to develop independence and creativity.

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Commentary

9. Teaching and learning are good overall. They are good in most lessons for pupils in Years 3 to 6. The grouping of pupils by ability in literacy and numeracy lessons has had a beneficial impact on pupils’ achievement. In Years 1 and 2, where there is sometimes insufficient provision for more able pupils, teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The basic skills are taught well. Teachers have a very good understanding of how best to support pupils with special educational needs. They consistently employ good strategies to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum. A focus on the development of subject-appropriate vocabulary is also in evidence in lessons in most other subjects; key vocabulary is shared with pupils, explained to them and reinforced throughout the lesson.

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Commentary

10. Particularly in Years 3 to 6, teachers use very effective questioning and are aware when pupils are ready to make progress, raising challenging questions to push forward their thinking. Teachers include a good range of activities to consolidate and extend understanding. Staff work hard together to ensure that lessons are of a consistently high standard, that there is a focus on what pupils will learn, and that the process is thoroughly reviewed in the search Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 12 for improvement. Lessons often begin with teachers sharing their intentions with pupils. In literacy and numeracy, these aims are usually clearly displayed on the board as a permanent reminder to pupils. This means that pupils are very clear about what they are going to be learning. Teachers usually also explain why this is so and how it will be achieved so that pupils can check their own progress.

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Commentary

11. In several lessons in Years 1 and 2, there was insufficient challenge and provision for more able pupils. This slows pupils’ progress and means they do not achieve as well as they should at these times. In a small number of lessons the pace is sometimes a little too slow and this results in occasional lapses of attention by pupils. Learning is still satisfactory, and new skills and knowledge are acquired.

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Commentary

12. Teachers have developed very good relationships in the classroom, which lead to better motivation and increased learning. Very good relationships are a very strong feature of the school. Staff use praise well to encourage all pupils. In a Year 6 lesson in ICT, the teacher quickly established a very good purposeful working environment by using skilfully prepared questions, which captured pupils’ imagination as well as challenging them to think. Progress was rapid as a result.

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Commentary

13. The co-ordinator for special educational needs, teachers and the teaching assistants plan together successfully so the needs of the pupils with special educational needs are well met. The needs of pupils are carefully identified by the regular assessments that are carried out and strategies to address them are then effectively implemented. The co-ordinator for special educational needs is a highly committed teacher who works very well to ensure that the pupils make very good progress and achieve very well during the lessons that she teaches. In other lessons the teachers interact well with the pupils with special educational needs and integrate them into the work the class is doing. The teaching assistants provide good quality extra support that focuses on challenging the pupils to achieve well and enables them to take a full part in school activities.

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Commentary

14. There are clear and useful whole-school procedures for monitoring attainment and progress of all pupils. Class teachers’ continuous assessment in literacy and numeracy is mainly good and the information it reveals is well used. This is sufficiently informed by the demands of the levels of attainment of the National Curriculum. Targets for raising pupils’ achievement are carefully identified on the basis of their prior attainment and used effectively to inform the grouping of pupils, and for tracking their progress. Pupils’ progress is slowed because this information is neither clearly communicated to individual pupils to ensure they understand what they need to do to improve nor used well enough to ensure that higher attaining pupils in Year 1 and 2 are challenged to do their best.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 41 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum is good. There is very good provision for out-of-class activities, which enrich pupils’ learning. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well balanced and relevant. • Provision for personal, social and health education is good. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 13 • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and all pupils are included in all that the school offers. • The activities in English and mathematics on occasions are not closely matched to the needs of the higher attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

15. There has been good improvement in the quality and range of activities provided for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Statutory requirements for the National Curriculum are effectively met. Activities are very well linked to pupils’ experiences of media, of commercial literature and of formal notices and letters from the local council. This significantly underpins pupils’ self-motivation, high self-expectation and the high level of maturity with which they approach their work. There is a well-planned programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and this supports pupils’ personal development well. Good attention is given to the dangers of solvent abuse and to the importance of healthy eating and personal fitness. In Years 1 and 2, while a satisfactory curriculum is in place, in some English and mathematics lessons activities for the higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenging and as a result they do not achieve as

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Commentary

16. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities. There is a very good range of sporting and musical activities and this is a strength of the provision. A flourishing breakfast club provides a good start to the day for many pupils. Visitors frequently contribute to lessons and artists run workshops adding valuable dimension to the day-to-day curriculum. In addition a wide range of visits helps pupils to appreciate the wider world. For example, pupils have visited local and regional museums and adventure parks.

