St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th November - 2 nd December 2004

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SCHOOL

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

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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 Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: First school School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 9 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 105

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Carisbrooke Newport Isle of Wight Postcode: P030 1NR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01983) 522 747 Fax number: (01983) 521 050

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr B Yelland

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This small village primary school has 105 pupils on roll, aged four to nine. The school is undersubscribed and numbers are particularly low in Reception, Year 1 and Year 3. In Year 1, less than a half of all available places are filled. Overall, there are more boys than girls and, in Reception, there are more than twice as many boys. Pupils come mainly from the Carisbrooke area although the school attracts about a third from Newport and surroundings. Nearly all pupils are from white British backgrounds although a very small minority are from ethnic minority heritages. Four pupils speak English as an additional language and these pupils are at early stages of learning the language. Other languages spoken are German, Spanish and Turkish. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, at 12 per cent, is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, at 14 per cent, is below average and the proportion with statements of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

educational needs is also below average. Pupils' difficulties are mainly related to general learning difficulties.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The level of pupil mobility is above average. In the last academic year more have joined the school than left other than at the normal leaving or entry points. Most children have had some pre-school education before entering Reception. Pupils' attainment on entry is average overall but this ranges from above to below average. Since the previous St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 2 inspection, there have been a number of changes to teaching staff, including the part-time acting headteacher, a temporary school leader (deputy headteacher) and the new permanent school leader. The school is currently involved in the Primary Leadership Strategy and Workforce Remodelling programme. The school is in the final stages of becoming federated with another small Catholic first school, where the two schools will share the same headteacher and governing body.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 19115 Eileen Chadwick Lead inspector Mathematics Science Foundation Stage Art and design Design and technology Music 9092 Ron Elam Lay inspector 27667 Carolyn Renault Team inspector 22330 Laurence Lewin Team inspector English History Geography Information and communication technology Physical education Special educational needs English as an additional language

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal PPI 1 – 4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 3 Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 4

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 15

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 29

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 5

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This school does not give a satisfactory education to its pupils and provides unsatisfactory value for money. It requires special measures because the quality of teaching is unsatisfactory and pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4. Instability of senior management, combined with difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff, have limited the effectiveness of leadership and management and had an adverse impact on school improvement. Pupils’ overall achievement is unsatisfactory.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils’ attainments in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough in Years 1 to 4. • Children are given an unsatisfactory start in Reception and do not achieve well enough. • School leadership and management are unsatisfactory. Frequent staff changes have limited the school's development and its ability to monitor its work and address weaknesses. • The quality of teaching is unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4. • The quality of teaching is good in Year 2 and this is beginning to improve pupils’ achievement. • The new permanent school leader (deputy headteacher) has strengthened management. • The quality of care and welfare offered to pupils and links with the community are good.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory. The school has made unsatisfactory progress in addressing the serious weaknesses identified two years ago in leadership and management and pupils' achievement. Standards reached by pupils have declined and are often unsatisfactory. All staff are now permanent but the part-time headteacher's monitoring of the school and subject co-ordinators' roles are unsatisfactory. There is much to be done and the school needs special help in order to make the necessary improvements.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

reading A B E E writing A C E E* mathematics D C D D St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 6 Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E- well below average; E *- very low. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. This table shows that standards fell from those reached in 2002. There have been falling trends in Year 2 compared with national trends. Compared with similar schools, standards in 2004 were well below and in the lowest five per cent in writing. Inspection finds some improvements for the current Year 2 because of good teaching. However, pupils' achievement is still unsatisfactory as standards are still below average in reading, writing, mathematics and science, although average in ICT and physical education.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

By Year 4, pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory. Standards are below average in reading, writing, science and ICT and average in mathematics and physical education. The achievement of children in Reception is unsatisfactory and they are not likely to reach the expected standards in their areas of learning, including in literacy and numeracy, by the end of Reception. The overall progress of pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory whilst that of those with English as an additional language is satisfactory.

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Pupils' personal qualities are satisfactory, including their spiritual, moral, social

and cultural development. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour are mainly satisfactory although a few older pupils sometimes disrupt the learning of others. Pupils' attendance is excellent and punctuality is satisfactory. The school promotes good relationships within all the school community.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided by the school is unsatisfactory. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory overall. They are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and there is much good teaching in Year 2. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4. Teachers do not match pupils' work well enough to their previous learning and there is a lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils. The curriculum provided is unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Extra-curricular activities are good. The school takes good care of its pupils and there are good community links. Links with parents are satisfactory.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are unsatisfactory because the school has declined further since the last inspection. The part-time acting headteacher has much to do and is not providing a clear enough direction for improving teaching, learning and pupils' achievement. The leadership team is more stable this year and the new school leader is providing good leadership, although subject co-ordinators are often not effective. Governors have played a vital role in supporting the school but do not have adequate systems for holding the school to account. The school does not meet statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents' views of the school are satisfactory overall. Most are pleased with all the school offers but a significant minority are concerned about the variability and information of their St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 7 children's progress. Inspectors agree with parents' concerns. Pupils have positive attitudes and like school.

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

• improve the leadership and management of the school, including systems for monitoring provision and identifying and addressing weaknesses; • raise standards across the whole school and improve pupils' achievement in reading, writing, mathematics, science and ICT; • raise standards in Reception and improve children's achievement by improving teaching, learning, the curriculum and assessment; • improve the quality of teaching and learning, including management of pupils, in Years 3 and 4;

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and, to meet statutory requirements:

• ensure statutory requirements for ICT and investigative science are met in Years 3 and 4; and • ensure the acting headteacher is given an appropriate job description.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning AND subjects

Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. Pupils begin school with overall average attainment but, subsequently, standards decline in Reception. Standards are often below average in core subjects throughout the school. Much unsatisfactory teaching in Reception and Years 3 and 4 is causing pupils to make unsatisfactory progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Significant underachievement in Reception means pupils begin Year 1 with below average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. • Too much unsatisfactory teaching and curriculum provision in reading, writing, science and ICT in Years 3 and 4 are causing further underachievement. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. • Good teaching in Year 2 helps pupils to begin to catch up some of the ground they have lost. • Standards are still below average in Year 2 because of earlier underachievement, although the teaching at present is good.

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Commentary

1. Standards in the 2004 National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils were well below average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. This is shown in St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 8 the average point scores in the table below. Pupils' achievement compared with similar schools shows standards were well below average in reading, very low in writing and below average in mathematics. The table shows a decline in standards from 2003. The overall trend is below the national trend and has been declining since the last inspection in 2002 with the most rapid decline in reading and writing.

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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 13.8 (16.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 12.2 (15.1) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 15.6 (16.2) 16.2 (16.3) There were 23 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. In the 2004 national tests for Year 2 pupils, there was too much variation between the proportions reaching Level 2 and above in the different subjects. In reading and writing only about three-quarters reached at least Level 2 whilst very nearly all did so in mathematics. Standards were also weak at 2B and above in writing. In writing only one third of all pupils reached 2B or above whilst this figure was two thirds for reading and nine out of every ten for mathematics. Standards at Level 3 were too low in all three subjects and very low in mathematics. These differences indicate weaknesses in teaching for different groups, with poor provision for lower attaining pupils in reading and writing and unsatisfactory provision for higher attaining pupils in reading and mathematics.

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Commentary

3. Assessment made by teachers showed standards in speaking and listening and science were above average. Comparisons between the standards reached in national tests and teachers' assessments show teachers' assessments were higher than test results, indicating weaknesses in assessment for higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

4. During the inspection, no significant differences were found between the attainment of girls and boys. Over the past three years Year 2 National Curriculum test results show boys have outperformed girls in reading and mathematics. The targets set for 2004 for Level 2 and above in English and mathematics were pitched at the right level but not achieved in English. Targets were achieved at Level 2 in mathematics but not at Level 3. The targets set for 2005 are unlikely to be achieved because of pupils' low standards in English and mathematics on entry to Year 2.

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Commentary

5. The inspection finds that the achievement of children in Reception is unsatisfactory and they are unlikely to reach the standards expected of this age in all areas of learning except personal, social and emotional development, where standards are average. The achievement of higher attaining children is poor because of much unsatisfactory teaching and the lack of challenge provided.

