Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

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103424 Unique Reference Number Birmingham LEA 276915 Inspection number 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Lyttelton Road School address Primary Type of school Birmingham Voluntary aided School category West Midlands B33 8BL 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 0121 7832784 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 7861961 Fax number 401 Number on roll Father Paul Devaney Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Andrew J Cunningham Headteacher 29 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276915 25 January 2006 - 4 to 11 26 January 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This school is situated in the city of Birmingham. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with an increasing proportion of pupils coming from a wide range of other minority ethnic backgrounds. There are a very small number of pupils at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and disabilities is similar to that found nationally, and most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. Attainment on entry to the school, whilst varying from year to year, is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006

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Grade: 3

strength. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, given their differing starting points. In the Foundation Stage, pupils’ attainment is in line with the nationally expected levels and pupils make satisfactory progress. The provision in the Foundation Stage is only satisfactory because there are too few opportunities to work outside and insufficient guidance is given when pupils are working without an adult. By the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment is average overall. Although the Year 6 national test results vary from year to year, attainment is consistently better in English and science than in mathematics. In mathematics, pupils are not achieving as well as they should in Years 3 to 6, because their problem solving skills are especially weak. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers manage behaviour well and plan challenging work in most literacy lessons. However, work is not always matched closely enough to pupils’ needs in mathematics.

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Grade: 3

Pupils at an early stage of learning to speak English do not consistently make enough progress, because their specific needs are not always identified and supported in lessons. The school provides pupils with a good level of care, and relationships between pupils and members of staff are good. Pupils behave sensibly, take responsibility well and enjoy the good range of interesting additional activities provided. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There is a strong sense of teamwork and senior managers and governors are hardworking and enthusiastic. The school has improved satisfactorily since the time of the last inspection and has the capacity to improve further. However, information collected on pupils’ progress through assessment is not used enough to check how well pupils are doing and to set and achieve challenging targets. The school has an accurate view of its effectiveness and gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise attainment in mathematics in Years 3 to 6, especially in problem solving, and ensure pupils always have work that is matched closely to their needs. • Help members of staff to make better use of assessment information to set challenging targets and respond quickly when pupils do not make enough progress. • Improve the provision for the Reception children by making sure that teachers plan more opportunities for them to work outside and explain clearly to the children the purpose of all activities. • Improve provision for pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language by providing teachers with training to help them to support these pupils more effectively.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ standards and achievement are satisfactory overall. Pupils make satisfactory progress in the Reception classes and by the end of the year most are working within the levels expected for their age. Pupils make good progress when working with a teacher because they are supported well. However, progress is sometimes too slow when pupils are working independently because they are not always sure what they 2 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006 should be learning. In Years 1 to 6, standards vary from year to year, although progress is satisfactory overall given pupils’ starting points. National test results at the end of Year 6 rose in 2005, and were above average in English and science, with pupils attaining especially well in writing. However, they were below average in mathematics. National test results are consistently lower in mathematics than in other subjects, and

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Grade: 3

pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not make enough progress in all aspects of this subject because their ability to solve mathematical problems is especially weak. The current Year 6 is not on target to attain as well as pupils in 2005. The education of these pupils has been disrupted in the past because of several changes in staff, although they are making better progress this year. Targets set for what pupils will achieve at the end of Year 6 are not accurate enough, because the school does not have a clear system for tracking pupils’ progress through the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress towards the specific targets identified in their individual education plans. Pupils at an early stage of learning to speak English do not consistently make enough progress, because their specific needs are not always identified and supported in lessons.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils behave well, have good attitudes towards learning and work hard. Relationships between pupils are strong. Pupils support each other well in lessons, happily celebrating each other’s successes. Rates of attendance are good, reflecting the happy atmosphere in school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils participate in acts of worship enthusiastically and are keen to take responsibility. The school council makes a good contribution to school life. Pupils are pleased that their views are listened to; for example, after the school council had made a presentation to governors, the school changed its uniform. Older pupils undertake a number of important roles around school by being prefects, and a school bank helps them to learn about how to apply for a job and to take care of their money. These activities prepare them satisfactorily for the