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Commentary

17. The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, which represents very good improvement since the previous inspection. Teachers make good assessments of pupils’ needs. They set clear and realistic targets and together with the support staff and the co-ordinator regularly check on pupils’ progress. Teachers plan and tailor the curriculum well to make sure the work they give to the pupils is relevant and interesting. The co-ordinator, teachers and support assistants work well together and this very effectively contributes to the good progress pupils make.

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Commentary

18. The school’s accommodation has improved considerably since the last inspection when it was judged to be barely satisfactory. It is now in very good decorative order and is well maintained under the supervision of the caretaker. The Year 1 class has moved from a mobile to a new spacious classroom inside the main building and a new room provides good accommodation for the pupils with special educational needs withdrawn from classes for additional support. The school has also recently acquired a playing field. The improvements to accommodation greatly enhance the learning opportunities for the pupils. Resources are of good quality and have improved significantly since the last inspection. There is a good range and quality of books in the library and in classes. There are particularly good resources for ICT. Resources are well deployed to enable best use to be made of them.

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Care, guidance and support

The school now provides a very good level of care for the physical and emotional needs of its pupils and there has been an improvement in this aspect of school life since the last inspection. The school also provides good support, advice and guidance to its pupils and it provides a good opportunity for pupils to be involved in school life by seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The strong interest that the governing body takes in health and safety matters. • There are very effective procedures are in place for health, safety and child protection. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 14 • The way that the school works with local agencies to minimise road safety hazards is very good. • The very high level of trusting relationships that exist between pupils and adults.

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Commentary

19. The school looks after its pupils very well. This high level of care is underpinned by the very good relationships that exist within the school community and the very good knowledge that all staff have of the pupils. Parents also share this very positive view and consider that the school has a warm, welcoming and caring atmosphere.

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Commentary

20. The school takes its responsibility for health, safety and child protection very seriously. Appropriate records are maintained for risk assessments, first aid, fire drills and accident recording. The governing body, through the Premises Committee, adopts a very hands-on approach to this aspect of school life and monitors, on a regular basis, documents such as the fire log and the accident book. The school is aware of the concerns of some of its parents towards road safety outside school and is working closely with ‘Travelwise’ to eliminate potential hazards. The procedures for child protection are effective and understood by all staff.

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Commentary

21. There is a good level of provision for the support, advice and guidance of all pupils. Procedures for assessing how well pupils are achieving are good but the results of this assessment are not used consistently to plan for future learning. This is based on the very good knowledge that all adults have of pupils and the very high quality of trusting relationships that exist between children and adults within the school community. Pupils also know that the school will listen to their concerns and this was reflected in the very positive discussions with them. They are happy to talk to visitors about the help that teachers give them and they say that the school is a very happy place. They enjoy being in the school council and this gives them the opportunities to make their views known about aspects of school life.

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Commentary

22. All statutory requirements with regard to special educational needs are being thoroughly carried out. Throughout the school the pupils receive good support from the adults within the school. The special educational needs co-ordinator, teachers and teaching assistants are fully committed to helping the pupils to make progress in meeting their targets. The school's work with pupils with special educational needs is well supported by the use of a range of outside agencies when they are needed for individual pupils.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has maintained the very good partnership with its parents and the community since the last inspection. Links with other schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a hard-working Parent Teacher Association (PTA). • The quality of information provided to parents is good. • Parents and the community give very good support to school events. • The school plays an active part in the life of the parish and the village. • Very good links exist with other schools through the Learning Network.

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Commentary

23. A limited number of parents are able to help out in the classroom on a regular basis but they give their support to the school in many other ways. There is a hard-working and very committed PTA and it is responsible for raising approximately £5000 a year for additional school resources such as interactive whiteboards and playground equipment. The many events that it holds are very well supported by parents and the local community. The school Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 15 values the contribution that all its parents make to school life. Parents who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the meeting expressed very positive views about many aspects of the school. They consider that the school is welcoming to them and that it consults them well. They were very appreciative of the discussions that had taken place about the setting for literacy and numeracy. The school provides good information to its parents and carers and the

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Commentary

topic notes and regular newsletters contain useful information for them. The annual reports on progress are appropriately personalised and include useful targets for improvement.

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Commentary

24. The school continues to enjoy very good links with the local community. It is an integral part of both the parish and village communities. In particular, pupils benefit from the facilities that are provided by the local youth centre and from the visits that they make to local places of interest. Additionally, they welcome many visitors to school such as the Royal British Legion for Remembrance Day. All these experiences enhance the learning opportunities for pupils.

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Commentary

25. Very good link exists with local secondary schools and these ensure that pupils in Year 6 are able to make the move into the next stage of their education with few concerns.