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Commentary

6. Standards in Year 2 show that pupils' achievement over time is unsatisfactory although pupils are currently achieving satisfactorily overall in Years 1 and 2. Progress is good in Year 2 but pupils have a lot of catching up to do and standards St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 9 are still below average in reading, writing, mathematics and science, though they are average in ICT.

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Commentary

7. By Year 4, pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. Standards are average in mathematics but below average in English, science and ICT. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory in mathematics as these pupils reached average standards in their Year 2 national tests. However, their achievement is unsatisfactory in English, science and ICT. The decline in standards in Year 2 in English in 2004 means pupils now enter Year 3 with a legacy of underachievement. Too much unsatisfactory teaching and lack of rigorous provision in English, science and ICT mean that standards are remaining low in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

8. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. Pupils' progress is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. There have been significant improvements this term in Years 1and 2 although, in Year 1, lower attaining pupils are not heard to read frequently enough considering their previous underachievement. In Year 2 pupils with literacy and numeracy difficulties are now making good progress. The school has perceived the lack of suitable provision and, since September, has ensured that the national additional literacy support programmes and numeracy programmes are more rigorous throughout the school. The pupils' individual educational plans have also been improved. However, information gained from these is not always used to plan work. Too much weak teaching of literacy in Years 3 and 4, where tasks for pupils are not broken down into the small steps pupils need, is causing continuing underachievement. In Year 1, there

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Commentary

is not a close enough match of reading and writing tasks in other subjects. The few pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall. Their progress is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory for the very few in Years 3 and 4. There is very limited planning for these pupils in Years 3 and 4. Gifted and talented pupils make unsatisfactory progress. These pupils have been identified but there is no planning or systematic provision for them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are satisfactory overall, although less good in Years 3 and 4. The school makes sound provision for promoting pupils’ personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Attendance is excellent and punctuality is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The level of attendance is very high compared with that of other primary schools in the country. • The school successfully promotes good relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff. • Pupils' attitudes and behaviour are not as good as at the time of the last inspection. • Pupils sometimes show restless behaviour when work is not well matched to their learning needs.

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Commentary

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 10 9. The table below shows the school's attendance figures. The level of attendance has improved very well since the last inspection, reflecting the very good use of the computerised recording system and the follow up work by the secretary. The majority of parents respect school and ensure their children attend regularly. Nevertheless, punctuality is a problem for some families. A steady stream of pupils arrives for the first five or ten minutes after the starting time, disrupting the first part of the day for both themselves and their classmates. There have been no cases of pupils being excluded from the school.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.1 School data 0.2 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days [sessions] missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

10. During the last inspection, pupils showed good behaviour and attitudes but these are now satisfactory overall. In lessons that were at least satisfactory pupils showed good behaviour and attitudes. During these lessons pupils listened carefully to staff, concentrated well and tried their best with the tasks provided. However, in a significant number of lessons seen, where tasks were not interesting enough or when the work did not match pupils' needs precisely enough, a restless undercurrent was apparent and individuals did not concentrate properly. Sometimes, teachers and teaching assistants are quick to identify pupils’ drifting concentration and take the necessary corrective action. For example, during a good Year 1 English lesson, the teacher recognised that a few pupils were not paying their fullest attention and rearranged their seating positions to ensure that she could make eye contact with

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Commentary

them throughout the session and, thereby, check their full involvement. However, not all teachers manage pupils' behaviour successfully in the junior classes and learning suffers. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 often take too long to settle down after play or lunch breaks.

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Commentary

11. As at the time of the last inspection, relationships across the school are good and pupils show respect for each other and the staff. Good rapport between the staff and pupils helps individuals feel confident to join in all activities such as classroom discussions or respond when asked a question during whole school assemblies. The good relationships between pupils also mean that they work well with each other; for example, sharing ideas and helping each other with practical tasks.

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Commentary

12. Overall, the quality of provision for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is developed satisfactorily across the school with good opportunities provided during assemblies for pupils to reflect on the world around them. However, pupils' spiritual awareness is less well developed in the curriculum subjects. Pupils gain a sound moral awareness and adults throughout the school ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. During lessons such as circle time and in assemblies, a sound emphasis is placed upon ensuring that pupils learn to respect the feelings and values

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Commentary

1 Times when pupils sit in a circle with staff and take turns to discuss current issues. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 11 of others. Pupils’ social awareness is also satisfactorily developed. Individuals pupils say they enjoy the range of responsibilities they are given to help with chores in the classroom or, in the case of older pupils, around the school. However, there are not enough opportunities for ensuring pupils take sufficient responsibility for their own personal work or encouragement of individual learning skills in decision making, problem solving and teamwork. Sound arrangements exist to develop pupils’ cultural awareness of the British and other cultures. Sound links with other schools that have pupils from different cultures enable pupils to develop their multicultural understanding.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is unsatisfactory because curriculum provision is unsatisfactory, and teaching and learning are unsatisfactory overall. Pupils are secure in school and are well looked after. There are satisfactory links with parents and good links with the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. They are unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4. Teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. It is satisfactory overall for those with English as an additional language. Assessment is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is much good teaching in Year 2, including in literacy and numeracy. • There are high proportions of unsatisfactory teaching in the Reception class and in Years 3 and 4. • The support given to teachers for improving their teaching has not been effective. • There is often a lack of challenge, especially for more capable pupils, which results in underachievement. • Assessment is unsatisfactory. Teachers do not match pupils' learning to their previous attainment well enough. • Teachers do not always successfully manage pupils’ behaviour in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 22 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 0 7 7 6 2 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

13. The overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. This represents a decline since the previous inspection, when it was judged to be satisfactory. There has been a sharp rise in the proportion of unsatisfactory teaching with over a third of all lessons unsatisfactory and this includes some poor teaching. The proportion of good and St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 12 better lessons was much lower than that found at the time of the previous inspection and this figure is also low compared with other primary schools nationally.

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Commentary

14. There are wide differences in the quality of teaching in different year groups. In Years 1 and 2, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory with much good teaching in Year 2. However, it is unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4, where there is much unsatisfactory teaching.

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Commentary

15. Samples of pupils' work since the start of term and from last year also indicate much unsatisfactory learning for pupils in Reception and in Years 3 and 4. Instability in teaching staff last year also resulted in pupils' unsatisfactory learning and underachievement. New and permanent teachers in Years 1 and 2 are having a positive impact on pupils' learning and the new school leader is providing strong leadership for these years. However, teachers in Reception and Years 3 and 4 are left to their own devices too much and are largely self-managing. Their unsatisfactory teaching is not being adequately identified and checked. This is increasing the legacy of underachievement that is found throughout the school.

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Commentary

16. A major weakness is that the work provided does not build on pupils' previous learning and is not tailored to the pupils’ needs and abilities. This leads to a lack of challenge for more able pupils and the work is the work is often too difficult for lower attaining pupils. This is because teachers are given insufficient guidance on how to best plan systematic programmes of work, which build steadily from previous learning. Assessment is, too often, unsatisfactory and not used to match learning to pupils' previous knowledge and skills.

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Commentary

17. The quality of teaching and learning in Reception is unsatisfactory. The children are managed well during class introductions but, during activity time, the organisation of children is unsatisfactory. Children are often given unchallenging tasks, including in literacy and numeracy, and as a result, do not learn enough and flit from task to task. Lesson planning lacks rigour and does not map firmly into the curriculum for this age or, in the case of higher attaining children, the National Curriculum. Insufficient records are kept of what children are learning during free choice group time. Expectations of the standards children can achieve are low. The teaching of reading is poorly organised. Key words and phonics are not being systematically introduced for each child and children are often being held back. Staff knowledge of how to implement the areas of learning for this age is poor.

