St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School

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106116 Unique Reference Number Stockport LEA 277491 Inspection number 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Marie Cordey 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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Foliage Road School address Primary Type of school Brinnington Voluntary aided School category Stockport, Cheshire SK5 8AR 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0161 4304601 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 4066235 Fax number 186 Number on roll Ms K Conwell Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr M O'Brien Headteacher 29 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277491 3 May 2006 - 3 to 11 4 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average primary school that draws pupils mainly from the local area. The vast majority of pupils are from a white British background. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

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Grade: 3

St Bernadette's is a caring school with good features that provides a satisfactory standard of education and satisfactory value for money. The headteacher has raised expectations of performance and provides a strong lead for both staff and pupils. Children in the Nursery and Reception make a good start to their school life because of good support for their personal development and good teaching. Similarly, pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they receive very effective support. Pupils make satisfactory progress from Year 1 to Year 6, although standards are below average throughout the school. Staff have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses but their evaluation is over-generous except in relation to the Foundation Stage and pupils' personal development. Good quality care, guidance and support, combined with pupils' good personal development, reflect the caring, Catholic nature of the school. The quality

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Grade: 3

of teaching and learning, the curriculum and leadership and management are all satisfactory with some good features. The school rightly recognises the need to raise standards in writing and mathematics. It understands that, as yet, assessment procedures, including teachers' marking and the matching of work to pupils' diverse needs, are not effective enough to do this. Parents and pupils value the school highly. With the newly established leadership team now in place, the headteacher can develop his clear vision for the school and embed in all its work practices aimed at raising standards. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection and the school has good capacity to improve still further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Sharpen the use of target-setting to better reflect the needs of individual pupils. • Improve pupils' writing and problem-solving skills in mathematics. • Achieve consistency in the quality of teachers' marking to inform pupils about how they might improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall but standards are below average throughout the school. This reflects a downward trend since 2003 with some improvement shown in 2005. Those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. By the end of their time in the Nursery and Reception classes most children reach their early learning goals and their standards have risen to just below average from a low starting point. Progress slows in Year 1. The school recognises this and is taking action to tackle it. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school because of positive teaching and good support for their personal development. In the 2005 statutory tests, Year 2 pupils reached below average standards in all areas. Writing standards are now beginning to improve through encouragement of pupils' independence and confidence. Year 6 pupils reached below

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Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 average standards in all subjects, with few pupils attaining the expected level or higher in English, or the higher level in mathematics or science. Pupils' basic calculation and reading skills are secure but their writing and problem- solving skills are not at the same level. However, booster classes and planned revision in the core subjects are beginning to take effect and pupils in Year 6 are on course to meet their challenging targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They like school and their teachers. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are good and they enjoy lessons. Members of the school council take their responsibilities seriously: they explained with pride their recent work on improving outside play areas and using their gardening skills. Pupils undertake the role of play leaders and school council members with enthusiasm and commitment. Their willingness to take on responsibility and the development of their independence has improved since the previous inspection. They know how to keep healthy and safe. Pupils' attendance is broadly in line with the national average. The school works closely with parents and external agencies to promote attendance and this is beginning to be effective. The very caring and inclusive atmosphere plays a key role in ensuring that all pupils feel valued, and links with the church are strong.

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Grade: 2

Various fundraising schemes develop pupils' enterprise skills and their ability to work in a team. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and the pupils are polite, confident and welcoming. However, their understanding of different faiths and cultures is only satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with some good features. In the Foundation Stage good quality teaching helps children to make good progress in their learning from a low starting point. Where teaching is good, lessons have a brisk pace, pupils are highly motivated and are actively engaged in challenging tasks. A good example of this was in a Year 5 mathematics lesson where pupils' curiosity in working with shapes was well stimulated. Staff work very effectively to support the progress of pupils who find learning difficult, and consequently, they make good progress. Pupils are becoming more involved in assessing their own and others' work which is beginning to help to consolidate their learning. Teachers plan lessons carefully, but do not always sufficiently match activities to all pupils' learning needs. The result is that a small number of middle and higher attaining pupils are not always achieving