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Commentary

26. The parents and carers of pupils with special educational needs are invited to contribute to and attend the reviews of the progress their children are making. They are always made aware of the targets set for their children in their individual education plans. Suggestions are made about support that can be given at home to extend the work being done in school and the good support and assistance given by the parents help to promote the good progress and achievement of the pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher shows very good leadership and is well supported by the deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and other senior staff. Management is good. The governance of the school is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Effective work by the headteacher in recognising areas of under-achievement and setting up systems to deal with it has led to improved achievement by pupils. • There is a very high level of commitment to inclusion and the very good management of special educational needs ensures that pupils make very good progress. • Governors have a very good overview of what is happening in the school because they check what is going on. • Although the development of subject managers has shown a positive impact, in a few cases more still needs to be done.

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Commentary

27. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in extending systems that allow the school more carefully to track the progress of groups of pupils. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school based on raising pupils’ achievement and creating an exciting environment in which their personal development is nurtured through a caring and supportive atmosphere. He recognises where the areas of underachievement are through monitoring and has set up good systems to deal with this. The management team know what they need to do to make an impact on provision and standards to provide good support to meet the schools’ targets, and they are doing so effectively.

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Commentary

28. There is a very good commitment to inclusion, and very good and consistent management of special educational needs. This has led to these pupils achieving very well. Training for support assistants has been effective and enables them to work as full partners in the teaching team. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 16 29. The good systems for supporting the improvement of pupils learning are planned effectively so that the school can tackle its weaknesses. This is particularly successful in Year 3. The reasons behind the school’s disappointing results in 2004 in Year 2 tests were thoroughly examined and dealt with. Weaknesses in systems for support to pupils were identified and resolved so that pupils’ achievement is higher. 30. The professional development of all staff is planned very carefully so that the school can tackle areas that it has identified for improvement, such as ICT, which has been developed

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Commentary

very well throughout the school with the provision of a computer suite, and interactive whiteboards in some classrooms. All staff have been provided with a laptop computer which enables them to work more effectively. The development of some subject managers has shown a positive impact. However, in some cases more needs to be achieved so that all subject managers have a very secure knowledge and understanding of their subjects across the school, and know where the strengths and weaknesses are so that these can be improved. For example in English in Years 1 and 2 the school currently does not have a ‘shadow co-ordinator’ and this has resulted in systems not being managed as effectively as they could be.

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Commentary

31. Governors play a full part in strategic planning and checking how well the school is doing. Governors know where the school has succeeded and where its next priorities lie. They are able to give very good support to the school because they are very well informed and have worked diligently to improve their skills in governance. All statutory requirements are met. The day-to-day running of the school benefits from very efficient administrative staff. Governors keep in close touch with the school’s work through their links to all areas of the school’s work. As a result, governors are in a very good position to ask challenging questions that help the school to reflect on its decisions. Financial planning is tied tightly to the school’s priorities. The carry-forward figure, although high, had been carefully earmarked for the building work, including provision of an additional classroom and small teaching room, and the continuing

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 966824 Balance from previous year 141524 Total expenditure 948470 Balance carried forward to the next 159878 Expenditure per pupil 2269 Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

32. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and provides the children with a secure start to their education. The provision has improved in several areas since the last inspection. For example, the work and activities are planned according to the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum and a dedicated outdoor play area has been established. The school has a clear vision of how the provision for the children can be further improved by the development of this area to include an all-weather surface and secure equipment store. Planning for the numeracy and literacy lessons for the children is based on the national strategies and the early learning goals. However, there are not always good opportunities for the whole foundation stage staff team to plan together and have a shared understanding of the learning outcomes for all of the planned activities. This means that some of the well-

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

planned and resourced activities lose impetus so the children do not get the best out of them and develop independent learning strategies. In the creative and physical areas of development the children make particularly good progress and achieve well.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33. All of the children come into the reception classes at the beginning of the autumn term. There is a broad range of attainment but overall when children join the Foundation Stage, their attainment is slightly below that expected nationally. The majority of the present reception children are close to attaining the early learning goals in all areas of learning and a small number have already done so. Children with special educational needs are identified early and their needs are well met. Standards achieved are satisfactory in all areas of learning except in creative and physical development where standards of achievement are good.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. The quality of teaching is satisfactory across all the areas of learning with some significant strengths in the teaching of the creative and physical areas of learning. The teaching of basic skills of literacy and numeracy is thorough and results in the secure progress seen in the early stages of learning reading, writing and number skills. There is a good emphasis put on strategies to develop the speaking and listening skills of the children, through, for example, the extension of the children's vocabulary and the way in which the children are given time to phrase their answers. This has a positive impact on the children's progress and enables them to communicate their ideas and opinions as well as gain knowledge and understanding.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. There is a good balance planned for adult-directed and child-chosen activities, which promotes the children's personal, social and emotional development although some impetus is lost when the children are unclear about choices they can make to undertake different activities. There are suitable arrangements to check what the children know, understand, and can do and the information gained is being increasingly used to plan the next steps children need to take in their learning.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. The highly committed and hard-working teacher in charge of the Foundation Stage has a clear vision of how planning as a team can be further developed to promote the progress of the children, of how standards can be further improved and of how the outside play area can be further developed. At present she has insufficient opportunities to monitor and evaluate the work across the key stage and to promote planning as a whole team and consequently overall the leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 18 • The children develop a good understanding of how to behave and look after themselves in school. • Relationships are well developed between the adults and the children and between the children themselves. • Planned activities do not enable children to develop enough independence.