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Commentary

18. In Years 1 and 2, teachers manage pupils well and usually provide well-matched work. Teaching is strongest in Year 2 where very nearly all lessons seen were good with very good features. In the best lessons, all pupils are given the opportunity to learn well, including more capable pupils. This is because there is very careful planning for the steps in learning for all abilities and teachers successfully manage learning during group work. As a result, no learning time is lost. However, in Year 1, although teaching seen during the inspection was mainly good, one poor lesson was observed in geography. In this lesson reading and writing tasks were too hard and poorly matched to pupils' prior attainment. This also weakened pupils' literacy development. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 13 19. There are several reasons for the unsatisfactory and poor teaching seen in Years 3 and 4. One is that teachers' subject knowledge is not always good enough, for

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Commentary

example in science. This causes low expectations of what pupils can achieve and a lack of rigour in teaching subject skills and knowledge. Another reason is that class management is not always successful and not enough learning takes place. Sometimes, the misbehaviour of a few pupils interrupts the learning of others. In other unsatisfactory lessons, or in satisfactory lessons with weaknesses, lessons are soundly introduced but learning deteriorates during different parts of group work when work is not sufficiently matched to pupils' needs. In Reception and Years 3 and 4, teachers do not successfully use a range of teaching styles and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking, suggest ideas and solve problems.

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Commentary

20. The teaching of English is unsatisfactory overall. In Years 1 and 2 the teaching of reading is good during the literacy hour in both classes. However, whereas literacy tasks across the curriculum are matched to pupils' prior attainment in Year 2 this has weaknesses in Year 1. Systems for hearing pupils read have improved this term although lower attaining pupils in Year 1 are not heard frequently enough, considering they have much to catch up on. In Years 3 and 4, the quality of English teaching is unsatisfactory. Lessons are not well planned and do not steadily build pupils' skills in each lesson or over a series of lessons. The teaching of writing is unsatisfactory in other subjects. The content is narrow, too much writing is copied and pupils are often given the same tasks regardless of ability. Mathematics teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 and this is beginning to redress pupils' previous

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Commentary

underachievement. It is satisfactory in Years 3 and 4. Throughout the school, there are inconsistent opportunities for higher attaining pupils to learn at higher levels. The teaching of ICT is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Very little teaching of ICT was seen in Years 3 and 4 during the inspection and there was little evidence of the use of ICT in pupils' previous work. Although lack of resources hampers pupils' progress, for the ICT suite has few computers and classroom computers are not networked, teachers do not make best use of the ICT resources they have and rarely use computers to enhance pupils' learning.

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Commentary

21. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory. Provision has been improved since September and is now good in Year 2. However, there is a lack of match of work to pupils' needs in literacy lessons in Years 3 and 4 and the match of literacy tasks across the curriculum is unsatisfactory. In Year 1, pupils need to be heard read more regularly and key words and phonics need more rigorous teaching. Pupils' Individual Educational Plans have recently been rewritten so they show the smaller steps they need to make progress in literacy. However, not all teachers are using these adequately to ensure that pupils master all key words and grasp phonics. Additional literacy and numeracy support strategies have been increased this term, although it is too early to judge their impact on raising standards. In Years 3 and 4 there is an unsatisfactory match of writing tasks across the curriculum to the needs of

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Commentary

lower attaining pupils. Too often, they copy work they are not able to read. Gifted and talented pupils are often given the same level of work as other pupils. Teaching and learning for these pupils is unsatisfactory and poor in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

22. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory overall. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory for the very few pupils with St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 14 English as an additional language in Years 3 and 4. In Year 4, there are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their spoken English and assessments are not used to plan adequate speaking and listening activities. In Year 4, these pupils make the same unsatisfactory progress as their peers during English, science and ICT lessons.

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Commentary

23. Assessment is unsatisfactory. This is mainly because assessments of pupils are not used to plan the right steps for promoting pupils' learning, for example assessment procedures are satisfactory in English. However, in science in Years 3 and 4, teachers' limited subject knowledge prevents an informed use of National Curriculum levels for both assessing pupils' performance and planning their work. Marking is unsatisfactory. It is variable in quality and in Years 3 and 4 does not give pupils clear targets for improving their work.

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The curriculum

Overall, curriculum provision is unsatisfactory. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory in Reception and Years 3 and 4. It is enriched well by a good range of extra-curricular activities and experiences. The accommodation is satisfactory but staffing and resources are unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum provided for Reception children is unsatisfactory and there are poor resources for outdoor physical activities. • Overall provision for supporting pupils with special educational needs, although recently improved, is unsatisfactory. • Teaching time is below the nationally recommended minimum in Years 3 and 4. • Too little time is spent on investigative work in mathematics and science and curriculum time for ICT is low in Years 3 and 4. • The school makes good provision for extra-curricular activities with a good emphasis on involving pupils in sports and arts activities.

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Commentary

24. In Reception, provision does not ensure in-depth coverage of the curriculum for this age. It does not steadily build the steps in learning over time or within each lesson. Plans for teaching the National Curriculum alongside the areas of learning are not in place for the significant proportion of higher attaining children. The curriculum does not prepare children adequately for entering Year 1. 25. In Years 1 and 2, there is sound breadth and balance to the work planned and the curriculum generally caters for the needs of pupils of different attainment levels. The recently appointed school leader is having a positive impact on improving curriculum provision in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

26. Curriculum provision for Years 3 and 4 is unsatisfactory. Teaching time is one and a half-hours less than the recommended weekly minimum, which limits the time available for teaching National Curriculum subjects. Pupils’ learning is also undermined because work does not match their prior attainment well enough. For example, evidence from samples of pupils’ work seen and literacy lessons observed, St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 15 shows that too often all pupils work on the same task at the same level. This is hampering the progress of higher attaining and lower attaining pupils and is a key factor in preventing pupils from achieving as well as they should.

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Commentary

27. In Years 3 and 4, the curriculum does not comply with statutory requirements because subjects are not covered in the depth and breadth required in science and ICT. Although the school often uses national guidelines, teachers have been left too much to their own devices in planning their own curriculum. This has led to an unsystematic coverage of knowledge and skills, especially in investigative science with subsequent gaps in pupils' understanding. Time spent on learning in ICT is low; pupils do not have enough opportunities to use computers within the suite or within lessons.

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Commentary

28. The school has established a register of its talented and gifted pupils and makes some provision for extending talented pupils in sports. However, planning for gifted and talented pupils is otherwise unsatisfactory and poor in Years 3 and 4. For instance, teachers use the national subject guidance for the age range rather than for pupils' ability level.

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Commentary

29. Visits made and visitors to the school help to ensure that there is sound provision for enriching the curriculum. The good range of extra-curricular activities, which are well attended by and enjoyed by the pupils, also provides further enrichment. In particular, the school places a strong emphasis on involving pupils in a good range of sports activities, with the programme of activities well supported by coaches drawn from the community and partner organisations. Some good innovation is beginning to take place, for example, with the involvement of pupils in an extra-curricular ‘Junior Rock production’ challenge that provides inspirational dance and music work for pupils and draws on and helps develop links with the local middle school. As well as this new emphasis on performing arts the school has also involved outside volunteers in helping pupils to make some attractive and large art and design three-dimensional

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Commentary

30. Too little emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects and matching this work to their prior attainment. The school’s provision for supporting pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory although it is mainly satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. The best part of the provision is by teaching assistants in their support for individuals or groups. When working with pupils, they provide clear guidance and help the individuals to stay focused on the tasks provided. However, the efforts of the teaching assistants are hampered in Years 3 and 4 because the work is sometimes too difficult for the pupils concerned, so that progress is slow. In Year 2, the more precise setting of work to match individual needs means that pupils with special educational needs make good progress. However, there are some weaknesses in Year 1 when pupils' writing tasks in other

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Commentary

subjects are not matched to their prior attainment. The newly appointed special educational needs co-ordinator has made good progress in her short time in post. She has ensured that all of the records for pupils with special educational needs are up-to-date and that pupils concerned have carefully written individual education plans with accurately set targets, which are regularly reviewed. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 16 31. Overall provision for the small number of pupils in the school with English as an additional language is satisfactory. Provision is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory for the very few pupils in Years 3 and 4. In Year 4, the school is not fully aware of their exact competence in their subjects, for example in mathematics, and work provided is sometimes too easy. Full use is made of local education authority personnel to assess any newly arrived pupils in this category and

p.17

Commentary

appropriate teaching support is provided by the authority, where this is deemed necessary.

