St Anselm's Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th February – 3 rd March 2005

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SCHOOL

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

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 211

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Avenue Southall Middlesex Postcode: UB2 4BH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8574 3906 Fax number: 020 8571 6308

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Father James Crampsey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th March 2003

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Anselm's RC Primary School is situated in Southall, an ethnically diverse area in the south of the London Borough of Ealing. A very wide range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds is represented within the school. The school also admits pupils from traveller families. Over half of the pupils are learning English as an additional language and many are at the early stages of English language acquisition. This represents a significant increase on the position at the time of the previous inspection. The number of pupils on roll has now stabilised at 211 and is starting to grow. About one third of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than average. There are 40 pupils identified by the school as having special educational needs and two who have a Statement of Special Educational Need. This is above the national average. There is a high degree of mobility and a high number of pupils join or leave the school during the course of the academic year. In addition,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

the school has a high number of pupils who enter the school in years other than the Foundation Stage, for example from families seeking asylum and others whose families settle and work in the area from European and other countries. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector the Foundation Stage, Information and communication technology, Science, Design and technology, Music, Physical education 9468 John Arscott Lay inspector 32634 Matthew Heasman Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics, Geography, History, Personal, social and health education and citizenship 18059 Rajinder Harrison Team inspector English, art and design

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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 contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 34

St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a satisfactory school that is continuing to improve its overall effectiveness. In general, the standards of teaching are acceptable with some teaching being very good or excellent. The overall achievement of pupils is satisfactory, with the Year 6 pupils making the best progress. Currently, standards in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are below those expected. This is especially so for those pupils whose home language is not English, who do not achieve their full potential because they do not always get the level of support that they need. The headteacher provides good leadership and this has resulted in the establishment of a more positive climate for learning around the school. Governance is satisfactory. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) is good and standards are at the expected level for the oldest pupils. • The teaching of children in the Nursery and of the oldest infant and junior pupils is consistently good or better but activities in other classes are not always effectively matched to the needs of all pupils in these classes. • Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills adequately and this impacts on the overall standards being achieved. • The co-ordination and overall level of support for pupils learning English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. • Relationships between pupils are very positive and their attitudes to learning and sense of responsibility are good. • The care, welfare and safety of pupils are of a high standard and the good behaviour of pupils in class and around school is a strength. • Pupils are actively involved in the work of the school and the school has

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

established a good partnership with parents. • The good leadership of the headteacher has enabled the school to move forward now following a period of instability and uncertainty .

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made satisfactory improvement in some of the key issues identified in the last HMI report. Improvement in ICT has been good. However, insufficient progress has been made in raising standards further in English and mathematics because of a combination of factors. These are the very high levels of pupil mobility year on year, not enough staff to support the needs of all pupils whose home language is not English, an insufficient focus on the development of speaking and listening skills across the school and weaknesses in teaching. However, key staff have already identified these as the next issues to target and plans are in place to address them. The capacity for further improvement is satisfactory overall. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 7

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English E E C C mathematics E* E E E science E E* E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - very low Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is satisfactory overall. The attainment of children when they start in the Nursery is well below that expected and this is particularly so in communication, language and literacy development. By the time these children start in Year 1 the majority will achieve the expected levels in all areas of learning, except in communication skills and knowledge and understanding of the world where attainment remains below the standards expected. Those pupils that continue throughout the school make good progress overall and many of these pupils achieve the expected levels in English, mathematics and science by the age of 11. However, the number of pupils either joining or leaving the school before Year 6 is significant and this limits the overall standards attained by pupils of this age. Many of these pupils only remain at the school for a short time. Furthermore, an insufficient focus on the development of the pupils’ linguistic skills in English, combined with inadequate provision for

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all pupils whose home language is not English, prevents achievement from being better. However, standards in ICT in Key Stage 2 are in line with expectations because teachers plan many opportunities for all pupils to develop these important skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The most recent levels of attendance at the school are now in line with the national average. Punctuality is satisfactory and improving all the time. Levels of expectation and challenge are appropriately set for pupils within a caring atmosphere for learning that generally meets pupils' needs. Pupils' attitudes to the school, on the whole, are good, and pupils respond well to the school's expectations of how they should behave in and around the premises. The spiritual, moral and social and cultural development of pupils is good overall. Cultural development is satisfactory but many opportunities are missed for the pupils to express themselves creatively.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Overall, the quality of education across all stages is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory but there are still wide variations in quality across the school. Teaching is consistently good or better for the pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 and those in the Nursery; with some examples of very good or excellent practice observed. However, there are still some lessons in some other classes that are either uninspiring or unsatisfactory. This continues to be a weakness of the school. However, all teachers work hard to motivate and engage the pupils in lessons and a good atmosphere for learning has been established throughout the school. The use of teaching assistants and support staff in lessons is generally good. The school is continuing to develop good procedures for the assessment of pupils’ progress. However, some teachers make insufficient use of data to ensure that work is always effectively matched to

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

the ability of all pupils in their class. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 8 The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory overall with growing levels of enrichment. Provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is satisfactory with some good features. Even though pupils at the early stages of English acquisition achieve well when they receive support, there is insufficient support to meet the needs of all of these pupils. Furthermore, there is not enough opportunity for these pupils to fully develop their speaking and listening skills. Provision for the development of all pupils’ personal and social skills is good and a broad range of extra activities further support the pupils’ learning experiences. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory. Procedures for the care, safety and welfare of all pupils are good. Child protection procedures and practice are a significant strength. The overall educational and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

personal support and guidance for pupils are effective. The school actively seeks the views of its pupils and uses this information effectively to make further improvements to the school. The school has good links with parents and satisfactory links with other schools and the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Leadership exercised by the headteacher is good, and she is well supported by the deputy. Overall management is satisfactory. The school now has good procedures for monitoring teaching, attendance, behaviour and the progress made by pupils and, as a result, standards in these areas are beginning to rise. Leadership and management by other key staff are satisfactory with very good co-ordination of English and mathematics in place. Governance is satisfactory overall. Governors recognise that the school now projects a much happier and more orderly image, where pupils can learn more effectively. However, governors do not ensure the school meets statutory requirements with regard to informing parents of the effectiveness of the school’s policy for the promotion of race equality procedures. Financial management lacks rigor and this limits the ability of governors to make decisions that are well informed.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The overwhelming majority of parents believe that their children like the school and are expected to work hard, and that the school tells them how best to help their children at home. A very small number of parents have negative perceptions about behaviour and bullying, but these are not justified by inspection observations.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

On the whole, pupils enjoy working hard and learning new things. They say that teachers show them how to improve and there is always an adult that they can go to for help. A small number of pupils are critical of the behaviour of other pupils, and some would like to be trusted more to do things on their own. Inspectors judge that although the behaviour of some pupils is not always as it should be, it is good overall.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Effectively develop the pupils’ ability to speak and listen. • Improve the quality of provision for pupils whose home language is not English. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching across the school through rigorous monitoring. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 9 • Use assessment information more effectively to ensure that tasks are effectively matched to pupils’ needs.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