p.18

Commentary

37. The children settle happily and confidently when they come into school because the adults create a positive atmosphere that fosters the children's constructive attitudes to taking care of themselves and to learning. The adults have very high expectations that the children will behave well and be thoughtful towards each other by making sure that the children have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. The children's personal and social skills are developing well because they are provided with good opportunities to work and play together and to reflect on the effect of their actions on others. The children speak confidently to adults and to each other and play and work both co-operatively and collaboratively. They share and take turns happily and will often organise themselves to do this. However, children do not always understand what is expected of them and do not achieve as well as they should.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall the children gain secure basic skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing. • A good range of opportunities is provided for the children to develop language and speaking skills but adults do not always make the best use of these opportunities to promote the children's learning.

p.18

Commentary

38. The children are given good opportunities to respond to events in stories such as 'Who's in the shed?' and these are well extended by the development and enhancement of the children's vocabulary and their knowledge and understanding through question and answer sessions. The children’s early reading skills are developing securely because they are given good opportunities to respond to events in stories and to share books. They receive clear teaching of the sounds that letters make. By the end of the reception year the majority of the children can read simple books and are able to retell stories they have heard. There is an effective home-school reading partnership, which has a positive impact on the achievement of the children in learning to read. Writing skills are taught systematically and carefully so that the children learn to form letters correctly as well as learning to write and spell a basic vocabulary

p.18

Commentary

of key words. The most able children can write with confidence and enjoyment in their ability to build words for themselves but some other children are unlikely to achieve the targets set for the end of reception. This is because, although a suitable range of writing opportunities is provided, such as ordering and sequencing events, time is not often made for the children to write individually with adult help. Again there is a good range of role-play scenarios for the children to use but adults rarely join in to promote the children's understanding and vocabulary.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are learning the basic skills of counting, recognising and ordering numbers. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 19 • There is a range of interesting activities but it is not always clear what the children are expected to learn. • Assessment is used well to group the children and match activities to their needs.

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Commentary

39. A good emphasis on the correct use of language enables children to acquire new words to use in number activities and helps to ensure that they make suitable progress in gaining mathematical understanding. For example, by the end of the reception year the majority of the children are developing an understanding of how to find the total of two numbers and how to describe and make repeating and symmetrical patterns. The children's natural enthusiasm for counting and using numbers is well promoted by the activities planned and provided, as when they all join in counting. They particularly enjoy joining in the action songs and games that are well used to teach them about two- and three-dimensional shapes. When the teaching is less successful few of the many activities provided build on the purpose of the lesson.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children are making good progress in learning to use computers. • The teachers plan a good range of interesting and enjoyable learning activities but on occasions do not sufficiently promote the children's independence in learning.

p.19

Commentary

40. The teachers' planning ensures that there are good opportunities for the children to experience each of the strands within this area of learning. The children use the computers confidently to support their learning and can point, click and drag items, moving them to the correct part of the screen. The children learn about the faith and customs of the Christian year and experience features of other cultures – for example they very much enjoyed the recent visit of the Hohodza drummers from Zimbabwe. The children order pictures that show their development from babyhood to the present and foster a good sense of their own identity as part of a family, class and a school. They have good opportunities to use water and sand to develop different scenarios and explore the ways materials behave in different forms. They are fascinated by the development of the caterpillars into moths and enjoy watching their

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children have good opportunities to develop both fine and large movement skills through a range of activities. • There is a good improvement in the provision of climbing apparatus in the outdoor area.

p.19

Commentary

41. The children develop good fine motor skills when using pencils, scissors and brushes. They use them with care and precision and have opportunities to develop fine manipulative control by completing jigsaws and using construction kits, joining and manipulating pieces. The outdoor area provides them with facilities for climbing and using a good range of small apparatus. Good use is made of the school hall for indoor games and dance lessons and the children enjoy hopping, skipping, running and jumping, developing a good level of skill and Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 20 quality of movement. There is no soft all-weather surface outdoors and this limits the opportunities for the children to explore, climb and clamber independently. Nor are there facilities for storing or using wheeled toys to drive and steer. However, the Foundation Stage co-ordinator has plans in place to improve these facilities in the near future.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are well prepared, enabling the children to explore a good range of materials and equipment. • Children enjoy painting and develop skills beyond those expected for their age. • Some activities are not fully used to promote the development of the children's imagination and understanding of their environment.