p.18

Commentary

32. Sound overall provision is made for teaching pupils about personal, social and health education but the lack of a scheme of work in this area hampers the ability of teachers to ensure that pupils build up their learning in this area in a planned and progressive manner.

p.18

Commentary

33. The school has adequate accommodation. Resources are unsatisfactory because of the limited ICT resources to support teaching and learning. The ratio of up-to-date computers is low and the are too few computers in the ICT suite. This makes it difficult for teachers to conduct whole class lessons and restricts the amount of time each pupil spends using computers. Classroom computers are old in Years 3 and 4 and not networked to those in the computer suite. There are few laptops available. Teachers are hampered by the lack of ICT resources. Nevertheless they make insufficient use of the computer resources they have. The provision for outdoor physical development is poor in Reception. This was a weakness at the time of the previous inspection. There are enough teachers and support staff. However, both teaching and support staff have not received effective training and support for improving their teaching in literacy, science and ICT in Years 3 and 4. In Reception,

p.18

Commentary

training has been provided but this has not been effective in ensuring the children are given a satisfactory curriculum.

p.18

Commentary

34. The school has made unsatisfactory progress in addressing the weaknesses found at the time of the last inspection and there has been further decline in English, mathematics, science, ICT and the Foundation Stage.

p.18

Care, guidance and support

The arrangements for pupils' care, welfare and health and safety are good. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is unsatisfactory. The involvement of pupils in the school's work through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is satisfactory.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are effective procedures for ensuring the environment is healthy and safe. • Staff are caring and provide good role models to encourage pupils' personal development. • Monitoring and guidance of pupils' academic progress is unsatisfactory. • Several pupils in Year 3 are potentially disruptive and there is insufficient support for improving their attitudes to school, their learning and behaviour. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 17

p.18

Commentary

35. The school provides effective health and safety procedures for ensuring pupils can learn in a safe environment. These include the good procedures for ensuring pupils adhere to health and safety policies during lessons such as science and design and technology. Child protection procedures are now good. The arrangements for first aid are very good. Governors' close monitoring of provision has ensured that health and safety procedures and child protection have improved well since the last inspection.

p.19

Commentary

36. Staff show good concern for the needs of the pupils and provide good role models to encourage their development. Parents are pleased with the level of support in the school, viewing it as a caring community, where staff are approachable if there are any problems. In particular, parents agree that their children are well supported when they first come into the school either into Reception or if they arrive in other years. A major reason for this is the good contacts with the pre-school providers. Pupils consider that they are supported well by the staff and know whom to contact if they need help. They also have opportunities to express their opinions about the school's provision. Initiatives started this term, for example circle time and the school council, are contributing to this.

p.19

Commentary

37. Since the previous inspection the school has made unsatisfactory progress in improving procedures for monitoring pupils' academic progress. Although assessment procedures have improved in English and mathematics, there is insufficient close monitoring of pupils' assessments in order improve their achievement. The staff use their assessments of pupils' progress in literacy and numeracy to set targets for all pupils and these are discussed with parents at the termly consultation meetings. Nevertheless, the targets are not always clear. Little assessment takes place in other subjects. The arrangements for personal development are informal although the teachers know the pupils well. However, the school is not successful in its monitoring of the personal development of a few potentially disruptive pupils in Year 3. It does not set adequate targets for improving their personal development or for addressing

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are satisfactory. Links with the local community and other schools are good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are pleased with the school's Catholic ethos and the welcome and care it provides. • The involvement of a range of organisations and people in the community extends experiences for pupils' personal, social and academic development. • There are unsatisfactory systems for informing parents about Reception children's progress in reading.

p.19

Commentary

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 18 38. In their response to the pre-inspection questionnaire and at the meeting, parents showed they have mixed feelings about what the school provides, although most are satisfied. Parents are pleased with the school's Catholic ethos, the warm welcome for pupils and the level of care for them. Most think their children like school, staff expect their children to work hard and encourage them to become mature. These views are similar to those at the time of the last inspection. However, a high proportion consider they are not well informed about their children's progress.

p.20

Commentary

39. Inspection findings are that the school's procedures for providing this information are satisfactory overall with a few weaknesses. The school sends regular news and other letters about general matters to pupils' homes. Each term, the curriculum is outlined for each class. The annual reports on pupil progress in the summer term generally show good detail of pupils' attainment in each subject. The school also sends home leaflets on how to help with reading and numeracy. However, information is poor for the parents of Reception children about their children's progress in reading. Parents are given insufficient information about the school's approach to teaching reading, the stages the children are at or how they can best help their children. Their roles in the education process are very unclear except for those involved in very regular verbal contact with the school.

p.20

Commentary

40. Some parents and grandparents help regularly in the classroom and many help with trips out and to events. A particular strength is the Family Learning Programme, which enables many parents to be in the classroom to see what their children are doing. The fund raising and social activities organised by the parents' association are generally well supported. Pupils spoken to confirmed that their parents either help with their homework or ensure that it is completed. The school has held a meeting to consult parents about the proposed federation with another school. Nevertheless, it does not have a structured approach to seeking parents' views about other aspects of school life. The high level of attendance of the pupils indicates the respect the parents have for the education process. 41. The most important link within the community is, of course, with the parish. As well as being a governor, the parish priest regularly visits the school to support it in many

p.20

Commentary

ways. Visiting sports coaches, help from students in the high school and inter-school sports matches enhance pupils' sporting skills. The school is part of a local Catholic cluster of schools, including the local Catholic middle school. The link with the middle school eases pupils' transfer to the main middle school. The links with the Catholic cluster provide important opportunities for this small school to exchange ideas with other staff who teach similar age ranges and to take part in joint curriculum initiatives. The school is in the final stages of federating with another small Catholic school where the acting headteacher is already headteacher. Links are being created between staff for curriculum development, for example in science. These are at an early stage although there are signs of a positive impact on improving provision in physical education. Pupils' understanding of society is enhanced by their

p.20

Commentary

collections for charity and visits from public bodies such as members of the police and waste recycling team. The curriculum is also enhanced by trips to places in the local area and further afield. Good links with local playgroups smooth children's arrival into Reception. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 19

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school's leadership and effectiveness of its management are unsatisfactory. The structures for leadership and management have been unstable for some years. The leadership provided by the new school leader is good but the roles of the acting headteacher and subject co-ordinators are unsatisfactory. Governors are very hard working and supportive but the development of their role as critical friend has been halted because of the school's staffing crisis in the last year.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new full-time permanent school leader (deputy headteacher) is providing much needed stability and good leadership. • The part-time acting headteacher is not effective in her strategic management of the school. Her other roles prevent close monitoring of the work of the school. • Changes in the school leader last year seriously disrupted earlier progress in improving leadership and management. • Individual leadership and management responsibilities of the acting headteacher and school leader are insufficiently clear. • Systems for monitoring the school's performance and tackling weaknesses are unsatisfactory. • Subject co-ordinators' roles are unsatisfactory. • Structures for managers and governors to monitor and evaluate actions and spending on improving pupils' achievement are unsatisfactory.

p.21

Commentary

42. The quality of leadership and management of the school is unsatisfactory, as it was at the time of the last inspection two years ago when the school was designated to have serious weaknesses. The school was making sound progress in addressing its weaknesses when visited by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools (HMI) about 18 months ago. Leadership and management had been strengthened and the acting headteacher, effectively supported by the temporary school leader, was providing a clear sense of purpose and educational direction. Governors were better informed and they were developing their roles in helping to steer the school. Soon after this successful monitoring by HMI, the school leader was asked to return to her own school. Another temporary school leader was quickly appointed but the progress made in strengthening the leadership team was halted.