And to meet statutory requirements: • Ensure that the effectiveness of the school’s policy for the promotion of race equality is reported back to parents.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is satisfactory overall. By the age of 11 pupils attain standards that are generally below average in English, mathematics and science; standards are average in information and communication technology.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very high level of pupil mobility is a significant barrier to raising standards. • Achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) is good. • Inadequate provision inhibits the overall progress of pupils whose home language is not English. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they could because there is insufficient focus on the development their speaking and listening skills.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.1 (14.0) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.4 (11.1) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 14.7 (14.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 24 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.6 (24.2) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 24.5 (23.4) 27.0 (26.8) science 26.4 (25.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Achievement is satisfactory overall. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are currently below average for pupils aged 11 in English, mathematics and science. Standards for seven-year-olds are below average in reading, well below average in writing but average in mathematics and science. These judgements are generally supported by the results in the 2004 national tests for pupils at the age of 11 where standards are average in English but well below average in mathematics and science. When these St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 10 results are compared with schools with similar circumstances based on prior attainment, they are also average in English and well below average in mathematics and science for this age group. Standards are generally similar for seven-year-olds where they are average in reading, below average in writing but well below average in mathematics. Teacher assessments of seven-year-olds in science show that pupils

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Commentary

achieve average standards. Comparisons with results from similar schools indicate that standards are well above average in reading and writing. They are average in mathematics. This is because teaching is consistently good or better for pupils in Year 2. Overall, these results build on a trend of improvement where results over the last three years indicate some improvements are being made. This is mostly in English where about a quarter of pupils in Year 6 attained the higher Level 5 in 2004. Although girls do better in these national tests at the age of seven, there are no significant differences between the standards attained by boys and girls at the age of 11. These results represent satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

2. The overall attainment of children when they start school in the Nursery is well below average and this is particularly so in communication, language and literacy skills. The progress of these children is satisfactory overall and good in the Nursery; it is satisfactory in the reception class Children make good progress in reading skills and phonic knowledge because these aspects of learning are taught well in both classes. The attainment of these children when they start Year 1 is generally below average; it is average in mathematical and physical development. Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in other year groups limits the overall rate of progress made across the school.

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Commentary

3. The very high levels of pupil mobility have a significant impact on overall standards. Data available during the inspection indicates that only about 60 per cent of pupils remain in the school from Year 2 to Year 6. These pupils achieve well overtime. However, the achievement of the remaining 40 per cent of pupils, many of whom have low levels of acquisition in English, is only satisfactory. Furthermore, many of these pupils do not remain in school to take the national tests at the end of Year 6 and are replaced by more newly admitted pupils at varying levels of ability and language acquisition in English. Good or better teaching of these pupils in Year 6 helps to plug the gaps in their knowledge and understanding but the factors previously highlighted are significantly inhibiting the school in its quest to raise standards further.

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Commentary

4. Inspection evidence confirms that all pupils make good progress in ICT skills, starting from a low level of competence, and achievement is good. Analysis of pupils’ work shows that this good progress is sustained across the school in all classes. Good teaching and a strong focus on individual skills development support pupils’ learning in all classes. However, progress is best for pupils in Year 6, many of whom reach standards that are average or better.

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Commentary

5. Children from families where English is not the home language enter the Foundation Stage with standards in English that are well below average and some children have very poor English skills. The school is diligent in identifying, as early as possible, all pupils who need support with learning English and those with the greatest need are supported satisfactorily and make satisfactory progress regardless of how old they are when they start at the school. Where necessary, bilingual support is made available to help pupils settle in. Parents and members of the community who are able to make good contributions to support pupils’ learning. However, because specialist support is very limited, a high number of pupils do not receive the help they need to continue to make satisfactory progress.

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Commentary

6. The pupils whose home language is not English but who do not require specialist support are able to communicate sufficiently to make themselves understood but are not secure in their accurate use of the language to fully access the work presented to them and, as a result, their achievement is unsatisfactory and not as good as it could be. A few who join the school in Years 4, 5 or 6, do not always make the gains they need to in all aspects of the new language, particularly in terms of speaking and independent writing. In lessons where specialist language support is not available, these pupils make limited contributions to lessons, and they have few good role models to learn from. When pupils are given good encouragement for speaking and listening, such as in the class for pupils in Year 6, achievement is good in many subjects and pupils communicate confidently with adults and each other.

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Commentary

7. Pupils from traveller families make satisfactory gains in their learning and achieve as well as their classmates. The school has good links with the local authority to support these pupils’ learning. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 11 8. Overall, the achievement of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. These pupils make good progress where teaching is good or better. This is especially evident in Years 2 and 6 and elsewhere throughout the school where teaching assistants provide focused support to help meet the needs of these pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Overall, pupils in all year groups display good attitudes towards school and the relationships between pupils are generally very good . On the whole, behaviour is also good across the school. Spiritual, moral, and social development is good . Attendance is satisfactory . The daily act of collective worship meets the statutory requirements.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The positive ethos and friendly atmosphere in the school encourages pupils to form very good relationships with each other. • Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour give teachers greater opportunity to reach out more effectively to a receptive audience. • Pupils’ personal qualities are being developed well, resulting in a high degree of tolerance and understanding between pupils from a very wide range of different cultures. • Pupils whose home language is not English display positive attitudes towards their learning. • There are no significant weaknesses.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence 9. Unauthorised absence School data: 7.4 10 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.1 11 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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Commentary

12. A very high proportion of pupils only stay at the school for a short time before moving on. The school often has little opportunity to establish a good understanding about the importance of attendance with some of these families. This problem is frequently compounded by communication and language difficulties. This has been the pattern for some time, but the most recent attendance figures are now in line with the national average. The reason for this improvement is partly due to the very well organised and strict monitoring procedures and also to the attractions of the breakfast club before school and the homework club after school. Regardless of language problems, parents are quick to see the advantages of the ‘dawn to dusk’ care provided by the school. Teachers manage daily registration well. Lateness is monitored very effectively St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 12 and, like attendance, is now satisfactory. There have been no exclusions during

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Commentary

13. Pupils' attitudes to the school are good. Pupils display a very evident enjoyment in being at school, which is shown by their enthusiasm during morning assemblies. Most pupils are polite and courteous. The school council provides a good opportunity for pupils to demonstrate their ability to handle responsibility, and the older pupils are encouraged to take part in the ‘buddies’ scheme. Behaviour is consistently good across the school. The school creates a climate which helps promote good behaviour, and this has a positive impact on pupils' achievements. Pupils display delightful relationships with each other, often despite language barriers. Their social skills are well developed and they are clearly able to tell right from wrong. The school provides good opportunities for reflection, self-awareness and spiritual development. The cultural and ethnic mix within the school reflect the make up of the neighbourhood. Pupils respect

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Commentary

and are tolerant of the customs and culture of others, but their exposure to, and everyday contact with, British culture and the English language outside school is limited.