p.20

Commentary

42. The children have good opportunities to use a wide range of media, and sand and water are available on a regular basis. The children greatly enjoy painting and they know and mix a good range of colours and paint with concentration, carefully and skilfully, and they are able to describe colours and explain their pictures and patterns. They join in singing with enjoyment, knowing a good range of songs to which they can add the actions. They enjoy using the wide range of musical instruments, showing a good sense of rhythm as they play under the direction of the teacher. Indoors there are role-play areas set up according to the topic of the moment; at present there are garden centres and florist's shops. However, some opportunities are missed to further develop the children’s language and social skills and to promote imagination and understanding because adults do not involve themselves in play situations

p.20

Commentary

often enough. Outdoors the children enjoy the sense of freedom but at present the range of creative activities in the outdoor area is limited.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English are above average at Year 6 and most pupils achieve well because teaching and learning are good. • Higher attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 sometimes are not provided with work which extends learning, and as a result their progress over time is slow. • Teachers have made a concerted and successful effort to improve pupils’ standards of writing.

p.20

Commentary

43. The school’s good provision has been maintained since the last inspection. Currently standards are average at Year 2 and above average at Year 6. Standards are not as high as last year when pupils achieved well above average standards at Year 6 with almost half the pupils achieving Level 5. This fall in standards is due to the nature of the cohort. Pupils typically enter Year 1 with attainment at a level expected nationally and leave the school with above average attainment at Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well, because they are well supported by teaching assistants and they work hard to achieve the targets set for them. There is no significant difference between the Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 21 achievement of girls and boys. The few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as other pupils because of the very good support they receive.

p.20

Commentary

44. Pupils’ achievement is good overall. This reflects the good teaching that they receive and their very good attitudes to learning. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good overall with some very good features. In the very good lessons seen in Years 4, 5 and 6, the purposes were clear and relevant and linked meaningfully to pupils’ experiences of writing in their daily lives. For example, Year 5 pupils evaluated advertising materials and a range of high quality leaflets for cars and other commodities as part of their work on persuasive writing. Year 6 pupils prepared a manifesto as a political party and for homework planned a political speech for a politician as part of their work on persuasive writing. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. It is not as good as in other years because on occasions higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged. This can be seen in the work in Year 2 pupils’ books. Too frequently pupils use

p.21

Commentary

worksheets linked to the commercial scheme, which limits opportunities to express their ideas independently.

p.21

Commentary

45. In Year 2, standards in speaking and listening match those expected of pupils of this age. In Year 6 they are above those expected, and a significant minority of pupils achieve very well. Most pupils in Years 5 and 6 are confident and articulate when speaking formally and informally. The emphasis on speaking and listening and the use of drama has a positive effect on the development of pupils’ language. Standards in reading are similar to those in speaking and listening. Attainment in reading is tracked and analysed to improve standards. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of books and authors. Discussions with staff and pupils indicate that most pupils are well supported in their reading at home.

p.21

Commentary

46. Standards in writing have improved nicely because the school has made writing a priority for improvement. Writing standards are average at Year 2 and above average at Year 6. A high percentage of pupils in Year 2 are likely to attain at Level 2A. However, higher attaining pupils do should be doing even better than this. They spend a lot of time doing work that is similar to that set for the others before they move on to more demanding work. Progress accelerates in Years 3 to 6 because of the influence exercised by the co-ordinator. Pupils plan, draft and edit their work carefully. Pupils write in a variety of forms for different purposes and their writing is varied, interesting, empathetic and imaginative. Standards of handwriting and presentation are variable and become progressively better as pupils move through Years 3 to 6.

p.21

Commentary

47. Subject leadership and management are good overall. Very good leadership in Years 3 to 6 contributes strongly to achievement and standards. The subject leader has a very good knowledge of the standards and achievement of pupils in Years 3 to 6 and is instrumental in implementing new approaches to learning in order to maintain high standards. She has a clear vision for the future development of the subject. She has created an effective team and provides a very good role model for staff and pupils. The curriculum is enriched by the use of interactive whiteboards, drama and special events. In Years 1 and 2, the teacher previously responsible for co-ordinating the general management and oversight of English in these years has not been replaced. Whilst the management is satisfactory in Year 1and 2, a lack of clear leadership is having an adverse effect on the quality of provision. The co-ordinator has not

