The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School

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103427 Unique Reference Number Birmingham LEA 276918 Inspection number 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006 Inspection dates David Rzeznik HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Oliver Road School address Primary Type of school Ladywood Voluntary aided School category Birmingham, West Midlands B16 9ER 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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0121 4540600 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 4541978 Fax number 237 Number on roll Mr Peter Marchant Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Justin Gray Headteacher 27 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276918 9 May 2006 - 3 to 11 10 May 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The Oratory is an average-sized, voluntary aided Roman Catholic primary school in Birmingham. The intake has changed since the last inspection in June 2000. This is because of changes in the school’s admissions criteria. The majority of parents choose to send their child to the school because it has a Roman Catholic ethos. Just under half of the pupils are White; around a quarter are of Black background and a fifth are of mixed heritage. A very small number of pupils are of Asian heritage or are looked after by the local authority. The percentage claiming free school meals is well above average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, including those with statements, is average. Pupils enter the Nursery either on a part-time or full-time basis in the academic year in which they become four years old. Attainment on entry is below the level expected for pupils of this age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006

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Grade: 3

The school has a number of strengths and overall its effectiveness is satisfactory. The school judges its effectiveness to be better than this. While leadership and management are satisfactory, weaknesses in the leadership’s self-evaluation have led to senior staff having a more generous view of some aspects of provision than the school outcomes warrant. Monitoring, development planning and the tracking of pupils’ progress are not yet sharp enough. Nevertheless, the school has demonstrated that it has the capacity to improve further by increasing the rate of pupils’ progress in science. Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection. It provides satisfactory value for money. In 2005, overall standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 were at the national average. Pupils made satisfactory progress in English and mathematics and good progress in science as they moved through the school. Pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

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Grade: 3

particularly their spelling and punctuation, are not sufficiently well developed. Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to write at length. Pupils make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes (Foundation Stage) to reach the expected levels for their age. The outdoor curriculum and the range of play resources in the Foundation Stage require improvement to further develop pupils’ physical, creative and imaginative skills. The school is welcoming, with a distinctive Catholic ethos, and pupils enjoy being there. Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are happy, have positive attitudes to learning and behave well. They feel secure, valued and well cared for. Relationships between pupils and adults from different ethnic backgrounds are very good. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. There are examples of good teaching but there is not enough consistency of practice across the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Further develop self-evaluation procedures to improve teaching, monitoring and evaluation, strategic development planning and the tracking of pupils’ progress, particularly in listening and speaking. •Improve pupils’ speaking and writing skills, particularly their spelling and punctuation, and create more opportunities for structured talk and writing at length. •Improve the quality and consistency of teaching by spreading the good practice that exists across the school, turning more of the satisfactory lessons into good ones. •Improve the quality of the outdoor curriculum and the range of play resources in the Foundation Stage. 2 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006

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Grade: 3

When pupils enter the Nursery their performance is below that expected of children of this age. At the end of Reception, after their first two years in school, pupils have made good progress in all areas of learning to reach expected levels for their age. In 2005, standards at the end of Year 6 were average in mathematics, slightly below average in English and above average in science. Pupils’ progress was good in science and satisfactory in English and mathematics. In Year 2, overall standards were average and pupils made satisfactory progress over time. In reading and mathematics the more able achieved well. Results should be treated with caution because of the relatively small numbers of pupils taking national assessments. The pupils currently in Years 2 and 6 are making satisfactory progress given their original starting points. Pupils’ speaking and writing skills are insufficiently developed and this is hindering their ability to communicate effectively and succeed in national

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Grade: 3

assessments. The progress of pupils with learning difficulties is satisfactory. The very small number of looked after children are making good progress in their basic skills and personal development. This is because of the effective support and guidance they receive. Targets for the oldest pupils are realistic and provide an appropriate level of challenge.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a deep appreciation of the values of the Catholic faith and this pervades many aspects of school life. Regular opportunities are given for reflection and for pupils to apply their faith in everyday situations. This is helping them develop a sense of values, principles and beliefs that inform their perspective on life and behaviour. The school council has involved the whole school in a project in collaboration with a local health insurance company to create a quiet area for prayer and reflection, valuable to the whole-school community. Pupils have a good understanding of their social responsibilities, both within school and in the community. They enjoy coming to school, behave well and are relaxed and open in the way they relate to adults and each other. They say that they feel safe and are free from problems such as bullying and discrimination. Racial harmony is very

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Grade: 2

good. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupils appreciate the need to keep fit and eat healthy food. This is reflected in changes to the food provided at break and lunchtime, which are valued by the pupils and have improved eating habits. The outside link with a local credit union has a number of benefits. It helps pupils gain an understanding about personal finance and a number save regularly as a result. 3 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. There are examples of good teaching but there is a lack of consistency. Too many lessons are only satisfactory. The very good relationships and positive attitudes of the pupils support learning well. In the most effective lessons, work is pitched at the right level and builds on what pupils have learned before. Teaching methods are well selected and time is used productively for whole-class and independent work. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to talk about things to develop their ideas and clarify their thinking. Expectations are high and pupils have a clear understanding of what they are learning, how they are getting on, and how they can improve. In the less effective lessons there are some common weaknesses. In some lessons teachers talk too much and over-direct activities, limiting opportunities for pupils to participate and think and learn for themselves. There is little modelling of language