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Commentary

14. Most pupils who speak English as an additional language have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to take an active part in exploring all that is offered to them. The few who are hesitant and unsure of what is required of them, especially in directed teaching sessions, learn by watching and listening to others and all pupils are quick to help each other. Relationships are very good amongst all pupils and, despite the frustrations of not always being able to follow all that is going on because of their limited English language skills, most pupils behave well and try hard to stay interested and involved. Where tasks are too difficult and teaching not clear, a few pupils find it hard to sustain concentration and their behaviour lapses. Overall, pupils’ personal development is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory overall. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although it is still inconsistent in quality across the school. The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory overall. The level of care that the school demonstrates for its pupils is good overall and partnerships between parents and the school are now much stronger.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with some good features. Assessment is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Inconsistencies in teaching continue be a weakness of the school in some classes. • Consistently good or better teaching of children in the Nursery and for pupils in Years 2 and 6 promotes effective learning and good achievement. • Planning is unsatisfactory overall because some teachers make insufficient use of good data to match tasks effectively to the needs of all pupils in their class. • Not enough opportunities are planned to develop the speaking and listening skills of all pupils and especially those whose home language is not English. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 13 • Teachers do not always set work which is at an appropriate level for the ability of pupils with special educational needs. • Teachers work hard to engage pupils in lessons with the effective use of questions.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 25 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 4 7 11 2 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons

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Commentary

15. Teaching is satisfactory overall and nearly a half is good or better, with some very good or excellent teaching for pupils in Year 6. This good or better teaching for these pupils is making an effective contribution to the standards that these pupils achieve. Unfortunately, about one in ten lessons is unsatisfactory. This is a similar picture to that of the most recent visit by HMI in 2003. However, some improvements have been made in the quality of teaching and learning in many classes, representing satisfactory improvement overall. Needless to say, the inconsistencies in teaching that remain continue to be a weakness that still needs to be addressed.

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Commentary

16. The quality of teachers’ planning is unsatisfactory overall. This is because good assessment information is not always being used effectively to plan work that is closely matched to the needs of all pupils. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ books indicates that some teachers plan tasks effectively to match the ability of pupils in their class, for example, in Years 2 and 6 in mathematics and science. In other classes, work is often the same for pupils of different ability with challenge being provided by more work of the same rather than at a different level. These weaknesses are holding up the school’s efforts to raise standards further.

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Commentary

17. Improvements are being made, however, and in the best lessons as seen in Years 2 and 6, pupils are very clear about what they are learning because the aims of the lesson are explained to them at the start. Pupils in these lessons respond very well to this good or better teaching and make good progress as a result. When learning intentions are not always made fully explicit for pupils at the start of lessons, pupils become confused and make very little progress, for example, when a teacher spends too much time managing pupil behaviour.

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Commentary

18. Teachers use classroom displays to highlight important vocabulary but in many lessons too much emphasis is placed on written work at the expense of developing pupils’ listening and speaking skills. As a result, the inaccuracies in pupils’ grasp of the spoken language are replicated in their recorded work. In some lessons, teachers’ presentations are too long for all pupils to sustain concentration, and as a result, a few are not sure what they are required to do in their independent work.

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Commentary

19. Overall, the subject knowledge of teachers is secure and some teachers use subject specific and technical vocabulary effectively to illustrate classroom St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 14 displays and enhance their teaching. However, in many lessons, opportunities are missed to develop the speaking and listening skills of all pupils and, in particular, those whose home language is not English. When good encouragement of speaking and listening takes place, such as in the class for pupils in Year 6, achievement is good in many subjects and pupils communicate confidently with adults and each other.

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Commentary

20. The teaching of pupils learning English as an additional language is satisfactory when they receive close support and individual guidance. The specialist support teacher monitors these pupils’ progress and modifies planning to help them make satisfactory gains in their learning. However, this provision is limited and learning is hampered when teachers do not always plan work that matches pupils’ needs accurately. Where work is pitched too high, pupils find it difficult to complete tasks confidently. When pupils of all abilities follow the same work, insufficient allowances are made to ensure that those whose English skills are insecure have work they can complete successfully. Pupils do not have sufficient access to support staff in all lessons, so that arrangements are limited for pupils to benefit from working in small groups, where they feel more secure in participating in activities and responding to interventions

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Commentary

on an individual basis. Occasionally, support staff have limited involvement during the class teacher’s presentation to the whole class, and this is a missed opportunity to listen and intervene or carry out observations to inform assessments. The quality of the observations made to inform future planning is currently unsatisfactory. There is insufficient monitoring of pupils’ progress from week to week to ensure these pupils make the gains they are capable of when receiving specialist support.

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Commentary

21. Teachers’ lesson plans vary in quality in the extent to which they identify how the needs of pupils with special educational needs are to be met. In the best practice, lesson plans provide detailed guidance on provision for individual children, or small groups of children, which is related to targets drawn from pupils’ Individual Education Plans. Teaching and learning are enhanced when the teaching assistant has a copy of the lesson plan in advance of the lesson to enable the provision of informed and focused support for the pupils with whom the assistant is working. In the less successful lessons, the main focus is directed at the pupils of average ability, with little specific reference to the needs of the less able children.

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Commentary

22. Most teachers use questions well to challenge the pupils’ thinking and understanding and this is a strength. All pupils, respond well to this good questioning, valuing the opportunity to learn new things. Teachers often use resources and visual aids with expertise to make lessons interesting, and behaviour management overall is satisfactory. Computers are used well to support learning and, in particular, the use of an interactive whiteboard in Year 6 is an example of outstanding practice. Furthermore, teachers make good use of support staff when they can to support the needs of pupils, and in particular those with special educations needs.

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The curriculum

The curriculum and enrichment of the curriculum are satisfactory overall. The overall quality of the curriculum is similar to that at the time of the school’s previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils at an early stage of English acquisition achieve well when they receive support, but there is not enough support to meet the needs of all of these pupils. • Provision for children in the Nursery is good. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 15 • There are insufficient opportunities within the curriculum for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. • The National Numeracy Strategy is being satisfactorily implemented across the school but there are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in other contexts. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. • The curriculum is enhanced through a broad range of activities, which support pupils’ learning outside of the school day. • The curriculum does not sufficiently reflect the cultural diversity of the pupils.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. The school has recently reviewed the way that the curriculum is organised to make purposeful connections between subjects. The impact of these changes is only just beginning to be felt. Where meaningful links are made between subjects, pupils are more motivated and make good progress. For example, in Year 5, pupils produced good work in a lesson on ‘holidays’ that drew together work in ICT, mathematics and geography. In another example of good practice, in a Year 1 lesson on ‘recycling’, pupils had a good opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills as they discussed various items of rubbish, which the teacher drew out from a bag. Pupils at an early stage of English acquisition benefited greatly from this style of teaching, where carefully planned verbal interaction was supported by rich visual cues. The school recognises the need

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Commentary

to plan more precisely to give pupils regular opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills and to apply their skills to other contexts, particularly in mathematics.

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Commentary

24. Overall, pupils learning English as an additional language are included in all that school offers, but when they are in lessons where support is limited, they cannot always access all that they are presented with in order to achieve satisfactorily. There is an unsatisfactory level of support in a significant number of lessons. As a result, many of these pupils have to work independently, with very limited support. The school recognises more needs to be done to develop the speaking and listening skills of all pupils, for example, through role-play and drama and thus encourage pupils to apply the skills they gain more confidently in new situations.

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Commentary

25. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. These pupils make good progress where teaching is good or better. This is especially evident in Years 2 and 6 and elsewhere throughout the school where teaching assistants provide focused support to help meet the needs of these pupils.

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Commentary

26. The school provides a good range of opportunities for pupils’ learning to be extended outside of the school day. Activities such as the creative writing, craft and homework clubs are well attended and the school’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles is demonstrated in the way it provides a breakfast club and after school clubs for pop mobility, football and netball. The curriculum St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 16 is enriched through occasional educational visits to locations such as Syon Park and the Science Museum. More able pupils in Years 5 and 6 attend a series of ‘master classes’ at a local secondary school.