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Grade: 2

world of work, although more needs to be done to improve the pupils’ numeracy skills. Pupils know why they need to eat healthy foods and they understand the importance of exercise. They participate very enthusiastically in the wide range of sporting activities offered by the school, such as rock climbing and dry-slope skiing. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to the local community, for example by raising funds for charities and distributing food parcels at Harvest time.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is satisfactory. In the Reception year, teaching is best in whole class sessions at the start of lessons or when pupils are directly supported by an adult. At these times, work is explained clearly and interesting activities engage pupils well 3 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006 in their learning. However, there are occasions when teaching does not make it clear what the purpose of independent activities is, leading to pupils working in an unproductive way and developing new skills too slowly. In Years 1 to 6, teachers have good expectations of behaviour and very caring relationships with the pupils, helping to make lessons enjoyable. Very good use is made of interactive whiteboards in Years 3 to 6 to explain new concepts and to bring activities like mental mathematics alive. There is good challenge in most literacy lessons, ensuring that differing needs of pupils

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Grade: 3

are generally being met successfully. In numeracy, teachers are striving to make up for gaps in pupils’ knowledge, especially in Year 6, but work is not always matched closely enough to individual pupils’ needs, slowing the pace at which skills improve. Throughout the school, teaching assistants are used well to support the learning of different groups of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school has rightly identified the need to provide more training for members of staff in supporting pupils at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory, with good out-of-school activities such as visits from theatre groups, Bhangra dancers and sports coaches. These activities help to make school enjoyable as well as enhancing pupils’ academic and personal development by giving them opportunities to try out new things and to extend skills introduced in lessons. The curriculum includes good opportunities for pupils to learn about staying safe and healthy through activities such as cycle proficiency training and a ‘Health Week’ when pupils learn about looking after their body and the dangers of smoking. In the Reception classes, there are important weaknesses in the curriculum. Insufficient use is made of the outdoor area to support learning and there are too many activities where pupils are expected to work independently without a clear focus, slowing the pace of learning. In Years 1 to 6, the provision for basic skills in literacy and information

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Grade: 3

and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory. The school has a wide range of information about how well pupils are performing in tests but not all teachers use this information fully when planning mathematics lessons, resulting in occasions when pupils’ needs are not met.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support is good overall. The school is successful in meeting its aim of being ‘a place where children can enjoy a happy and caring environment’. All members of staff take very good care of the personal needs of pupils, and there are good arrangements for ensuring pupils’ safety and well-being. Pupils know what to do if they have a worry and they say that they feel safe and secure. There are robust child protection procedures and, when necessary, the school works closely with outside agencies and parents to help pupils at risk. Academic support is satisfactory. The school has plenty of information about pupils’ attainment and there are examples of good practice, for example in the way that progress in writing is 4 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006 assessed from term to term in special assessment books. However, in mathematics,

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Grade: 2

assessment information is not used well enough to respond quickly to individual needs.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Governors and members of staff are committed to raising attainment and work together to identify suitable priorities for school development. Where action has been taken there are steady improvements in attainment. For example, the school has focused successfully on raising attainment in writing. However, weaknesses in the way the school uses the information it gathers through assessment to monitor pupils’ progress through the school have resulted in a delay in taking effective action to tackle the underachievement in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. The school has begun to work with the local authority to help support the recently arrived pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. There are satisfactory systems for evaluating school effectiveness. Teaching and learning are monitored in various ways, and there is a satisfactory understanding

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Grade: 3

of general strengths and weaknesses in provision. However, information collected from observations is not always used rigorously enough to help drive up standards. There are sound procedures for parents to contribute to evaluating school effectiveness. Most parents are supportive of the school and contribute well to their children’s education by attending workshops and by supporting pupils at home. Pupils contribute well to school development. For example, pupils’ interest in learning a modern foreign language has resulted in French being included in the curriculum. A strength of leadership is the strong guidance offered for pupils’ personal development. There is a strong sense of teamwork across the school. Senior managers and governors are hardworking and enthusiastic. They are steadily moving the school in the right direction and have the capacity to improve provision further. 5 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 25 January 2006 to 26 January 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for showing us your work. You were very polite and friendly. What we liked most about your school • Members of staff help you to learn to behave sensibly and we are pleased that you are so keen to take responsibility. • Teachers help you to learn about being safe and healthy. • The school is good at providing exciting activities outside lessons. • Your teachers and teaching assistants are kind and caring and look after you well. • Members of staff and governors are working hard to make the school even better. • Your parents and carers are pleased that you enjoy coming to this school. What we have asked your school to do now • Help you to do better in mathematics in Years 3 to 6, especially by improving your problem solving skills, by making sure that teachers always provide you with work that is neither too hard nor too easy. • Use information on how well you are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

doing to set you targets and to ensure that you learn quickly enough. • Give children in reception classes more opportunities to work outside and improve activities for when you are working without an adult. • Make sure that teachers are trained so that they can support those of you in the early stages of learning to speak English more effectively. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. Yours faithfully Alison Cartlidge, Mike Capper & Dee Brigstock Additional Inspectors Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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