p.21

Commentary

43. The temporary school leader became ill soon after appointment and other teaching staffing became unstable. The acting headteacher, in her part-time capacity, was then leading a school that already had serious weaknesses and one where leadership and management had been weakened yet again. Not enough time was spent on leading, developing and managing the school once the severity of the difficulties emerged. The acting headteacher is also the headteacher of another school and is playing a major strategic role in federating her other school with this school. She has also a key role in the development of the island's Catholic schools’ partnership. The time needed for these strategic roles has adversely impacted upon the day-to-day leadership in this school. The staffing turbulence last year also severely weakened St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 20 the school's progress and there was a subsequent large drop in standards in Year 2 in

p.21

Commentary

44. The new permanent school leader, appointed this September, was the temporary school leader in post at the time of HMI monitoring 18 months ago. She is already having a positive impact on improving provision in Years 1 and 2 and for pupils with special educational needs. However, there is much to be done and strategic planning is unsatisfactory. The school improvement plan is unsatisfactory and shows unsatisfactory evaluation of the school's needs. The plan does not focus on addressing the key issues from the previous inspection. There are numerical targets only for improving the proportion of pupils to reach average levels in literacy and numeracy. There are no separate numerical targets for reading and writing on this plan. The plan does not identify or address the need to improve provision in Reception or in science yet these were weaknesses at the time of the previous inspection. Monitoring and evaluation arrangements and time scales are imprecise.

p.22

Commentary

45. Since the previous inspection, the school has made sound progress in putting assessment systems in place for English and mathematics but this information has not yet been used as a management tool for improving standards. Although the school sets ambitious targets for pupils it does not use assessments to keep close checks on how well pupils are achieving so it can judge the effectiveness of provision in raising standards. Monitoring of teaching and learning has been mainly by the acting headteacher and the local education authority. This has not been effective in improving provision in Reception or in Years 3 and 4, where there are some weaknesses in the organisation in learning and in the general management of pupils. The leadership of Reception and Years 3 and 4 is unsatisfactory. These teachers are receiving insufficient guidance to help them improve and are largely self-managing.

p.22

Commentary

46. Subject co-ordination, already weakened by last year's staffing difficulties, is unsatisfactory. All teaching staff are now permanent but several are newly qualified and inexperienced and cannot be responsible for subject co-ordination. The co- ordination of English, science and ICT is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4. There are no designated co-ordinators for history, geography and for pupils with English as an additional language. There is no strategic plan, with time scales, for systematically improving the effectiveness of subject co-ordination, for example the thorough development of each co-ordinator's own subject expertise and leadership role. Co- ordinators do not have in-depth subject knowledge and their leadership and monitoring roles have not been adequately developed.

p.22

Commentary

47. The headteacher is not providing clear enough direction for tackling the main issue of improving pupils' achievement. The headteacher does not have a job description and the leadership and management roles of the headteacher and school leader lack clarity. There is a lack of forward planning for the rigorous monitoring of the school's work, including teaching and learning. The weaknesses found at the time of the previous inspection in the distribution of staff's responsibilities remain. Both the school leader and the headteacher have too much to do. Evidence of lesson monitoring in 2003/4 showed weaknesses in monitoring and evaluating the work of teachers in order to help them improve. Monitoring was infrequent for each teacher and there was no evidence that National Curriculum level descriptions were used to measure and monitor standards. Curriculum management is unsatisfactory because St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 21

p.22

Commentary

there has not been enough guidance on what teachers should teach and they have been left too much to their own devices in their classrooms.

p.23

Commentary

48. Governors have well-organised committees and are very regular visitors to the school. They are very supportive. Governors have ensured that policies are in place but rely too much on the headteacher's reports to confirm how well the school is doing. Governors have not adequately monitored the school's progress since its last inspection. Their involvement in monitoring the success of actions in the school improvement plan is limited.

p.23

Commentary

49. The school is now moving rapidly to becoming federated with the headteacher's other school in February 2005. The two schools will have the same headteacher, a joint governing body and share some staff, for example the bursar. However desirable in the long term, this has tended to distract the school in the short term from addressing its major weaknesses, for example improving provision in Reception. There are signs of productive links between the physical education co-ordinators in the two schools although the sharing of expertise across other subject areas is still at a very early stage.

p.23

Commentary

50. Governors keep a careful check on finances to ensure the school keeps within the budget it has set. However, financial planning is unsatisfactory because spending is insufficiently linked to raising pupils' achievement. Statutory requirements for ICT are not met as very little time is spent on ICT. The limited use of the ICT suite was a weakness at the time of the previous inspection. Resources in the suite and elsewhere are limited but there is limited strategic planning for updating or checking how existing resources are used. The governors do not have adequate procedures for monitoring and evaluating the impact of spending on raising achievement.

p.23

Commentary

51. The school's contingency fund at the end of the 2003/4 financial year was boosted by additional help from the local education authority. The school is using these savings in order to maintain staffing levels in the face of falling roles. However, staff, the school's best resource, are not being developed to their full capacity. The school provides unsatisfactory value for money because it is not as effective as it should be. Day-to-day financial arrangements are sound with satisfactory arrangements for securing goods and services at competitive prices. However, the school’s resources are not used to the best advantage for improving achievement; therefore, the application of 'best value' principles is unsatisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

52. A barrier to improvement is that the monitoring by the local education authority did not result in effective management or teaching support last year when the school leadership and staffing reached a crisis point.

p.23

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.23

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 376,006 Balance from previous year 3,027 Total expenditure 358,122 Balance carried forward to the next year 20,911 St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 22 Expenditure per pupil 3,443

p.23

SUBJECTS

Provision for children in Reception is unsatisfactory. The school has made unsatisfactory progress since the last inspection. The weaknesses in the education provided at that time, including teaching and learning and curriculum and assessment have further declined. The key issue from that inspection has not been met. Children enter with average attainment overall but leave with skills, including those in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, that are below average. Management of the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory.

p.24

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.24

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Staff develop good relationships with the children, which helps them to settle quickly. • Lack of challenge in activities prevents children developing their love of learning to the full.

p.24

Commentary

53. The children are on course to reach the expected standards. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, overall. Children develop a satisfactory knowledge of school routines as staff pay much attention to this. Staff's calm and caring approach helps children to quickly settle. The teacher and support staff successfully help the children to learn important values of kindness, sharing and taking turns. Children learn to handle books, toys and other equipment carefully and to respect the property of others. They are able to successfully learn through whole class teaching and learning or through guided group learning. However, the unchallenging nature of many practical activities prevents the children fully developing their love of learning, and concentration is not sustained during self-initiated learning.

p.24

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is poor . St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 23

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Not enough time is spent on teaching reading and writing, including phonics, and standards are below average. • Expectations for what children can achieve are low. • Rich, practical activities in all areas of learning do not underpin the development of speaking, listening, thinking, or early reading and writing. • There is a lack of challenge for more capable pupils. • There is a lack of rigour in planning and teaching of both reading and writing. • Assessment and the use of assessment are unsatisfactory.

p.25

Commentary

54. Children are likely not to reach the standards expected at the end of Reception. Teaching and learning in this area of learning are poor. Since the last inspection, the school has made unsatisfactory progress in improving the weaknesses found at that time in this area of learning. Standards are average in speaking and listening but below average in reading and writing. By the time children leave Reception, many have at least a sound vocabulary and speak confidently but lower attaining children have not. In the current Year 1, over a third of the children entered Year 1 not having reached their goals in reading and writing and over the whole group there were only a few with above average attainment. Teachers and classroom assistants do not promote children's use of language through meaningful practical activities such as investigative work in science or through role-play. Lower attaining children,

p.25

Commentary

especially boys, are left to play in the sand or with bricks without adult stimulation. The teaching of reading is poor. It lacks rigour and there are insufficient opportunities for learning to read through 'Big Book' time, when children are taught together. Subsequent group work is either poorly organised with little teaching of reading and writing or the activities themselves lack meaning. The stages of children's reading are not adequately communicated to parents through the use of home/school reading records. Children’s reading is not heard frequently enough in school. Children sometimes mark time because they are not given a reading book quickly enough. Key words and phonics work is poorly structured and not closely matched to the children's needs. There is no planning for the introduction of the National Curriculum alongside the Foundation Curriculum so the significant number of potentially higher attaining pupils can develop skills more rapidly. Learning

p.25

Commentary

opportunities in writing are equally poor. Opportunities for focused group and self- chosen activities are infrequent and the quality is unsatisfactory.

p.25

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is unsatisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children's achievement is unsatisfactory. • Teaching lacks rigour during whole class, group work and play. • Assessment is unsatisfactory and there is a lack of challenge for all children, especially the higher attainers. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 24 • Not enough time is spent on mathematical development over a week and within each lesson.