p.21

Commentary

been given additional time to extend her role to these years.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. The school promotes the use of language across the curriculum and this is set as a key priority for extending further. Opportunities for pupils to use their language and literacy skills in other areas of the curriculum vary from very good to satisfactory. In the very good examples, Year 6 pupils write a report for a company on how well a bag designed to carry books and equipment works. Literacy lessons are linked to geography as seen in Year 1 and to history as seen in Year 4. Links with ICT are developing well. In most classes, pupils use a range of different forms of writing in science. Drama and role-play enhance pupils’ speaking and listening skills and develop their confidence and self-esteem. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to work together to solve problems. • The very good relationships within classrooms ensure that pupils are eager to succeed. • Teaching assistants support learning very well. • The school uses assessment data skilfully to strengthen most pupils’ learning, but there are still times in Years 1 and 2 when teaching does not fully extend learning for more able pupils.

p.22

Commentary

49. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards by the end of Year 2 are average and by the end of Year 6 standards are above average. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory and in Years 3 to 6 it is good. Pupils’ achievement is good by the time they leave the school and there is little difference between the achievement of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well because of the high quality of support they receive from their teachers and learning support assistants. Pupils have good number skills and good progress is made when pupils have the opportunity to work together to solve problems. This is particularly strong in Years 3 to 6. For example, in Year 2 pupils reinforced their knowledge of amounts up to 50p as they solved different money problems. Older pupils enjoyed their mathematics and made good gains in work relating to fractions, working well

p.22

Commentary

together to solve different problems. Other older pupils used the four number operations very well to solve real-life word problems involving numbers and money. However, there are times when some pupils in Years 1 and 2 do not always have the opportunity to develop their own strategies for solving problems because teachers do not always plan their lessons to cater fully for more able pupils. This is particularly so in Year 2 where teachers too often use workbooks and worksheets to consolidate and underpin pupils’ learning.

p.22

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. It is not as good as in other years because it does not always use the information from assessments as consistently to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met. Consequently, there are times when some more able pupils do not always achieve as well as they should. The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is very good. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the mathematics curriculum and how to teach it. They consistently apply the same methods and vocabulary when teaching pupils how to solve problems and this ensures that pupils build on their previous learning; consequently their achievement is good. Teaching assistants are well trained and have a good understanding of the mathematics curriculum. The support they give to their pupils impacts well on the standards pupils achieve.

p.22

Commentary

51. Classrooms are happy and purposeful places. Pupils are eager to learn. Teachers focus pupils’ attention well by using resources like computer projection to support and clarify learning. This was seen in a Year 3 lesson where the classroom whiteboard was used very well to support pupils’ learning of reflective symmetry. Pupils were encouraged to use the interactive whiteboard to explain their methods to others in the class and this extended and developed their skills very well.

p.22

Commentary

52. The management of the subject is good. Standards have improved because the right areas have been worked on. The subject manager has a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and knows the strengths and areas for development through a regular programme of checking what is going on.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 23 53. There is a good focus given to using relevant mathematical techniques and calculations in other subjects. For example, time lines are used in history. In art and design pupils use calculations when they investigate patterns. There are good links with ICT that are used well to support learning, for example pictograms in Year 1 to show the number of times a dice is rolled.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in science are above the national average by the end of Year 6 because of the good and sometimes very good teaching. • Investigation and enquiry skills are well taught. • Links with other subjects enhance pupils’ understanding. • Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good.

p.23

Commentary

54. Teachers plan their lessons carefully, matching the aims with appropriate resources and activities. They make good use of teaching methods from the national guidance materials. Lessons start with teachers telling pupils what they will learn, and how this fits in with their previous learning. Pupils are able to reflect on what they have learnt at the end of lessons, when teachers ensure that key points are shared. Teachers use good examples to illustrate points and provide clear explanations. They structure learning effectively, which results in pupils making good gains in their knowledge and understanding. For example, in a Year 4 lesson on electric circuits, pupils started by making a successful circuit to light a bulb and as the lesson progressed developed their understanding of circuits, inserting a switch to turn the current on and off. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils enjoyed the challenge of separating different

p.23

Commentary

materials by dissolving salt from sand and gravel and filtering the sand from the gravel and were able to describe what things they had learnt. All pupils make good progress, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Good support for these pupils is provided by well-matched activities and effective guidance and support from teachers and classroom assistants.

p.23

Commentary

55. Pupils enjoy science. They handle equipment carefully and safely, have developed good skills of investigation and follow clear guidelines to record their work. Teachers make lessons exciting and fun, which helps pupils feel that they can succeed. In a Year 5 lesson about how to recognise that gas has weight, the pupils and teacher shared their fascination and pupils offered sensible predictions as to the outcome of their investigations. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good. Pupils work well together, sharing tasks and equipment. This reflects both the quality of teaching and the school’s success in implementing its policies for inclusion.