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Grade: 3

to develop correct sentence formation. Tasks lack sufficient challenge; teachers’ expectations are not high enough so pupils do not make as much progress as they should. On occasions, writing skills are taught in isolation and in unimaginative ways. Too often, pupils spend their time talking about the writing task rather than doing it. Assessment systems are satisfactory overall. This said, pupils’ listening and speaking skills are not effectively assessed. It is difficult therefore to measure pupils’ progress in these key skills and to identify strengths and weaknesses in their performance. There are examples of detailed marking, particularly in writing, but this does not happen consistently across the school.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. The school uses specialist expertise to provide a good range of activities in music and information and communication technology. The strong emphasis on developing numeracy, reading and listening skills enables pupils to make at least satisfactory progress in these areas. There are few planned opportunities for structured speaking in the curriculum and teachers are not modelling language often enough. As a result, pupils’ vocabulary and grammatical skills are not developing at a fast enough rate. Progress in writing is also hindered because planning does not include enough opportunities for pupils to write for an extended period of time. Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is good and this means pupils achieve well in all areas of learning. However, the quality of the environment and the range of play resources on offer outdoors are limited. This means pupils’ progress, particularly

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Grade: 3

with regard to their imaginative, investigative and creative skills, is not being fully enabled. The school has recognised this and targeted the issue for action. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of worthwhile additional activities, such as the 4 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006 teaching of sign language for the deaf. Pupils say, ‘the clubs are one of the best bits of school life.’

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. There is a high level of commitment from staff in promoting health and safety. Robust risk assessments are in place and staff have been effectively trained in child protection matters so pupils are properly safeguarded. Pupils at risk are identified early and effective arrangements put in place to guide and support them. For example, the looked- after pupils receive a package of measures, including one-to-one work, which ensures that their academic and personal needs are effectively met. Pupils who are not progressing as they should are tracked by a learning mentor, who intervenes effectively to help pupils engage in learning or modify their behaviour, so they do as well as they can. The individual targets that are set in literacy and numeracy are helping pupils gain a good understanding of what they have to do to improve. Apart from the oldest pupils, many are unaware of the national curriculum level they are working at and what needs

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has been successful in creating a positive and open ethos based on Catholic principles. Staff share a common purpose and morale is good. Effective links have been made with parents and they hold the school in high regard. The Nursery Reading Project is a good example of parents being involved in their child’s learning, with positive results. Governors are supportive and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They were fully involved in shaping the new mission statement and rightly included the need to focus on academic achievement alongside developing pupils’ personal and spiritual development. A number of useful initiatives have been put in place to improve writing and assessment practices. The signs are that they are having a positive impact but inconsistencies in practice are slowing down progress. It is important that leaders embed initiatives,

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Grade: 3

ensuring they are fully effective before they move on to new things. The school’s self-evaluation procedures are sound and this means leaders have a secure understanding of the main strengths and weaknesses of the school. The tools used for review require strengthening and better links need to be made between the different approaches to ensure work is coherent and effective. The school collects a lot of information about pupils’ performance, which it uses effectively to set targets and inform intervention. For example, data showed the slowing of pupils’ progress in a particular year group and the headteacher intervened appropriately to bring about improvement. Leaders do not yet make full use of the information to evaluate the progress made by different groups of pupils or to improve 5 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 2006 the quality of teaching and learning. General monitoring of teaching takes place and

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Grade: 3

staff have been told about the strengths and weaknesses in their work. However, leaders have not been systematic enough in checking up on improvement. The evaluation of provision is not aligned closely enough to the priorities identified in the strategic plan. The improvement plan is satisfactory and it clearly identifies the key priorities for the school. However, it is not made clear in the plan how initiatives will be monitored; also, the actions to bring about further improvement are not always made sufficiently explicit. 6 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 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. 7 Inspection Report: The Oratory Roman Catholic Primary and Nursery School, 9 May 2006 to 10 May 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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 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 3 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 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 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 2 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, Hello, I am one of the inspectors that visited your school. We enjoyed our visit and everyone was welcoming and friendly. We liked talking to you about your work, speaking to your teachers and coming into classrooms to see how well you were progressing. I am writing you this letter to tell you what we found out. These are the things we thought were good •You enjoy coming to school and are happy there. •People of different backgrounds get on really well. •We were pleased to see that your faith plays such an important part in your own lives and that of the school. •You said that one of the best bits about school was the activities you do after school. •You behave well in and outside of the classroom. We have asked the teachers to do some things to make your school even better •We think you could be doing better in speaking and writing. We want you to improve your spelling and punctuation and write for longer periods of time. •We want all of your lessons to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

be as good as the best. •We want those of you in the Nursery and Reception classes to have even more interesting and exciting things to do outside. •We want the headteacher, staff and governors to keep an even better check on how the school is doing and where it is going in the future. Best wishes, David Rzeznik Lead Inspector

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