p.25

Commentary

55. Children are unlikely to reach the standards expected by the end of Reception and achievement is unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. Children’s natural enthusiasm for counting is not harnessed through skilful class teaching or well-planned group and play activities. At all levels of ability, the children are underachieving through lack of challenge. Little time is spent on teaching mathematical development during the course of a week. Expectations are low during whole class sessions and, too often, group work is only loosely related to mathematics. The use of mathematics within play is poor for all pupils. More advanced children do not gain understanding of higher numbers or develop their ability to add and subtract quickly enough. Children do not develop their capacity for solving problems. There is no formal identification process for very high ability

p.26

Commentary

children. Planning is unsatisfactory and organisation of learning is weak during group work.

p.26

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is unsatisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children do not achieve well enough. • There is good planning for the children to develop their understanding in religious education. • The development of children's investigative and problem-solving skills is unsatisfactory. • Opportunities for children to develop their computer skills are unsatisfactory. • Role-play and other play activities are not used well enough to support learning. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 25

p.26

Commentary

56. Children are unlikely to reach the standards expected for this age. Children's achievement is unsatisfactory as a result of unsatisfactory teaching and learning. Although long-term planning shows coverage of a range of scientific activities these are not taught in the required depth. Opportunities for children to develop their investigative skills and for practical problem solving are weak. Children have few opportunities to select, choose or join a range of materials for designing and building. Computers were rarely seen used during the inspection and when used, ICT skills were not developed adequately. Literacy and numeracy computer programs were also often too easy and lacked challenge. During the inspection, children learned how to give the computer controlled toy simple instructions in the context of a large group. However, during group work children were not given opportunities to use their own

p.27

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is unsatisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for children to develop their physical skills through outdoor play are poor. • Opportunities for developing practical skills are unsatisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

57. Children are not on course to reach standards expected of this age by the end of Reception. Their achievement is unsatisfactory because of unsatisfactory teaching and learning. Activities planned for the development of manual dexterity are unsatisfactory as the range of materials and simple tools used is narrow. Children adequately use crayons, although several have limited pencil control. There are not enough detailed practical activities for enabling the children to develop their fine motor skills. Children manipulate only a narrow range of construction kits which limits their physical development. The outside area is poorly equipped and this was a weakness found at the time of the previous inspection. There is a small, safe outdoor area but the school has very limited outdoor play equipment. Sand and water provision have now been provided for indoor play but these offer very basic activities,

p.27

Commentary

which do not provide enough challenge for this age group.

p.27

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is unsatisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and achievement are unsatisfactory. • Opportunities for imaginative role-play are unsatisfactory. • There are unsatisfactory opportunities for children to suggest ideas, or to create and explore colour, shape and space in two and three dimensions. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 26

p.27

Commentary

58. Standards are below expectations by the end of Reception. Children's achievement is unsatisfactory because of unsatisfactory teaching and learning. Although children are able to create their own story lines, this is always within a narrow range of experience. The role-play opportunities in the playhouse are basic. Toys and dressing up clothes are not used in a focused way to improve learning and children are left too much to their own devices at any one time. Planning is unsatisfactory and does not lead children on to new learning. For instance, children are not encouraged to develop their imagination through story themes and adults rarely extend children's ideas by interacting with children during play. Children are given a narrow range of media and have limited opportunities for selecting equipment, materials and techniques. They are given few opportunities to express their own ideas and adults

p.28

Commentary

often over direct the children in these activities.

p.28

ENGLISH

Provision in English is unsatisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Progress since the last inspection is poor. Standards have dropped from above average to below average by the end of Years 2 and 4. • Teaching is good in Year 2 but unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4. • Assessment is unsatisfactory. Pupils' work does not match their learning needs well enough. • Pupils with special educational needs do not make enough progress in Years 3 and 4. • Leadership and management are unsatisfactory. There is no clear overview of the quality of teaching and standards. • The development of reading and writing in other subjects is unsatisfactory in Years 1, 3 and 4.

p.28

Commentary

59. Across the school, pupils show a sound ability with speaking and listening and achieve satisfactorily in these areas. Most speak with reasonable confidence and show a satisfactory range of vocabulary. All pupils' achievement is satisfactory in this aspect of English.

p.28

Commentary

60. Standards in reading are below average by the end Years 2 and 4. Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory throughout the school although pupils in Years 1 and 2, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are now making satisfactory progress. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have not achieved well enough in the past, although good teaching in lessons is now accelerating their progress and helping them to catch up. However, pupils in Year 1 are not sufficiently well supported outside of the literacy lessons. Lower attaining pupils, in particular, are not heard to read on a regular enough basis. Teachers promote pupils’ St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 27 understanding and use of sounds well in lessons and this is often followed up well by teaching assistants who listen to pupils read. Teachers also make good use of the ‘Big Book’ approach in shared reading to promote pupils’ interest, fluency and

p.28

Commentary

understanding. However, the teachers rightly recognise that currently too many pupils are still at the early stages of reading and not enough pupils are attaining the higher levels of which they are capable. In Years 3 and 4, too many pupils have skills that are below average or worse and too few perform at the higher levels. The monitoring of reading provision is unsatisfactory. One Year 4 pupil spoken to was puzzled that she had been given the same book to read that she had been given six months previously.

p.29

Commentary

61. Pupils are below average in writing by the end of Years 2 and 4. Their overall achievement is unsatisfactory. Pupils' progress has recently improved in Years 1 and 2 due to satisfactory teaching in Year 1 and good teaching in Year 2. However, standards are still below average and too low in Year 2. Too many pupils still produce writing that is not joined up, barely legible and that shows a very limited use of vocabulary. Few pupils write in a clear, imaginative and interesting way. Successful work by the teachers is helping pupils to begin to catch up on basic skills such as spelling and using punctuation and simple sentence construction with a greater degree of accuracy. Pupils’ writing in Year 4 is unsatisfactory and hampered by poor spelling, a limited range of vocabulary and unsatisfactory presentation. Often, the work in pupils’ creative writing books indicated very little progress since the beginning

p.29

Commentary

of the year with unsatisfactory presentation, with writing often not joined and poorly formed. Overall, all groups of pupils including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are currently underachieving in Years 3 and 4 in most aspects of their English work.

p.29

Commentary

62. Teaching is unsatisfactory overall. Work carried out this term and the lessons seen show that teaching is satisfactory in Year 1 and good in Year 2. The appointment of the school leader to teach in Year 2 shows a clear strengthening of the teaching in this part of the school. Work is now well planned in English in Years 1 and 2 with careful consideration given to grouping pupils according to their attainment and the provision of tasks that closely match these levels. However, there are some weaknesses in the planning and teaching of reading and writing in other subjects, where tasks are not matched well enough to pupils' prior attainment. Teaching is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are low and, as a result, pupils do not make enough progress. Planning does not cater sufficiently for the range of pupils' prior attainment. This results in lower attaining and special

p.29

Commentary

educational needs pupils struggling with the tasks set and also a lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils. In Year 3, the lesson objectives in the planning are too complex. During the lessons seen in Years 3 and 4, instructions given for activities were imprecise so that pupils did not fully understand what they were supposed to do. In a Year 3 lesson, this led to pupils losing their concentration and paying little attention to the teacher. In a Year 4 lesson, the steps in learning were also too hard for lower attaining pupils so they did little work and made unsatisfactory progress. Computers are not used well enough for helping pupils learn in Years 3 and 4, although this is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2.

p.29

Commentary

63. Leadership and management of English are unsatisfactory, overall. They are now satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4. Strategic planning St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 28 is unsatisfactory. Arrangements for the rigorous monitoring of lessons by co- ordinators are not in place and. as a result, no clear overview of the quality of teaching and standards has been established. Sound procedures are in place to assess pupils’ attainment and progress as they move through the school and teachers use this information to help set future targets for pupils’ attainment. However, assessment information is not used well enough, especially in Years 3 and 4, to plan work for the range of pupils' ability.

