St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School

Inspection Report St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School

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105225 Unique Reference Number Bolton LEA 277320 Inspection number 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr Frank Carruthers 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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Pilkington Street School address Primary Type of school Bolton Voluntary aided School category Lancashire BL3 6HP 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01204 333 030 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01204 333 029 Fax number 222 Number on roll Mr N Speakes Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs P Tarkowski Headteacher 15 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277320 2 November 2005 - 3 to 11 3 November 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

This average sized Catholic primary school is situated near the centre of Bolton and serves an area of above average social deprivation. The nature but not the size of the school roll has changed significantly since the time of the last inspection. There is now a wide range of minority ethnic heritages and about 17% of the children are learning English as an additional language. In the younger age groups, more than half of the children are from minority ethnic heritages. The attainment of the children who start in the nursery is well below average and some children have very limited skills of spoken English. Children whose families are asylum seekers, refugees or economic migrants join the school at various times and many of these are newly arrived in this country. The mobility of children is above average. (1) A small number of children are from Traveller families and a few are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of

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Description of the school

children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average at 27 % and four children have a statement of special need. (1) The mobility of children refers to the proportion of children who start or leave the school at times other than at the start of the reception year or the end of Year 6.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The effectiveness of the school is good and this judgement matches the school's evaluation of its own performance. All children, including those learning English as an additional language, those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those looked after by the local authority achieve well. Standards in Year 6 vary from year to year because of differences in the nature of year groups. Overall, they are broadly average. Leadership and management of the school are good, though there are a few areas of monitoring and governance that require improvement. The quality of teaching, the curriculum and the levels of care, support and guidance are good. As a result children behave well and their personal development, well-being and learning are good. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. However, the planning for using the outdoor area needs improvement. A key strength of the school is its Christian ethos,

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Grade: 2

which supports all children. Parents have very positive views of the school, which has responded well to the changes in the school population. Progress has been good since the last inspection. Under the leadership of the recently extended senior management team, the school has good capacity to make further improvements such as raising standards in basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The cost of educating a child at the school is below the average of primary schools nationally and, given the good provision and outcomes, the school gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English and mathematics through fully implementing the recently improved assessment procedures and identifying and targeting support for children • Evaluate more rigorously lessons observations that are made by senior staff • Develop the governors' role of challenging senior managers and seek training to help their understanding of statistical information about the school • In the Foundation Stage, plan work for the outside area that promotes all the six areas of learning.

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Grade: 2

Children, including those learning English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well. This judgement is confirmed by statistical information and reflects the school's own evaluation. From a low starting point, children in the nursery and Reception classes make good progress in all areas of learning. By the end of the Reception year, almost all reach the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development but many are still working towards them in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Standards in both Years 2 and 6 vary from year to year and this is mainly the result of differences in their nature. Some years have more children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language, and although they make good progress they do not reach the standards expected, which has an

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 adverse impact on the school's overall results. For example, standards in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics were broadly average in 2004 but are lower for reading and writing in 2005. This reflects the nature of the year group but disguises the fact that all children made good progress from different starting points. Some children arrive in school during Years 1 to 6 with no English and from countries where they have experienced significant upheaval. These children achieve well but their reading, writing and mathematical skills are below average by the time they reach Year 6. This level of unpredictable mobility makes it difficult for the school to reach the targets it sets for year groups. All children make good progress and standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average in tests in Year 6. The children

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Grade: 2

achieve well compared to their prior attainment in Year 2. There are variations in the performance of girls and boys in tests but there is no clear trend when different year groups are compared. The good support from specialist staff for children with learning difficulties or English as an additional language contributes to the good progress these children make.

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Grade: 2

The well-being and personal development of children, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. The school's Christian ethos effectively underpins not only the warm welcome it extends to children from around the world, but to all children. There is a strong feeling of community in the school and parents give the school their full support, one parent calling it 'the family school'. Relationships in school are good and promote children's social development well. Children enjoy being in school and appreciate the way the staff make their work interesting. Overall levels of attendance are satisfactory; however the attendance and punctuality of the great majority of children are good. As a result of the implementation of a range of effective procedures, attendance has been improving, though the poor attendance record of a very small number of families adversely affects the figures for unauthorised