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Commentary

27. The leadership and management of the curriculum are satisfactory. The headteacher recognises that there is considerable scope to develop the curriculum so that it more adequately reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of its pupils. The school does not yet utilise sufficiently its multi-cultural community to broaden pupils’ view of the world.

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Commentary

28. The positive ethos of the school is strengthened by good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The benefits of this provision are demonstrated in pupils’ good behaviour and mature and sensible attitudes towards school. Relationships between pupils and adults and pupils relationships with each other are characterised by a warm mutual respect. All these factors contribute to the harmonious ethos, which is a strong feature of the school.

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Commentary

29. The school’s accommodation adequately meets the needs of the curriculum. The quality of the playground environment supports good behaviour while the new library fosters positive attitudes towards books. The recently installed interactive whiteboard in Year 6 is already having a very positive impact on standards. The teacher is able to considerably enhance the range and quality of resources to support learning by drawing on a wide range of colourful, interactive slides. These serve to hold pupils’ attention and are of particular benefit to pupils at an early stage of English acquisition. All pupils make good progress because of the highly effective way in which the teacher uses the interactive whiteboard to show pupils how to dissect the faces of three- dimensional shapes to calculate their area. However, the level of resources for pupils who speak English as an additional language is insufficient to fully meet

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Care, guidance and support

Child protection and health and safety provision and practice in the school are good . The procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress are satisfactory , and the school is good at listening to the concerns and aspirations expressed by its pupils. The induction arrangements for new pupils entering the school are very good .

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral care is very strong, based on the very thorough knowledge that teachers have of the vulnerability of the pupils in their care. • The progress of pupils whose home language is not English is not monitored effectively. • Home visits give staff a good insight into pupils’ backgrounds and form an integral part of welcoming new pupils to the school. • Relationships between pupils and staff are good St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 17 • The school places very high value on pupils’ views.

p.16

Commentary

30. The school provides very high quality pastoral care for its pupils. This begins with home visits to new children entering the school as part of the very good induction procedures. This enables teachers to make informed judgements about the support and guidance that each child needs. The school monitors the most vulnerable extremely thoroughly and works very closely with several welfare agencies to resolve a wide range of sensitive social and health issues brought to the school by the children and their families. Procedures for child protection, safety and welfare are tried and tested, and familiar to the well trained staff. The school invites representatives from the Police and Fire Service to teach children how to protect themselves and others. A rigorous risk assessment is undertaken each term and involves senior staff and governors. The school monitors and reviews safe working procedures regularly and

p.17

Commentary

arrangements for dealing with accidents are clearly set out. The provision for first aid and supervision at mealtimes is good.

p.17

Commentary

31. Pupils who receive targeted support in learning English as an additional language are supported and guided satisfactorily but the monitoring and guidance of those pupils who are not in this group do not satisfactorily ensure that their individual needs are fully met. Where necessary, bilingual support is sought so that the needs of each pupil can be addressed appropriately. Pupils from traveller families receive satisfactory support and guidance and achieve as well as their classmates.

p.17

Commentary

32. Overall, the quality of educational support and guidance provided for other pupils is good. Pupils and staff have a very pleasant working relationship, and pupils clearly respect and trust the adults in the school. The school keeps good, up to date personal records of its pupils’ progress and monitors these well so that staff know and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the pupils in their class. This allows them to target their classroom assistants more effectively.

p.17

Commentary

33. The school encourages pupils to take an active part in the School Council. All the pupils know that the staff will listen to their views and this gives many pupils the confidence to voice their opinions in public. The principle of publicly celebrating achievement is well established and extends beyond academic aspects to all school activities, including attendance.

p.17

Partnerships with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys good links with parents and has satisfactory links with the local community. The school also has good transfer arrangements and educational links with other schools in the area.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures that parents are kept well informed about standards and progress. • The school seeks and values parents’ views through regular questionnaires. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 18 • Good transfer procedures to secondary schools have been developed. • There are no significant weaknesses.

p.17

Commentary

34. The school is successful in maintaining a good relationship with parents, even though a high proportion of families move on after a relatively short time. The quality of information provided for parents is good. Pupils' annual reports are very informative. The prospectus is clear and concise and meets the statutory requirements. The overall perception by parents that this is a very happy school is fully justified. The school has recently acquired funds for a tutor to guide parents on the best ways to help their children at home. The Friends of St Anselm’s support the school well by raising funds to pay for extra equipment such as football kit and a drinking fountain in the playground. Many parents also come into the school to help in the classrooms, at sports tournaments and on school visits. Parents' views are regularly sought through a questionnaire and parents feel that the school responds well to their suggestions and

p.18

Commentary

35. Relationships with parents are good. Parents are regularly encouraged to support their children’s learning at home and receive help from a tutor as to the best ways to help their children at home. Those that have good English language skills do so very effectively and others that are not so confident are also very keen to help their children. The school values this partnership between home and school and if any concerns arise parents are kept informed.

p.18

Commentary

36. Links with the general community are satisfactory. There are naturally very strong links with the Catholic Church. Pupils also support a number of charities. The school encourages visits from representatives from the world of art, music and the theatre, and from parents with an interesting story to tell. Pupils' personal development and sense of citizenship is enhanced as a result of these links with the community.

p.18

Commentary

37. On the whole, the school has satisfactory links with other schools. The school has particularly good transfer arrangements with the local Catholic secondary school. Pupils have a taster day at the secondary school and Year 7 teachers from the secondary school visit St Anselm’s. Another local secondary school provides sporting facilities, such as a sports field, that are not available at St Anselm’s. The school also has good links with the training institutes at Strawberry Hill and South Bank.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

38. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher's leadership is good and she is well supported by her deputy. The leadership and management of key staff is satisfactory overall. Governors are supportive of the school and overall governance is satisfactory. However one statutory responsibility needs to be addressed. Overall management of the school is satisfactory. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and leads a supportive and stable staff team well. • The co-ordination of the provision for pupils who are learning English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. • Performance data is monitored to set targets for groups and individual pupils. • The role of co-ordinators has improved and this is having a positive impact on standards. • Staff have good opportunities to develop their skills and expertise to improve provision. • The school’s approach to financial management is not clear and easy to access. • Governors’ information to parents has one statutory omission.

p.19

Commentary

39. The headteacher provides good leadership and is well supported by her deputy. Following some years of major turbulence in the school, she has now established a stable staff team. The school is a calm, orderly environment that is attractive and well organised. By implementing consistent approaches to behaviour management, pupils are now more receptive to learning. As a result of improved provision, pupils are happy to attend and do so more regularly. There is a positive ethos in the school, in that most pupils have good attitudes and form very good relationships with each other.

p.19

Commentary

40. The overall management of the school is satisfactory. Many of the procedures and practices the school has introduced are still relatively new and practice remains inconsistent, for example in teaching. Co-ordinators have clear roles and responsibilities to monitor their subjects and practice varies from very good, for example in literacy and numeracy, to satisfactory in other areas. Regular release time is given to all staff to oversee provision and where necessary staff have had good access to support and training to carry out their duties. There is evidence that standards are beginning to improve as a result of implementing good assessment procedures particularly in English, mathematics and science. There has been good improvement with regard to monitoring across the school and as a result the school is now becoming more aware of where to focus attention in order to raise standards further.