p.29

Language and literacy across the curriculum

64. Opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy skills in other subjects are unsatisfactory. In Year 1, reading and writing tasks are insufficiently matched to pupils' prior attainment in science and geography. Extensive use of worksheets in geography projects for older pupils limits pupils' ability to write for different purposes. Too often, in Years 3 and 4 pupils copy writing they cannot read, for example in science.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good, overall, in Years 1 and 2. • In Year 2, standards are below average because of previous unsatisfactory achievement. • Higher attaining pupils make inconsistent progress and the progress of gifted and talented pupils is unsatisfactory. • ICT is not used well enough in Years 3 and 4.

p.30

Commentary

65. There has been a downward trend in standards in Year 2 for the past three years. Inspection shows standards, by Year 2, are below average and pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. However, pupils are now beginning to make good progress in both Years 1 and 2 due to good teaching and learning. This is helping to raise standards from the well below average standards reached on entry to Year 2. In Year 2, however, too few pupils are reaching average and higher levels compared with national averages. In Years 1 and 2, whilst average and lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress, that of higher attaining pupils is only satisfactory. Pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. Standards in Year 2 have declined since the last inspection so progress since the last inspection is unsatisfactory.

p.30

Commentary

66. By Year 4, standards are average. Pupils' overall achievement is satisfactory as these pupils reached average standards in their Year 2 national tests. Pupils are currently making satisfactory progress in both Years 3 and 4. However, this is not enough to raise standards in Year 3 from the below average levels they reached in their Year 2 St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 29 national tests. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Provision for these pupils has improved since September through the introduction of Springboard in Years 3 and 4. In both classes, higher attaining pupils occasionally mark time when there is too much repetition of earlier learning and there are not enough opportunities for higher level problem solving. Although the school has started to identify gifted pupils, there is very little provision for them. Their achievement is unsatisfactory. The very few pupils with English as an additional

p.30

Commentary

language make satisfactory progress. These pupils are often more capable in mathematics but their limited skills in English restrict their performance and pupils' work is sometimes too easy. Progress since the last inspection is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4 as standards are lower in Year 3 and the school has not addressed the weaknesses in provision for higher attaining pupils or for improving the use of ICT within mathematics.

p.31

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. It is good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory with some weaknesses in Years 3 and 4. A good lesson in Year 2 had several very good features. The very steady build up of skills, the use of good quality practical resources and the teacher's skill in meeting the needs of all abilities during the introductory part of the lesson were very strong. However, despite very good planning, the quality of teaching and learning was more variable during group work. The lower attaining pupils made very good progress because of the teacher's high expectations and the way she steadily built pupils' understanding. The higher attaining pupils, who were supported by another adult, only made satisfactory progress because there were less rigorous opportunities for them to solve problems, to try different approaches and to explain their thinking.

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Commentary

68. Lesson observation and examination of pupils' work throughout the school shows generally satisfactory progress in Years 3 and 4, although, occasionally, the steps in learning are too hard for lower attaining pupils or too easy for higher attainers. Assessment is satisfactory, although it is not consistently used to plan work well matched to pupils’ differing abilities. The use of ICT is unsatisfactory overall. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4 where computers are infrequently used to support learning within numeracy lessons or at other times. Where used, opportunities for pupils to enhance their skills are brief. Class management is good in Years 1 and 2. It is satisfactory in Years 3 and 4 although some weaker elements were observed during group work when pupils became restless due to lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

69. Overall, the co-ordination of mathematics is satisfactory. It is good in Years 1 and 2 because the basic skills co-ordinator has a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses in pupils' attainment and how to improve teaching and learning. The co- ordinator for Years 3 and 4 has not yet had an opportunity to monitor teaching, although this has been carried out by the headteacher, who has good subject knowledge in mathematics. Evidence from the monitoring file shows there has been clear guidance for improving teaching. The school ensures that pupils have a mental mathematics session at the start of each lesson. However, sometimes, these sessions are too brief and they differ in their rigour from class to class in Years 3 and 4. This fact has not yet been picked up in the monitoring. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 30

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Mathematics across the curriculum

70. This is unsatisfactory. Although there were some good and challenging links observed with science in Year 2, mathematics is not used well enough across the curriculum in Years 3 and 4. For example, in science in Year 4, there were missed opportunities to measure, record and interpret results when pupils conducted tests to observe the melting and solidifying of chocolate and butter.

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SCIENCE

Provision in science is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and pupils' achievement are unsatisfactory through the school. • The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4, including for pupils with special educational needs. • There is strong emphasis on practical enquiry in Year 2, where the level of challenge for higher attaining pupils is good. • Subject co-ordination is unsatisfactory. Teachers are not given enough help with curriculum planning. • Literacy, numeracy and ICT are not used well enough in Years 3 and 4.

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Commentary

71. Standards are below average by Year 2. Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2 although pupils are currently making satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 through satisfactory teaching and learning. However, improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory as standards were then average. Pupils are now developing their investigative skills in Year 2, although these have previously been weak. The proportions of pupils reaching average and higher levels are both still too low. The few higher attaining pupils predict well and develop a good awareness of fair testing and these pupils are making good progress in planning their own experiments. Progress for average and lower attaining pupils is satisfactory. Work is sometimes pitched at too high a level for these pupils considering they have so many gaps in their skills and knowledge.

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Commentary

72. Standards are below average by Year 4. Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection, these pupils were reaching average standards. Standards in investigative science are now well below average whilst standards are below average in scientific knowledge. When investigating, pupils are able to follow teacher directions to make simple tests, responding to suggestions about how to find things out, but they do not plan and make their own tests, or use mathematics rigorously for measuring, recording, comparing results or seeking patterns. Pupils' observational skills are limited and not informed by a depth of subject knowledge and their predicting, explaining and concluding skills are underdeveloped.

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Commentary

73. Pupils with special educational needs make unsatisfactory progress. This is because of weaknesses in teaching in Years 3 and 4. In Year 3, support for pupils with behavioural problems is not adequate and, as a result, they disrupt their own learning St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 31 and that of others. In Year 4, there is not enough practical work and pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language copy too many meaningless facts from books or are given the same level of writing as other pupils. Pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 and unsatisfactory progress in Years 3 and 4. The progress of more capable pupils is unsatisfactory. It is poor for gifted and talented pupils where, in Years 3 and 4, much of their work is at the same unsatisfactory level as the rest of the class.

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Commentary

74. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory overall, although they are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Lesson observation and examination of pupils' work shows much unsatisfactory teaching in Years 3 and 4 as a result of weak subject knowledge. Planning is unsatisfactory and does not provide a good enough foundation for teachers to develop both skills and knowledge through practical enquiry. Pupils are given the same level of work regardless of their previous attainment. In Years 1 and 2, in the lessons seen, teachers used a variety of teaching methods, including problem solving, to encourage pupils to develop their thinking and independent learning skills. Examination of pupils' previous work in Year 2 shows this is a regular feature of pupils' learning but in Year 1 there are too many low level colouring tasks. Pupils’ behaviour is well managed in Years 1 and 2, but not well enough managed in

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Commentary

Years 3 and 4. In a Year 3 lesson several boys disrupted others so little learning took place and in Year 4 pupils became restless when they finished practical tasks and were not challenged by extended work.

