St Mark's Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report St Mark's Catholic Primary School

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104469 Unique Reference Number Knowsley LEA 277166 Inspection number 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005 Inspection dates Mr Colin Smith CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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

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Fir Avenue School address Primary Type of school Halewood Voluntary aided School category Liverpool, Merseyside L26 0XR 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 288 8910 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 288 8912 Fax number 154 Number on roll Mr F Wyatt Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs M Gilbertson Headteacher 6 December 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277166 12 December 2005 - 3 to 11 13 December 2005 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 two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is average in size. Although children's backgrounds are very mixed, many are from socially disadvantaged families and the proportion entitled to free school meals is well above the national average. The percentage of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and the majority of children enter school with low levels of attainment. Almost all of the children are white British heritage and two are in public care. Pupil numbers are falling and the school is currently recovering from long-term staff absence. The school has gained Investors in People Status, three successive achievement awards and the Healthy Schools Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005

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Grade: 2

St Mark's is a good school that provides good value for money. The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and weaknesses and evaluates teaching and learning, achievement, the curriculum and leadership and management to be good, which they are. The school judges the level of care and support provided to be outstanding. Very effective links with external agencies ensure that it is. The school also considers children's personal development and well-being to be outstanding. This area is good with many outstanding features but attendance is only satisfactory. Children make a bright start in the Nursery and Reception class in response to good teaching. Successful teaching also enables junior children to achieve well and reach standards that are, more often than not, higher than average by the end of Year 6. Falling rolls and reduced budgets have seriously tested the school's resolve over the last two years. Standards in the infant classes have suffered as a result of prolonged

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Grade: 2

staff absence. Staffing is now stable but the school recognises that an injection of more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning will be required to raise the achievement of the more able children and restore standards in Year 2 to their former levels. That said, significant improvements have been made in most other aspects of the school's work since the previous inspection. This indicates the school's good capacity to move forward, even in difficult circumstances.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase achievement in Years 1 and 2, particularly of the more able children. • Rigorously monitor teaching and learning to ensure that standards improve by the end of Year 2.

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Grade: 2

Children achieve well overall. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. However, because of their low starting points, they do not reach the learning goals nationally expected. By the end of Year 2 standards are significantly below average in reading, writing and mathematics and results have declined over recent years. Prolonged staff absence has hindered children's progress. Now that staffing is stable, children's achievement is improving. Good teaching enables junior children to make good progress. The 2005 national test results were just above the national average in English and science and average standards in mathematics. However, significantly higher than average standards in the preceding three years earned the school achievement awards. Children, who find learning difficult make consistently good progress, and often achieve the standards expected nationally. The more able children's achievement is better in

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Grade: 2

junior than in infant classes. 2 Inspection Report: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005 Former weaknesses in writing have been rectified and the gap between reading and writing has narrowed. Improved provision in information and communication technology (ICT) has raised standards to the levels expected. The strong emphasis placed on reading, writing, mathematical and ICT skills provide a strong foundation for the future.

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Grade: 2

Children's personal development and well-being are good and in some aspects outstanding. Their attitudes and behaviour are usually good and in many lessons, exemplary. Children's feeling of safety and security in school arises from sharing any anxieties with trusted adults. Having a 'worry box' to register concerns makes a very valuable contribution to the school's calm and very supportive ethos. Children's attendance is broadly average. Children respond very enthusiastically to the wide range of opportunities to take responsibility within the school and the wider community. Apart from the well-established school council, some children conducted a speed traffic survey using radar guns and others constructed bird boxes to conserve local wildlife. Two children represent the school in the local Children's Parliament. The good range of out of school activities is a major influence on their very good personal development.