p.19

Commentary

41. However, the overall leadership and management of the provision for all pupils learning English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator manages the provision for new arrivals and targeted pupils satisfactorily but there are insufficient numbers of support staff to meet the needs of all the pupils who are identified by the school as learning English as an additional language. As a result, the achievement of these pupils is not as good as it could be. These weaknesses have been recognised by the school leadership team and the governing body.

p.19

Commentary

42. The school has started to analyse performance data to help teachers with planning and setting targets. This works well, but is often frustrated by the relatively high mobility of pupils, leaving or being admitted to the school, which St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 20 makes the tracking of achievement difficult. This is particularly an issue with regard to the school’s small number of traveller family pupils and pupils from many ethnic minority groups who take holidays abroad to visit extended families. The implementation of the assessment process is inconsistent, ranging from very thorough in English, mathematics and science to less effective in other areas. There is a particular weakness in the way some teachers use the available information to plan work that better matches the needs of all pupils. The monitoring of teaching and learning has improved and, as a result, additional support is being provided to help teachers plan more

p.19

Commentary

accurately. The school improvement plan continues to address the key issues from the previous inspection and is a satisfactory document to guide improvement. Individuals responsible for specific areas monitor progress on priorities and there has been satisfactory improvement in the school since the last inspection. Improvement in some areas has been good. For example, as a result of developments in ICT, standards at the end of Year 6 are now in line with expectations.

p.20

Commentary

43. The leadership and management of special educational needs are satisfactory. Procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs are well established and understood by staff. Statutory requirements are followed in terms of the cycle of reviews for Individual Education Plans and Statutory Assessments of Special Educational Needs. There are good procedures in place to keep staff informed about related issues. The day-to-day management of the team of teaching assistants is effective.

p.20

Commentary

44. The work of the governing body is satisfactory overall. The governing body is very committed and supportive and governors are frequent visitors in the school. They take an active role in observing lessons and presenting information gathered to other governors. They are kept well informed of developments through regular attendance of subject co-ordinators at governors’ meetings. There is a governor attached to each subject and this helps him or her to consider where priorities for improvement lie. The management of finances, whilst satisfactory, lacks clarity. The way the information is currently presented is too complex to see at a glance how much money is spent and how much is available to spend on bringing priorities forward earlier than anticipated. Governors are satisfactorily involved in the development of the school improvement plan and are beginning to take a more active role in monitoring its implementation. However, governors fail to ensure the school

p.20

Commentary

meets statutory requirements with regard to informing parents of the effectiveness of the school’s policy for the promotion of race equality procedures.

p.20

Commentary

45. In light of the complex difficulties the school has faced over the last few years, the school provides an acceptable standard of education to the majority of pupils in the school and value for money is satisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.20

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 21 Total income 757 662 Balance from previous year 70 843

p.20

Commentary

Total expenditure 796 007 Balance carried forward to the next 32 498

p.21

Commentary

Expenditure per pupil 3 980 St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall and it is good in the Nursery.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. Most children attend the school’s nursery class prior to starting in the reception class. They attend the Nursery for half-day sessions after their third birthday. On entry to the reception class, children attend full-time.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. When children start in the Nursery, their overall attainment is well below expected levels and this is particularly so in language development and in personal and social development. Attainment in all other areas of learning is generally below that expected. The children respond well to the good provision in the Nursery making good progress in all areas of learning. The overall attainment of these children when they start in the reception class at the beginning of the school year of their fifth birthday is below average; it is below average in communication, language and literacy development and knowledge and understanding of the world but the majority will have reached the expected levels for their age in other areas of learning.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Children continue to make satisfactory progress overall during the reception year. The levels of mobility even amongst these young children is high and, as a result, newly admitted children often start school in this class at the very early stages of language acquisition in English and low attainment in personal and social development. This factor lowers the overall attainment of the children. As a result, by the end of the reception year the overall attainment of these children is below average in communication, language and literacy development and knowledge and understanding of the world. However, the majority will have reached the expected levels in mathematical, creative and physical development by the time they start in Year 1.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. The quality of education for these Foundation Stage children is satisfactory overall and is best in the Nursery, where teaching is consistently good or better. Teaching is satisfactory overall for children in the reception class but sometimes expectations are too low for these children, leading to some unsatisfactory teaching.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and a clear vision for further improvement. Management is satisfactory overall but the monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped. As a result, there are inconsistencies in planning and provision between the nursery and reception classes. However, teamwork is good and support staff make an effective contribution to the children’s learning. Plans are now in place to provide more shared facilities between both classes. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 23

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good overall.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good provision in the Nursery is ensuring that these children make good progress in their personal development. • As a result of high expectations of behaviour, most children behave well. • Adults provide many opportunities for children to make choices in their learning.

p.23

Commentary

51. Much emphasis is placed on this area of learning because many children enter the nursery with very underdeveloped social skills. However, because of very good induction procedures, most children settle in quickly, and confidently leave their parents or carers, and talk happily to adults. Good opportunities are provided in the Nursery for all children to make choices in their play. Activities such as hanging out the washing or role-play in the baby clinic provide these children with a wide range of activities associated with their home life. Similar activities are provided for children in the reception class and the good achievement in the Nursery is maintained. Most children demonstrate satisfactory levels of independence, for example when they put on aprons or coats by themselves. The quality of teaching is good in this area and adults act as good role models. They intervene when necessary but also give children

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good overall.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good teaching of phonics is effectively supporting the development of children’s reading.

p.23

Commentary

52. Children’s spoken language skills are very poor when they enter the nursery. Many do not speak clearly, and do not use full sentences. There is good teaching of spoken language skills and children achieve well overall. However, most will still not reach the levels expected by the end of the reception year. Teaching and learning is good in this area of learning, and phonics are taught well in the reception class. Adults model speech well and provide frequent opportunities for children to discuss their work. Similarly, the experiences that children have of listening to stories, looking at books and learning about the sounds letters make, ensure that all children make good progress in this area. For example, in the Nursery, children know which way up to hold a book and St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 24 turn pages appropriately. In the reception classes they recognise several letter sounds and read a few common words. The most able can talk enthusiastically

p.23

Commentary

about pictures in their storybooks and read simple sentences. Teachers in both classes provide good opportunities for children to take books home to support language development. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 25

p.24

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults in the Nursery provide many opportunities for children to develop their number skills. • Planned activities are not always effectively matched to the ability of children in the reception class.

p.25

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall in this area of learning. Good opportunities are planned for Nursery children to practice counting, often up to 10 or beyond. Puppets are used very well in the Nursery to illustrate key teaching points; for example, the reinforcement of positional words such as ‘in front of’ and ‘behind’. Overall, teachers’ planning is satisfactory, but it is not always consistent with the ability of children in the reception class and this is a weakness. The expectations of what these children can achieve are sometimes too low and, as a result, the behaviour of these children deteriorates.

p.25

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Computers are used effectively to support children’s learning in both classes.

p.25

Commentary

54. By the time they reach the end of the reception year children are unlikely to reach the expected levels for their age. Children start in the Nursery with limited experience of the wider world. Teaching is satisfactory. A variety of good learning opportunities are planned by adults, which include visits to the local park. Good opportunities are provided for all children to use the computer to activate simple programs and achievement is good in this aspect of learning. Children play with small world activities and in role-play areas such as the boat or baby clinic. Construction kits are provided for children to develop their technical stills.

p.25

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory overall.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 26 • Children develop hand control skills well because adults plan many good activities to practice them. • Reception children are not able to share the good provision for outdoor play adjacent to Nursery.