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Grade: 2

absence. Encouraged by a positive behaviour policy, behaviour is good and this makes a major contribution to the purposeful atmosphere. All children benefit from the way older children take responsibility for helping the younger ones in school. Good routines and procedure help children to develop sensible attitudes about keeping themselves safe. Children are taught the importance of a healthy lifestyle and they are beginning to understand the need for a healthy diet. Children enjoy participating in the wide range of sporting activities offered by the school and appreciate the need to exercise to be healthy. They are prepared well for living in a multi-cultural society and satisfactorily for the world of work through the school's links with local businesses and its strong emphasis on the development of study skills and work habits. 3 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. In the Foundation Stage, there is an appropriate emphasis on the development of language skills and in the early years and Years 1 and 2, the development of children's social skills are a priority. This is the foundation for success in later years in the academic curriculum. In the best teaching, as in an excellent mathematics lesson in Year 4, the children make good progress because lessons are well planned, contain stimulating activities and are presented in a lively way that captures children's interest and imagination. The needs of children with learning difficulties and /or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language are well met and teaching assistants make a strong contribution to their success. Teachers know their children well and make valuable assessments of their attainment when they join the school. They collect a wide range of data about how

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Grade: 2

well children achieve in English and mathematics. They are beginning to make good use of that data to target resources where they will be most effective and this is the next point for improvement. Children are made aware of what they need to learn next to make progress in their studies.

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Grade: 2

The school meets statutory requirements and provides well for the needs of its children. English, mathematics and science are thoroughly covered. Information and communications technology (ICT) is much improved since the last inspection and is well resourced and used. In the Foundation Stage, although there is a wide range of good provision indoors, the school recognises that insufficient use is made of the outdoors to promote learning across the curriculum. The school is committed to offering children a broad and rich curriculum and there is a wide range of enrichment activities that enhance the curriculum. There are visitors to school, including performing arts groups and members of the local community, visits to theatres, museums and a residential visit for Year 6. Extra curricular activities, including clubs for various sports, arts, science and ICT, are enjoyed by many children, who also contribute to the

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Grade: 2

community by raising funds for a range of local and international charities and by performing in church and the local supermarkets.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support given to children are good and their well-being is at the heart of the school's work. Child protection procedures are good and all staff have received training. Children feel safe in school. Bullying is infrequent and children are confident that issues will be dealt with. Children know there is someone to go to if they need help. Arrangements for monitoring children's academic progress are good. 4 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 Targets in English and mathematics help children to know what they need to do to make progress. The staff support the children well with personal issues that affect them. They have forged strong links with agencies such as those for children from minority ethnic heritages, which have been very active in providing support for newly arrived families. A nearby children's centre also offers before and after-school care,

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Grade: 2

and links with the associated high school are strong.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the school are good and this judgement confirms the school's own evaluation. The headteacher has been in post for one year and has recently expanded the senior management team to include two assistant headteachers, who are overseeing the development of the school well. They are all highly committed to doing the best for all children. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and based firmly on analysing data and children's work. However, records of lesson observations show that judgements are not always rigorous enough. Leadership and management of subjects and aspects, such as the Foundation Stage and provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, are good. There were ongoing changes at the time of the inspection as the school responds to government guidelines on staff re-structuring and performance management. In addition, some initiatives and developments, for instance, using assessment to check the children's progress and

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Grade: 2

canvassing parents' views, are recent and their impact is not fully embedded. Nevertheless, the senior managers have good capacity to improve and the staff have made good progress since the last inspection, especially in responding to the demands of a changing school population and in the teaching of ICT. Governors show very strong support for the school. They are well led by the chairperson and there is a good range of expertise and commitment among them. Their role in challenging senior managers, however, is underdeveloped and they have training needs in understanding statistical information about the school. Overall, they fulfil their responsibilities satisfactorily. 5 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 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 Peter and St Paul RC Primary School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 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 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 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 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 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 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 your help when we inspected your school and please pass on our thanks to the other children we met and spoke to while we were there. We enjoyed our visit very much. Now we want to share with you what we thought about your school. There are many things that are good. For instance, - The staff in your school take good care of you all - You work hard and we were impressed with how well many of you are learning two languages, English and your own family's language - You are all growing into sensible students and we liked the way you take on jobs in school and look after one another - The staff provide you with good opportunities to learn about living in a healthy, safe way as well as the chance to enjoy activities and clubs after school. We are suggesting a few things for your staff and the school's governors to do. - We want the staff to help you to do even better in reading, writing and mathematics

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- We want your headteacher and assistant headteachers to help your teachers to be even better at their jobs by watching lessons, as we did - We hope your school's governors will be able to get more involved in checking how well you are doing and how the school is performing compared to other schools. - We'd like the staff in the nursery and Reception classes to make best use of the special outdoor area that the children use.

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