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Commentary

75. The use of literacy, mathematics and ICT is unsatisfactory in science. There is a good level of challenge and match of work in Year 2 in literacy and numeracy but a lack of challenge in written work and mathematical recording for higher attaining pupils in Year 1. In Years 3 and 4, there is an unsatisfactory match of work in literacy for all pupils with far too much copied writing, and a lack of challenge for all pupils in the use of mathematics in science. The use of ICT in science lessons is also unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4 and there is no evidence of regular use in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

76. Subject leadership and management are unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator does not have adequate subject knowledge or a clear vision for the development of science. Too much is left to individual teachers and they are not supported in their curriculum planning or in improving their teaching. Although the school uses the national guidelines, teachers are not helped sufficiently to select the teaching units. This leads to insufficient progression in investigative science and gaps in knowledge and in skills. Teachers do not always have good enough subject knowledge or high enough expectations of pupils. Assessment and the use of assessment are unsatisfactory. In Years 3 and 4 teachers do not have good enough understanding of National Curriculum levels. The school has made unsatisfactory progress in improving science since the previous inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

77. Very little direct teaching of ICT was seen during the inspection so an overall judgement on provision cannot be made. Pupils' work was sampled, they were interviewed and were observed using computers. A meeting was also held with the St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 32 co-ordinator and teachers' planning was examined. All inspectors examined the use of ICT in lessons seen during the inspection and looked for evidence in pupils' previous work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

78. Evidence shows that pupils in Year 2 have a sound knowledge and understanding and are on course to attain average standards by the end of the year. They make appropriate use of a range of different computer programs and, generally, their achievement is satisfactory. For example, they know about different devices that use ICT in everyday life. They have a simple basic understanding of using computers for research on the Internet, have a sound knowledge of how to use the computer keyboard and how to use the facilities in a range of different programs to help their work in different subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

79. Year 3 and Year 4 pupils currently reach below average standards in ICT and their achievement is unsatisfactory. Discussions with pupils show that, whilst they have basic knowledge about how to use a range of programs and occasionally use ICT to present their work attractively, overall, their knowledge is limited. Year 4 pupils spoken to showed knowledge of how to save and print work, but had only a vague understanding of how to retrieve any work they had previously saved. Their knowledge of how to develop and organise their work using ICT is quite limited and they do not show any knowledge of having used Email, control programs or any experience of having used ICT simulations. 80. No whole ICT lessons were observed during the inspection but observations were made of Year 3 and Year 4 pupils working in the ICT suite. On the basis of this limited evidence, it is not possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and learning. However discussions with Year 3 and Year 4 pupils and the brief observation of a Year 3 lesson indicate that the limited number of computers in the ICT suite mean that pupils do not have enough chance during lessons to access the equipment and develop their skills properly. Also, these discussions showed that pupils in Year 4 do not use computers on a sufficiently frequent basis to support work in other subjects or to extend their ICT skills. Sound use of computers in English and mathematics was noted in Years 1 and 2 to support pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

81. The co-ordinator has worked effectively to upgrade resources and to provide help and advice for colleagues. However, the lack of monitoring of lessons and standards and the unsatisfactory achievement of pupils by the end of Year 4 mean that leadership and management are unsatisfactory. Resources are unsatisfactory. There are too few up-to-date computers in the suite for successfully teaching whole classes. Class computers are not networked and cannot be used to easily reinforce what pupils have learned in the suite. There are few laptop computers. The school does not have established procedures to regularly check on pupils’ attainment and progress in ICT.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make sound use of computers to support work in other subjects. However, teachers rightly recognise the need to extend this kind of usage into the full spectrum of work in different subjects. Older pupils, in particular, make very limited use of ICT to support work in other subjects.

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HUMANITIES

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 33 Work in history and geography was sampled as no lessons were observed in history and only one was seen in geography . There was, therefore, not enough evidence to enable judgements to be made about the quality of provision in these subjects.

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HUMANITIES

83. Work samples scrutinised show that pupils cover a satisfactory range of topics in geography and history . For example, younger pupils gain a knowledge of different parts of the world by looking at the travels of ‘Barnaby Bear’ and, through their research, they learn about famous characters in history such as Florence Nightingale. Older pupils gain a reasonably in-depth historic knowledge through their studies of the ancient Egyptians and at the same time make appropriate gains in their geographic knowledge by drawing maps to show the locations of places during this phase of history. Pupils also learn to develop their geographical skills by studying maps of and investigating different aspects of the local area. However, opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy in geography are unsatisfactory with weak provision in Year 1. In Years 3 and 4, too many worksheets are used.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Physical education was inspected in full and is reported below. Art and design, music and design and technology were sampled.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. Displays of pupils' work in art and design show pupils' work in Years 1 and 2 is of a good standard and planning indicates a suitable range of materials are used. Year 2 pupils' watercolour paintings of 'Autumn Fruits' indicated the pupils are given a good range of practical experiences and steadily taught skills. Year 2 pupils explored a range of interesting fruits and successfully recorded their observations using different media. The build up of different skills over several lessons enabled the pupils to refine their observations and express ideas using different materials, including crayons and sticky paper, oil pastels and watercolours. Pupils' subsequent textile work, 'Our magical fruit', continued to develop the theme and enabled pupils to express ideas more fully. Some good work was also displayed from Year 3 when pupils combined different materials, such as layers of tissue paper, pastels and charcoal when

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

designing and making pictures. There was however, very limited evidence of work in art and design in Year 4. The co-ordinator has been recently appointed and sets a good example by the quality of her own work but does not have adequate opportunity to influence, monitor and assess other teachers' work.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. In design and technology some good work was seen in Year 2 when pupils learned how to make a winding machine and explored how to fix the winding mechanism to an axle. This lesson focused on safely developing pupils' practical skills and ensured pupils produced good quality artefacts. The lesson successfully built upon previous lessons where the pupils had explored other products including toys with different winding mechanisms. The co-ordinator sets a good example by her own teaching although her role is underdeveloped. Although there was recent evidence of design and technology in Year 3 there was none in Years 1 and 4. The co-ordinator sets a good example by the quality of her own work but has little influence on that in other classes. She does not have the opportunity to lead by example, directly influence St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 34 teachers' planning or have time to monitor and assess other teachers' work or that of

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. In music the curriculum is enriched through extra-curricular activities and peripatetic teaching. There is evidence that music is regularly taught and planning indicates the statutory curriculum is followed. Pupils' singing in assembly was good but there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on any other aspects of music.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ learning is enriched well by the good range of extra coaching and teaching that they receive. • Good liaison has been established with the physical education co-ordinator at the partner school. This enhances the overall quality of provision.

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Commentary

87. By the end of Year 2 and Year 4, pupils reach average standards in physical education and achieve satisfactorily. Year 2 pupils showed sound co-ordination in a lesson that developed their tennis skills. During the lesson, through good coaching from a local tennis instructor and the class teacher, they developed a suitable range of twisting and bending movements to help them gain skills in poise, balance and control for this area of sports activity. In an observed Year 4 lesson, pupils responded imaginatively to music and different stimuli to put together simple sequences of dance movements. Generally, most of the pupils showed sound co-ordination and control and thought carefully about what they were asked to do.

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Commentary

88. Overall, teaching is satisfactory. It was good in the Year 2 lesson seen where the combined efforts of the class teacher and tennis coach helped pupils progress well with their learning. Teachers gave clear instructions in all of the lessons observed so that pupils generally had a clear understanding of what they were expected to do. However, the lack of clear modelling of movements by the teacher in a Year 1 session made it difficult at times for pupils to develop their own ideas. Also, a too repetitious approach in the Year 4 lesson meant that the pupils started to find some of the work a bit tedious towards the end of the session.

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Commentary

89. The leadership and management of the subject is satisfactory. Good liaison is established between the physical education co-ordinator at the intended federated school and the newly qualified teacher at this school, who is learning how to co- ordinate the subject. This results in much sharing of ideas which helps to improve practice across the school. This also results in an enthusiastic approach being adopted throughout the school towards developing a good range of sports activities for pupils both through provision during lessons and through the wide range of sports provided during the school’s extra-curricular activities programme. The school makes good use of a range of sports coaches. Additionally, a teacher from the middle school St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 35 comes once a week to work with pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 to extend their soccer skills. All of this extra coaching greatly enriches pupils’ learning in physical education.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

90. Personal, social and health education was sampled. Through the overall planning for subjects, particularly health aspects in science, the school ensures that a sound emphasis is placed upon developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding in this area. For example, pupils research and learn about healthy living and appropriate attention is paid to developing pupils’ understanding about sex and relationships education at levels suitable for their ages. Teachers also provide lessons where pupils have opportunities to develop their social understanding and express their feelings. They also have opportunities to express their opinions about the school's provision. Initiatives started this term, for example circle time and the school council, are contributing to this. However, the school does not have a scheme of work established to help teachers plan for this area in a consistent way across the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 36

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 5

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 4 Attendance 1 Attitudes 4 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 5 The quality of teaching 5 How well pupils learn 5 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 5 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 5 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 5 The governance of the school 5 The leadership of the headteacher 5 The leadership of other key staff 5 The effectiveness of management 5

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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). St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School - 37

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