p.26

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with some good features. Teachers plan an adequate range of activities for children to develop their physical skills. The overall attainment of these children when they enter Year 1 is broadly in line with that expected nationally. In the Nursery well-planned activities give children the chance to join construction pieces, glue paper squares onto a large circle and use a rolling pin for playdough or cooking. However, fine hand movements such as control for handwriting are still below average by the end of reception year. Good opportunities are planned for these children to develop their physical skills in the outside play area. In the reception class their rate of progress in this area of learning slows because children are provided with a smaller area for outdoor play. This has already been recognised by the school and plans are in hand to develop greater

p.26

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of activities is planned for children in the Nursery.

p.26

Commentary

56. Good opportunities are given to children to develop their thinking and ideas, for example, when they are encouraged to select the shape of paper they want for gluing activities. Nursery children happily join in singing rhymes and games, and show an appropriate control in their voices. Adults lead these activities enthusiastically, which encourages all the children to participate. In one very good lesson seen in the Nursery, all children were provided with a percussion instrument to accompany the lively music on the cassette recorder. Creative activities are planned for children in the reception class and achievement is satisfactory. However, sometimes these are not as carefully thought through and are, therefore, less effective.

p.26

ENGLISH

Provision in English is satisfactory overall.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 27 • Teaching is satisfactory overall and is very good in Year 6 where pupils achieve well. • Opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills are unsatisfactory. • Work is not always well matched to individual needs to ensure better achievement. • Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as another language make good progress in the lessons where they receive additional support. • Subject leadership is very good and good modelling by the co-ordinator is beginning to have an impact on raising standards. • Marking is not always used effectively to support pupils’ learning.

p.27

Commentary

57. In the national tests and assessments in 2004, overall standards were average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Overall standards are below average for pupils in the current Year 2. Standards are also below average in Year 6, although most pupils achieve well in this year group because of good or better teaching. Standards in writing and speaking and listening at the end of Year 2 are well below average. This is because pupils’ word building skills are insecure and they do not apply their knowledge of correct sentence structures accurately. Overall, standards have improved since the last inspection, because of the school’s continued focus on monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress and the very good leadership of the subject which has improved the quality of teaching, particularly in Key Stage 2. The needs of pupils are identified early in order to

p.27

Commentary

help them make satisfactory gains in their learning. Support for pupils with special educational needs, those from traveller families and those who are in greatest need with regard to learning English as an additional language is satisfactory. However, there are a significant number of pupils who are not targeted as a priority although they are still not secure in their English acquisition. The school has inadequate specialist support to meet these pupils’ needs and, as a result, their progress is often slow and their achievement is sometimes unsatisfactory. The very few pupils identified as gifted and talented are given additional challenging work that they often complete independently and to a good standard.

p.27

Commentary

58. Many pupils who are speakers of other languages rely on the school to provide good modelling of English and opportunities to practice and improve their skills. However, throughout the school, opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills are limited. The school has invested in staff training to address this aspect of the provision. But, as yet, there is no consistent whole school approach to maximise time devoted to activities, and, for example, the inconsistent use of ‘talking partners’, role-play, debate and drama limits pupils’ confidence and skill to talk in a range of situations and in front of a range of audiences. Occasionally, teachers do not allow sufficient time for pupils who are thinking in any other language to make the necessary interpretations they need to in order to respond confidently. As a consequence, many of these pupils make many errors in using vocabulary and in forming

p.27

Commentary

accurate sentences that convey meaning clearly. This leads to inaccuracies in St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 28 their reading and written work and as a result standards are below average. In examining pupils’ recorded work it is evident that a significant number do not use correct sentence structures and have difficulty with fluency in writing, although the school ensures the wide range of writing skills are explored as pupils progress through the school. For example, pupils in Year 6 have produced a well-presented newsletter for the school using a good journalistic style, including very good use of ICT to complete a professional job. Elsewhere pupils extend their skills satisfactorily through creative writing and reports in science.

p.27

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and examples of good teaching were seen in some classes, especially in Year 6 where teaching is very good. Where teaching is good or better, planning takes good account of pupils’ prior attainment and questions and written work are carefully structured to ensure pupils feel fully involved. In some other classes, inadequate use is made of assessment information to ensure all pupils are fully included in all that is being presented to them. The use of ICT and other well-chosen resources promotes pupils’ learning successfully. However, planning in some classes has a number of weaknesses because teachers do not always take into account the very diverse range of needs in their pupils. Question and answer sessions are frequent but not always constructed carefully enough for pupils of all abilities to participate fully. This is particularly an issue when numbers of support staff are

p.28

Commentary

limited and pupils of all abilities receive the same introduction. Where additional support staff are available, pupils work in small groups and receive good guidance in their work and, as a result, achieve well in these sessions. There is a good emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary, but opportunities are missed to encourage pupils to apply new learning in their responses to questions in lessons and in writing more accurately. Occasionally, teachers’ presentations are over-long and dominated by too much teacher talk. As a result, a few pupils struggle to sustain interest and concentration, and their inattentive behaviour leads to a slowing down of their progress, particularly in their independent work.

p.28

Commentary

60. Pupils enjoy reading and have a keen interest in listening to stories and exploring books. They listen to stories enthusiastically and love being read to. However, the standards are below average at the end of Key Stage 2 and, for a minority of pupils’, progress is unsatisfactory. Many pupils have limited opportunities to practice their reading outside school. While guided reading sessions enable pupils to extend their skills through good support, the time to hear individual pupils more regularly is limited. For some pupils this is not a problem, especially as their skills develop, and they can read with enjoyment independently. But those who are slow to master skills in word building strategies and sound blending, make slow progress and, as a consequence, standards are below expected levels. The introduction of teaching phonics in the Foundation Stage and sound building activities in Years 1 and 2 are

p.28

Commentary

beginning to have a positive impact on improving reading. Pupils have access to a good range of books and enjoy the reading books they take home. Older pupils are keen to explore reference materials to find information about specific topics they are studying and most pupils have a real enthusiasm to learn. Older pupils develop satisfactory skills in scanning books and text on the Internet and St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 29 use ICT confidently. The library is an attractive feature that promotes a lively interest in exploring books and independent work.

p.28

Commentary

61. Pupils with special educational needs, those few from traveller families and those learning English as an additional language work with support staff and alongside their classmates so that they develop their skills satisfactorily. Where specialist support is available for pupils learning English as a new language, achievement is satisfactory, because work has been modified appropriately, using the relevant assessment information. However, pupils’ literacy skills develop less effectively without this additional support and guidance, particularly in lessons in other subjects where new vocabulary and different styles of written work are required. Class teachers do not always plan carefully enough to match work to individual needs and this mismatch results in a few pupils making unsatisfactory progress when required to work independently. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 2, the vocabulary in the worksheets

p.29

Commentary

was not familiar to all pupils and a good number could not read the new words and had no understanding of what these words meant and so were unable to select the correct answers.

p.29

Commentary

62. The school has implemented rigorous assessment procedures to track pupils’ progress and individual targets are reviewed regularly. High mobility and extended holidays abroad make this task difficult. However, some teachers make better use of the information gathered than others, and where it is used well, pupils are clear about what to do next to improve their work. Marking is variable and, where it is good, it is very informative. But in some classes it is minimal and does not help pupils recognise the best features in their work or how they might improve it. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Most work well when left to organise their learning and are very keen to succeed and seek help where necessary. They are often positive about receiving homework and most do their best to complete it fully. Many are very hesitant in evaluating the quality of their own work. The quality of presentation, including

p.29

Commentary

handwriting, is untidy so that pupils fail to spot basic errors. This does not encourage pupils to take pride in their work and responsibility for their own learning.