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Grade: 2

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They relish encouragement to accept responsibility and to work together. Their beautiful singing and instrumental work clearly illustrates their wonder and enjoyment of learning. Healthy eating, regular exercise, increasing independence in learning and making informed choices, provides a strong foundation for their future development.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall. Children's successful learning in the Nursery and Reception class is attributable to the meticulous planning of a wide range of purposeful activities and good levels of adult support. Children's learning is regularly and accurately assessed throughout the school. In the junior classes, teachers use this information very effectively in planning work that closely matches children's different levels of understanding. Consequently, the level of challenge is consistently high and all children learn at a good rate. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory but not enough is expected of the more able children to ensure that their learning is fully extended. Tightly focused teaching of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities ensures that they meet their targets. The management of children's behaviour is consistently good. Consequently, children concentrate on their work and give of their best. The use of ICT projection screens is

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Grade: 2

particularly effective in illustrating new ideas. Staff training on understanding children's different styles of learning is leading to more imaginative teaching. For example, in 3 Inspection Report: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005 an excellent Year 4/5 lesson, the richness and variety of tasks provided significantly enhanced children's understanding of the use of verbs.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum provided meets statutory requirements. Nursery and Reception children benefit from stimulating experiences that stir their curiosity and help them to learn independently. Careful planning ensures that infant and junior children's learning builds securely from one year to the next. For the most part, the curriculum is adapted well to cater for children's different learning and personal needs. Children with learning difficulties are particularly well provided for. The needs of the more able children are well catered for in junior classes, although not sufficiently in infant classes. Very able children are increasingly developing their gifts and talents through projects with neighbouring schools. Children's education is enriched successfully through many additional activities in sport, ICT, modern languages and the performing arts. These activities, along with interesting lessons, significantly enhance their enjoyment of learning. The school's

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Grade: 2

very successful personal, social and health education programme ensures that children become aware of dangers and the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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Grade: 1

The level of care and support provided is outstanding. This is particularly evident in the excellent pastoral support offered to individual children, which successfully removes any barriers to learning. Very secure child protection and health and safety procedures have been established. Not surprisingly, children say that they feel very safe and extremely well supported in school. The school provides equally strong support and guidance to any vulnerable children and those identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The excellent working partnership between school staff and external agencies makes a major contribution to their care and very strong personal development. With the exception of a small number of more able infant children, accurate assessment of children's learning enables challenging targets for improvement to be agreed. Teachers ensure that children understand what they need to do to improve and this leads to good

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher's positive leadership is guiding the school safely through a difficult period. Despite concerns about falling pupil numbers and staff absence, standards in Year 6 have continued to rise. Significant improvements in teaching, learning and standards in the key subjects 4 Inspection Report: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005 and ICT have been made since the previous inspection. Children's very good personal development and the outstanding levels of care and support have gone from strength to strength. These developments illustrate the school's good capacity to improve. Parents and children are proud of the school. They appreciate their views being taken seriously and value the school's commitment to including all children in all that it provides. The school has satisfactory systems for monitoring school performance and identifying

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Grade: 2

weaknesses. The analysis of assessment data is good. Samples of children's work in several subjects are examined and assessments made of their learning are carefully analysed. This enables any weaknesses in progress to be detected and targets set for improvement. This process has worked well in the Foundation Stage and in junior classes where staffing has remained stable. However, prolonged staffing absences in the infants have disrupted children's learning. The time and energy devoted to checking the effectiveness of planning and teaching has not been sufficient to prevent the subsequent fall in standards. This is an issue that the school must put right now that the staffing issues have been resolved. Governors provide good levels of support and ensure that statutory requirements are met. Their role in holding the school to account is satisfactory. 5 Inspection Report: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005

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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: St Mark's Catholic Primary School, 12 December 2005 to 13 December 2005

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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 1 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 2 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 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 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 1 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 2 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 2 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

Thank you for helping us to carry out the inspection. You are correct in believing that your school is successful. There are many good features. The main ones are: - your very good behaviour and good personal development - the outstanding level of care provided for all children - the good start made by children when they begin school - the effective teaching that enables most children to achieve well - the way the school is led and managed. There are only a small number of areas for improvement. Standards have slipped in the infants. Now the school must: - raise achievement in Years 1 and 2, particularly for the more able children - check teaching and learning carefully to ensure that standards improve by the end of Year 2 and return to where they were a few years ago.

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