p.23

Commentary

56. The good improvements from the last inspection are the result of improved teaching and better use of assessment information to guide planning as a result of good leadership and management of the subject. These are based on good monitoring of science across the school, through lesson observations, and looking at pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. Assessment in science is good, enabling pupils’ progress to be tracked throughout the school, to help teachers target learning more effectively.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 24 Provision for information and communication technology is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Year 6 and pupils are achieving well. • Good management has ensured that the subject is well resourced and teachers and teaching assistants have the necessary skills and support. • Pupils have too few opportunities to use their skills in other subjects.

p.24

Commentary

57. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards by the end of Year 2 are average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. By the end of Year 6, standards are good and pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well by the end of Year 6 in their acquisition of ICT skills.

p.24

Commentary

58. Pupils learn how to word process at an early age and are increasingly competent by Year 6. They also know how to use the computer for different purposes. For example, pupils in Year 3 explored simulations and created a simulation of a pond which included plants and creatures which they labelled. In Year 4 they learned how to use simple logo and gave commands for a series for shapes. In Year 1 pupils created a pictogram of the number rolled by a dice. By the time they reach Year 6 pupils have developed good ICT skills and are able to create a multi- media presentation.

p.24

Commentary

59. Teachers and teaching assistants are becoming increasingly confident in ICT and teach it well. They demonstrate techniques clearly and effectively, often using interactive whiteboards to reinforce learning. Sometimes, however, the potential of the interactive whiteboard is not fully exploited; for example, it is just used to explain what pupils are going to learn rather. Teachers encourage pupils to explore what computers can do and this helps them to learn from their mistakes. Teachers ensure a good level of concentration in lessons and this makes pupils keen and eager to learn; as a result they achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

60. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader has a good knowledge and understanding of the subject’s strengths and areas for improvement. The subject has been very well developed since the last inspection including the setting up of a computer suite and a fully networked system within the school. Much has been done to ensure that classrooms are provided with a good range of resources including an interactive whiteboard for each year group and a laptop computer for all teaching staff.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

61. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers and pupils make good use of resources in the computer suite with activities that encompass work in mathematics, history, English, science and other subjects. Good use is made of the interactive whiteboards, in the classrooms which have them, by teachers and in some classes by pupils. Regular, effective use is made of the digital camera to record pupils’ work. There is scope to extend the use of classroom computers further so that pupils have more frequent opportunities to use their growing skills to support other subjects

p.24

Geography

62. No lessons were seen in geography . From the teachers' planning, work and displays seen and from talking to pupils it is evident that the subject has a secure place in the curriculum and contributes well to pupils' social and cultural education. The pupils talk with enthusiasm about Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 25 the work they have done and related visits which are arranged to enhance the curriculum outside of lessons. The leadership and management of geography are satisfactory. There is satisfactory coverage of the requirements of the National Curriculum and pupils complete a good amount of written work. However, there is an over-use of worksheets to record the pupils' work and these do not allow them to work often enough at an individual level or to use their literacy skills to describe features or express opinions.

p.24

History

The school’s provision for history is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good links are made between history and art. • The pupils enjoy their history lessons and respond very well. • There is an over-use of worksheets resulting in lost opportunities for pupils to use their literacy skills.

p.25

Commentary

63. Standards in history are broadly in line with those expected nationally and the pupils all achieve satisfactorily. This is a similar situation to that found at the last inspection. The pupils show a keen interest in and enjoy their history lessons. They talk enthusiastically about the activities that they take part in, including visits out of school and visitors to the school such as the recent Viking day. These events enlivened the pupils' learning about the issues surrounding invasions. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils' social and cultural education. In particular very good links are made with the art curriculum as seen in the high standard of artwork centred on the Ancient Greeks.

p.25

Commentary

64. The teaching and learning in history are satisfactory overall. There is well-planned coverage of the requirements of the National Curriculum and the teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the topics they are teaching. The approach of some teachers, however, is overly factual and not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to engage in historical enquiry using a variety of sources. The teachers regularly mark the pupils' work and use praise to encourage the pupils' efforts. Work is neatly and comprehensively recorded but this is done mainly using worksheets, some of which inhibit the wider use of the pupils' literacy skills and curtail occasions for pupils to investigate issues for themselves. An understanding of chronology is developed well throughout the school.

p.25

Commentary

65. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. There are good resources for teaching the subject and teachers are making an increasing use of the interactive whiteboards to present topics to the pupils. Older pupils explain how they are able to find information by using the Internet; overall the use of ICT skills in history has improved since the last inspection.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. No lessons were seen in art and design or design and technology. One lesson was seen in music and one in physical education. It is therefore not possible to make firm judgements about provision, teaching or standards. In addition to observing lessons, inspectors spoke to subject leaders and pupils about their work. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 26

p.25

ART AND DESIGN

67. Work displayed around the school is of a good standard. Pupils clearly achieve well and reach standards above those expected nationally in art by the time they reach Year 6. This shows good progress since the previous inspection. Pupils show good observation skills in their still life drawings. They have also developed sensitive evaluation skills and help others with well- chosen suggestions during the viewing of each other’s work.