p.29

Commentary

63. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. The co-ordinator has worked hard to raise the profile of the subject and to model good practice across the school in a bid to raise standards. There is evidence that her efforts are slowly beginning to have the desired impact. She has established a rigorous monitoring programme to review pupils’ work, teach other classes and evaluate teaching, learning and standards throughout the school. Through these procedures, she has identified that speaking and listening skills are not developed consistently across the school and this is limiting the progress pupils make in all aspects of literacy. She is also aware of the needs of those pupils learning English as an additional language who receive limited support and meets regularly with the ethnic minorities achievement co-ordinator and the literacy governor to review overall provision.

p.29

Commentary

Language and literacy across the curriculum

p.29

Commentary

64. Pupils use their language and literacy skills satisfactorily in other subjects. Teachers plan activities to promote, for example, report writing in science and reflective writing in personal, social and health education. From the work seen, St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 30 it is evident that pupils are keen to learn and apply themselves well in all subjects. Wherever possible, time for independent research, using reference books and the Internet is provided, particularly at the upper end of the school. Opportunities for discussions are insufficient to raise standards in speaking and listening.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is insufficient support for pupils who are at the early stages of English acquisition. • Effective teaching in Years 2 and 6 leads to good achievement in these years. • The quality of presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in mathematics lessons are good. • Work set does not always match the ability levels of the pupils. • Pupils achieve well in work related to numbers but there are insufficient opportunities in mathematics lessons to apply their mathematical skills to other contexts. • Very good leadership and management are leading to improvements in standards.

p.30

Commentary

65. The results of the 2004 national tests indicate that standards were well below average for 11-year-olds. When compared with similar schools these results remain well below average. The results for seven-year-olds provide a similar picture. Results over the last three years indicate a small trend of improvement but this is continually hampered by significant numbers of pupils either being admitted to or leaving the school.

p.30

Commentary

66. Inspection findings indicate that achievement is now satisfactory overall. Good teaching in Year 2 means that pupils’ standards in mathematics are now in line with national expectations, although the number of pupils working at a higher level remains low. Standards remain below national expectations by the time pupils leave the school, particularly in terms of the low number of pupils working at a higher level. This is despite good or very good teaching in Year 6 and stems from gaps in pupils’ knowledge arising from inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in previous years. Pupils make good progress in Years 2 and 6 because of the good or very good teaching. Across the whole school, pupils achieve well in work related to handling numbers, but many lack confidence when asked to apply their mathematical skills to other contexts. This finding is similar to that of the previous inspection. The achievement of pupils

p.30

Commentary

who are at an early stage of English acquisition is good when they receive focused support. Where this support is not in place, these pupils make St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 31 unsatisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall.

p.30

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but good or very good in Years 2 and 6. Where teaching is good or better, teachers plan thoroughly to meet the needs of all pupils. In these lessons, all pupils, including those who are at an early stage of English acquisition, make good progress in response to the animated teaching style and skilful use of the interactive whiteboard. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, the teacher made highly effective use of an interactive whiteboard to assist pupils in their understanding of how to calculate the surface area of three-dimensional shapes. Where teaching is less effective, teachers set work which is not well matched to the ability levels of the pupils. This results in less able pupils becoming frustrated because work is too demanding for them, while more able pupils quickly complete tasks and are unsure what to do next. As a result, progress is limited. Despite these

p.31

Commentary

shortcomings, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good across the school. Teaching assistants provide very good support for pupils who are an early stage of English acquisition, but the high numbers of such pupils mean that only the needs of a minority of them are met. An inconsistency in the presentation of pupils’ work hinders achievement. A number of pupils regularly change their answers by writing one digit on top of another, meaning that their final intended answer is sometimes unclear. Teachers in their marking of pupils’ work rarely challenge this practice.

p.31

Commentary

68. The subject is very well led and managed. The co-ordinator has a clear grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and, in the two terms in post, has made a significant impact on the subject. A number of key initiatives have been undertaken to raise standards. These have included organising an innovative strategy to raise parents’ understanding about how to support their child in mathematics by giving them an opportunity to take part in a maths lesson taught by their child’s teacher. In addition, the co-ordinator has observed the quality of teaching and learning in all classes, providing additional support in response to specific needs that were identified through the observations. The co-ordinator has a coherent vision for the development of the subject although it will take some time for the full benefits of the very good leadership to begin to significantly impact on standards.

p.31

Mathematics across the curriculum

69. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. There are some good examples of pupils using and applying mathematics in different subjects. This is particularly evident in ICT where pupils’ mathematical understanding has been strengthened through a variety of purposeful cross-curricular activities. For example, in Year 5, pupils have used spreadsheets to calculate the cost of a holiday and have used computer-generated graphs to show how far different members of the class can jump. However, the subject leader recognises that there is a need to develop a more systematic, whole-school approach to the teaching of mathematics across the curriculum. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 32

p.31

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory overall with some good features.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very high levels of pupil mobility have a negative impact on the school’s quest to raise standards further. • High expectation of pupils contributes significantly to their achievement at the end of Key Stage 2. • Effective assessment procedures are being used to monitor the progress of pupils. • The effective monitoring of the curriculum is helping to raise standards.

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Commentary

70. Achievement is satisfactory overall. The results in the 2004 national tests are well below average for pupils at the age of 11. Teacher assessments of seven- year-olds in these tests are average. When these results are compared with schools with similar circumstances they are also well below average for 11- year-olds; they are well above average for seven-year-olds. Inspection evidence confirms standards are below average at 11. This, however, represents satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection because very high levels of pupil mobility have a significant impact on overall standards. The two-thirds of pupils who remain in the school from Year 2 to Year 6 achieve well overtime. However, achievement of the remaining pupils, many of whom have low levels of acquisition in English, is only satisfactory. Many of these pupils leave the school before they take the national tests at the end of Year 6

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Commentary

and are replaced by newly admitted pupils with varying levels of ability and language acquisition in English. Good teaching of these pupils in Year 6 helps to plug the gaps in their knowledge and understanding but these factors are significant in preventing the school in its quest to raise standards further.

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Commentary

71. Opportunities to observe science being taught during the inspection were limited. However, observation of some teaching, scrutiny of pupils’ books, talking to pupils and staff confirms that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teaching is particularly good for pupils in Year 6, where high expectations ensure that these pupils achieve well. This is a key strength. These pupils respond particularly well to this very good teaching and co-operative skills are well developed. They handle apparatus carefully as they investigate the properties of sound. Further analysis of pupils’ written work across the school shows that all aspects of the curriculum are adequately covered and that inclusion of practical investigations is satisfactory. All pupils respond very well to these practical activities and investigations as they explore scientific phenomena. All classrooms contain effective displays that often include the key words

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Commentary

associated with the topic being studied to support the learning of pupils whose first language is not English.