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Grade: 3

as well as they should because they are not challenged enough. Recent improvements in the use of assessment information, target setting and marking are helping pupils to understand what they need to do next to improve. However, these are not yet sufficiently embedded to cater for the full range of pupils' needs and abilities. 3 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall and meets national requirements. Provision for personal and social education is good and helps prepare pupils to contribute to society. It gives them opportunities to work together, to reflect, and to express their feelings. The school is beginning to improve the provision to develop pupils' skills in information and communication technology (ICT). The provision for gifted and talented pupils is improving and staff are trying hard to address their needs in class and through good links with outside agencies. The curriculum supports the development of healthy lifestyles and pupils' safety. Although good provision is made for children in the Foundation Stage and for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, the curriculum is inconsistent in meeting the full range of needs for middle and higher attaining pupils. The curriculum is enriched through a range of educational visits,

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Grade: 3

visitors and out of school activities. A particularly good example of community partnership involves the school council working closely with parents to improve the school grounds.

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Grade: 2

Good quality care, guidance and support are having a positive impact on pupils' personal development and well-being. Robust procedures for child protection are in place and good attention is paid to promoting healthy lifestyle choices. There is outstanding provision for helping children to prepare for starting school; for example, the 'stay and play' scheme for parents. Good transition arrangements ease the move to secondary school. Staff are caring and approachable leading to the pupils feeling cared for and secure. Pupils care for each other well, for instance the use of Year 6 pupils to help younger pupils at break times. These are happy occasions and in keeping with the Catholic ethos of the school. As yet, target setting and assessment systems do not fully guide and support individual pupils' needs. Very good school support and links with external agencies enable vulnerable pupils and those with additional learning

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management at all levels are satisfactory, bolstered by a strong headteacher who is a good role model for the newly established senior leadership team. The headteacher is positive about what he wants for the school and has a clear focus for improving standards and understands how to set about this. This strategy will further involve and develop the senior leadership team and middle managers as they monitor the impact of actions taken. The headteacher and the governors are committed to making St Bernadette's a happy and positive experience for the pupils and this is reflected in the pupils' good personal development and well-being and the good provision for their care, guidance and support. The headteacher has worked well 4 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 to improve achievement and to look after and celebrate the achievement and hard

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Grade: 3

work of pupils and staff. Pupils' progress has begun to improve and staff are more settled after a period of instability. Parents support the school and respond to the school's needs. Responses to questionnaires show that they are very pleased with the school. Clearer analysis of target-setting for the pupils and a more comprehensive tracking system have already begun to target individual pupils for more support. Plans to raise achievement and standards rightly include an awareness of the need to adapt teaching and assessment to individual need and to involve the pupils more in their learning. Generally accurate self-evaluation is based on monitoring quality and performance and this is reflected in the drive to get all teaching up to the best. Governance is good; the governors are very supportive of the school and hold it to account through challenging meetings, evaluations of the school's work and committed

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Grade: 3

participation in the life of the school. 5 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 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. 6 Inspection Report: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, 3 May 2006 to 4 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 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 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 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 2 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 welcoming us to your school; you were very friendly and looked after us well. We would like to share with you what we thought of your school. - You really like being at St Bernadette's and your parents and people in the area also like it very much. - You receive good help from the support staff. - Your behaviour and attitudes are good because of the way you look after each other, work in lessons and care about people. - Your headteacher is a good leader who helps you to develop. This is what we have asked the school to do next to help it improve. - Help you to improve your writing and your problem-solving skills in mathematics because they are not quite as good as your work in reading and calculations. - Make sure all your work is marked consistently so that you know how you are doing and how to improve. - Plan your work to match what each and every one of you is capable of.

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