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

68. The collaboration between the school and the artist in residence is having a good effect on standards. Teachers are gaining confidence by working alongside the artist and pupils have the opportunity to see high quality work. The displays around the school are very stimulating with a myriad of exhibits in different forms. Teachers extend pupils’ understanding of symmetry by referring to it in other subjects such as mathematics and design and technology. Assessment is at an early stage but highlights those who need extra help and identifies the higher attaining pupils.

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

69. The sketchbooks for older pupils show that they are making progress and using ideas tried out earlier. In some books the teachers suggest new ways of working and this gives pupils a wider range of options to consider. Many pupils are developing good techniques in shading and they have a good sense of proportion in their drawings.

p.26

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

70. Judging from the work seen and from teachers’ planning, pupils have the opportunity to experience a wide range of different types of activity. Pupils are enthusiastic about the subject and, as a result, they try hard, achieve well and make good progress. Standards in Year 2 are average for their age, but by Year 6 standards are above those expected.

p.26

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

71. The range of models and other products on display demonstrates that skills are developed and built on systematically from year to year. The finished products and discussions with pupils show that the pupils take pride in their work and are able to select suitable materials, tools and techniques for the task in hand. Pupils work individually, in pairs and in groups to design, make and evaluate their products. Some of the tasks are linked effectively with other areas of the curriculum, for example history and literacy. Good links with other subjects are clearly identified, such as mathematics, in the use of graphs to represent favourite foods, which is also linked to work in PSHE on healthy eating.

p.26

MUSIC

72. The school has introduced a scheme of work which supports the teaching of the subject by non-specialists. Teaching and learning of music are very well supported through extra- curricular lessons by instrumental teaching specialists, lunchtime clubs and choir. In the recorder club pupils extend their well-developed skills in reading notation and playing favourite hymns and songs to a good standard. Pupils were highly motivated and played enthusiastically with enjoyment. These activities are well attended by pupils of all ages.

p.26

MUSIC

73. Pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to experience music from other cultures. For example, a visiting African Band worked with Year 5 pupils and gave a performance for the school. Popular well-known musicians provide workshops in percussion.

p.26

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

74. The planned programme of activities ensures that the statutory requirements are met. A new scheme with assessment tasks included has been introduced to improve provision. Physical education has been identified as an area for further staff training with a view to implementing the new scheme consistently through the school. A strength is the wide range of extra- curricular activities available to pupils, who play competitive inter-school games. Pupils participate in activities such as athletics, netball and country dancing. By Year 6, nearly all the Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 27 pupils can swim confidently and most swim 25 metres by the time they leave school. Good use is made of the newly acquired field for coaching in football and team games. Links with the local youth centre are fostered to promote collaborative sporting activities. The enthusiastic and skilled co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge and sets high

p.26

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

expectations. He provides coaching in football to girls and boys teams and uses his contacts to enhance pupils’ skills. For example, the Everton FC team came to school and worked with the pupils.

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

75. The very positive caring ethos of the school is apparent in the provision made for the personal, social and health education and development of all the pupils throughout the school. The school has a programme of units of work that is carefully planned to cover areas such as a healthy lifestyle and drugs, friendships and relationships. The purpose of the whole programme is to promote respect, confidence and self-esteem and it achieves this aim well. The positive attitudes and the respect the pupils show for each other and the adults in the school indicate that this programme of work is effective. The school has many links with the community, helping the pupils to understand their place in society and the part they can play in supporting and forming this. The school council has been in place for two months and is proving to be a valuable model for the pupils to develop an understanding of a democratic

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

system of decision making. The elected delegates have clear ideas about improvements that can be made to the school and are at present engaged in deciding how they can best spend the wonderful total of £1660 raised by sponsored silence. There is a good system of how a pupil’s request or wish can be taken through to the school council for consideration. All adults in the school are very aware of the needs of individual pupils and how they can all be a part of the school. No pupil is left to feel alone or vulnerable throughout the day. For example the ‘friendships stops’ in the playground are proving effective in helping children make new friends and join in the good range of games and activities provided out of lesson time. Much Woolton Catholic Primary School - 28

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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