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Commentary

72. Good procedures have been put in place to assess pupils each half term. Teachers use the data from these to monitor the progress of pupils and modify the planned activities accordingly to match their needs. This is particularly important because many pupils display gaps in their knowledge and understanding. As a result, achievement is not as good as it could be. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 33 73. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Self-evaluation is developing well. The subject co-ordinator has made a good start in monitoring teachers’ planning and the information has the potential to influence further developments.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory overall with some good features.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The effective teaching of skills is leading to good pupil achievement. • ICT is being used very effectively to support teaching and learning in Year 6. • Pupils respond very well to lessons in the computer suite.

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Commentary

74. Pupil achievement is good. Inspection evidence confirms that all pupils make good progress in ICT skills. Analysis of pupils’ work shows that this good progress is sustained across the school in all classes. However, progress is best for pupils in Year 6 who reach standards that are average overall. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

75. Teaching is good overall and particularly for pupils in Year 6 where the teacher uses an interactive whiteboard in an imaginative and dynamic way to motivate and excite the pupils and teach new skills. This was particularly evident in an excellent ICT lesson to teach pupils how to insert a sound clip and image into a presentation slide. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge resulted in a very informative demonstration. This ensured that when pupils’ entered the computer suite they all quickly set to work to complete the set task with considerable success.

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Commentary

76. Teachers plan for a good range of activities that cover all aspects of the subject. This includes graphics work for pupils in Year 2, organisation of a simple database in Year 4 and the control of a model set of traffic lights in Year 6. The progress of pupils is recorded effectively and targets are set for improvement. This effectively promotes good achievement.

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Commentary

77. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The newly appointed co- ordinator has already undertaken a thorough audit of resources and she now has developed a clear strategy for the further improvement of the subject.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

78. Teachers make satisfactory use of ICT to support learning in other subjects, for instance, data handling in mathematics and science lessons. Pupils of all ages are provided with opportunities to produce writing with a word processor at their St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 34 level of ability. This culminates with pupils in Year 6 contributing to, editing and publishing the school newspaper. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 35

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HUMANITIES

79. The diocese undertook the inspection of religious education and only a small number of history lessons could be observed. Judgements are based on the observations of these lessons, scrutiny of the pupils’ work and discussions with pupils and staff.

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History and Geography

Provision in history and geography is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of pupils’ work in history and geography are below national expectations. • The history co-ordinator has revised the school’s history curriculum to ensure that legal requirements are now met. • There is a good range of displays of pupils’ work in geography around the school.

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Commentary

80. Pupils’ below average literacy skills mean that their attainment is below average in history and geography at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall although pupils who are an early stage of English acquisition make below average progress when they do not receive support from an adult working alongside them in the classroom.

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Commentary

81. The quality of teaching in geography and history is satisfactory. Learning is more effective when interesting artefacts are used as a prompt for pupils to ask questions and to stimulate pupils’ interest in the subject. For example, in a Year 3 history lesson, the children responded with avid interest and excitement as the teacher gradually unveiled a miniature Egyptian Mummy at the start of a lesson on Ancient Egypt. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour remain good even when teaching is less interesting and when teachers do not circulate around the class giving support to individual pupils. Pupils’ awareness of the world around them is enhanced by a good range of displays of pupils’ work and related teaching aids, such as weather charts. There was little evidence of displays of pupils’ work related to studies in history.

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Commentary

82. Leadership and management of history and geography are satisfactory. The newly appointed co-ordinator has recently carried out a review of what is taught in these subjects. The findings of this review resulted in changes to the organisation in the teaching of history, which has ensured that the requirements of the National Curriculum are now followed. The co-ordinator has identified the need to further strengthen provision in history and geography by developing a more comprehensive programme of educational visits and visitors to provide pupils with increased first hand experiences in these subjects. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 36

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Lessons in physical education and music were sampled. It was not possible to observe any lessons in art and design and design and technology. It is therefore not possible to make overall judgements related to provision in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. There is insufficient evidence to make judgements about provision, standards or teaching and learning in art and design . The examples of pupils’ work that were seen were of a satisfactory standard. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to create their own ideas and develop observational and sketching skills by exploring, for example, artefacts in history and still life observations of plants and fruits. The range of work seen was very limited and it was unclear whether pupils explore 3-dimensional art, fabric art and clay work. The subject does not have a high profile in the school and opportunities are missed to make more of the diversity of cultures represented in the school and develop pupils’ appreciation of the work of celebrated artists.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. In design and technology , photographs of pupils' work, scrutiny of their design and make tasks and a review of teachers' planning indicate that standards are broadly in line with that expected of 11-year-olds. Units of work are planned effectively to ensure that all pupils have good opportunities to plan and investigate a range of solutions to solve design problems. This is effectively demonstrated in the model chairs made by pupils in Year 4. The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory overall and a good start has been made in monitoring the standards of pupils' work across the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. Inspection evidence confirms that pupils are provided with a satisfactory range of opportunities to make music . It is not possible to make an overall judgement about standards at the end of Key Stage 2. However, the observation of a good lesson for pupils in Year 2 confirms that standards are broadly average at the end of Key Stage 1. The newly appointed coordinator has developed a clear view of what needs to be done in order to raise standards further and broaden the range of musical experiences offered to pupils.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. Scrutiny of teachers' planning and discussions with the subject co-ordinator confirm that all aspects of physical education are covered during the school year and that the allocation of time meets current guidance. The provision for swimming is satisfactory overall but limited to those pupils in Year 4. As a result, a good proportion of pupils are unable to swim the recommended 25 metres by the time they leave school at 11. No overall judgement can be made on the quality of teaching and learning but in the one lesson observed for pupils in Year 5 it was unsatisfactory. This is because the overall aims of the lesson were not effectively communicated to the pupils, hall space was not used well to promote the development of pupils' gymnastic skills, and time was wasted in arranging the apparatus.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory overall but there has been insufficient monitoring of teaching and learning across the school to have a positive impact on their quality. However, good links are now being established with a local sports specialist secondary school and staff training has been already organised. The accommodation and level of resources are St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 37 satisfactory but the current arrangements for storing apparatus prevent the quick organisation and use of equipment in lessons.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject has a high profile in the school and makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. • The impact of the PSHE curriculum is heightened by the way that it is often taught through other subjects. • The infant children do not currently have opportunity to be members of the School Council.

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Commentary

89. The school has a coherent plan to teach PSHE and Citizenship. The plan is organised to develop pupils’ skills year on year. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand the importance of not talking to strangers and of the meaning of ‘forgiveness’. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of issues relating to substance misuse and adolescent hygiene. A notable feature of the school’s approach to teaching PSHE is the way in which aspects of the subject are delivered within meaningful contexts in other subjects. For example, work in the Year 3 science curriculum on ‘Growth’ is related to a consideration of ‘Growing up’. The PSHE curriculum is reflected in displays of pupils’ work around the school. All classes have a set of rules agreed by the pupils and there are frequent visual reminders about the value of friendships and the uniqueness of each child. The School Council has a genuine role in the

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Commentary

development of the school, although it only represents the views of pupils in Years 3 to 6. Members of the School Council speak enthusiastically about improvements that they have seen in the playground and with school dinners as a result of their meetings. They also have a mature realism that not all of their ideas can be adopted. The pupils’ contribution to the management of the school is further reflected in the Playground Buddies who help to promote good behaviour and relationships in the playground. This area of the curriculum is well led although the co-ordinator has not yet had the opportunity to formally monitor provision. Overall, these findings represent an improvement on the judgements of the previous inspection. St Anselm Roman Catholic Primary School - 38

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 5 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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