Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Benfleet

Inspection Report Holy Family Catholic Primary School

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115158 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 279530 Inspection number 20 February 2006 to 21 February 2006 Inspection dates Mrs. Sandra Tweddell LI Reporting inspector

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

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Kents Hill Road School address Primary Type of school SS7 5PX Voluntary aided School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01268 792231 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01268 759274 Fax number 216 Number on roll Mr.Sean Gough Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Helen Minter Headteacher 10 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279530 20 February 2006 - 4 to 11 21 February 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

Holy Family Catholic Primary is a school of average size that serves local parishes. Most pupils come from a White British background and a very small number come from other heritages. No pupils are at early stages of learning English. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The number of pupils with learning disabilities and difficulties, including those with statements is below average. The school achieved the Advanced Healthy Schools Award and the award for Investors In People in 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that gives good value for money. Teaching is good and enables all pupils to achieve well. The quality of provision in the Reception class is good and at the end of the year, most children reach the goals expected for the age group and some exceed them. By the end of Year 6, standards are above average overall, although in 2005, standards in writing were broadly average. Teachers are tackling this and standards are rising as a result. All groups of pupils make similar good progress. Standards in singing are high and much work in art is of a high quality. The school is rightly proud of its strong Catholic tradition. Provision for pupils' personal development is excellent, and contributes to the positive learning environment. Pupils enjoy school, attendance is good, attitudes to work are most positive and the behaviour of most pupils is excellent. By the time they leave Year 6, many are mature and responsible

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Grade: 2

young people. Most parents are very happy with the school. The headteacher has begun to gather parents' views about the school and appropriately plans to extend this process. Leadership and management are good and the school runs smoothly. The headteacher has identified what needs to be done to raise standards further, including developing a new approach to the assessment of pupils' progress. Governors know the school well and work closely with the staff to ensure a good quality education. The issues raised in the last report have been dealt with successfully. Inspectors found the self-evaluation to be accurate apart from a too modest appraisal of pupils' personal development. The school is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Raise pupils' standards of writing, especially for the more able, by implementing the action plan and ensuring that assessment focuses on the quality of pupils' writing as well as grammar and spelling. - Ensure that the new approach to assessment of pupils' progress is used consistently across the school. - Improve the process of self-evaluation by strengthening the ways in which the views of parents and pupils about the school are sought.

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Grade: 2

Children in Reception start school with standards that are broadly average. At the end of the year, most children reach the goals expected and some exceed them. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics, a significant improvement since the last inspection. In 2005, standards at the end of Year 2 appeared slightly lower than previously. This change is explained by the new teacher assessment procedures which gave a more accurate picture of pupils' attainment and progress. At the end of Year 6 in 2005, standards in mathematics and science were high and pupils made further good progress. Standards in English were close to the national average last year and progress was satisfactory. Senior managers have recognised that standards in writing need to be improved and have been taking action 2 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 2006

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Grade: 2

to improve the range of ideas in pupils' writing. In 2005, the school met its challenging targets in mathematics and science, but not in English. The improvements that have been made in the teaching of writing this year are leading to higher standards. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT), an issue in the last inspection, have improved tremendously and standards in singing are high. Art is a high priority and there are many examples of high quality art work in school. All groups of pupils make similar good progress throughout the school.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are excellent. The strong Catholic ethos contributes to the friendly and safe environment. Behaviour is outstanding in and beyond the classroom. Children in the Reception class settle quickly into the school's routines and adopt very good attitudes towards learning. The school very successfully promotes healthy lifestyles and pupils take part in a wide range of sporting activities. They thoroughly enjoy coming to school and attendance is good. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Assemblies offer good opportunities for reflection. Pupils are sensitive towards the feelings of others, and appreciative of the world around them. They contribute to the community through raising money for charities, taking part in church events and pupils in Year 6 have put forward their views to their local MP about planned developments that will affect their community. Pupils

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Grade: 1

value the opportunity to share their ideas for improvement through the school council but the school recognises that it can do more to respond to pupils' views. Most pupils act maturely and are able to work productively on their own and in groups. These skills along with their good skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT, contribute to their future economic well being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good with some examples of outstanding practice. Lessons are well planned with a variety of interesting, learning activities. Teachers are enthusiastic and promote a love of learning. Pupils are able to work well independently and in pairs or groups. Many teachers are using ICT effectively to support pupils' learning and pupils also know how to use it. Teaching assistants provide good support for individual pupils. The good working relationship between teachers and pupils creates a positive learning environment. In the best lessons teachers motivate and inspire pupils so that they are fully engaged and challenged by the work. They maintain an energetic pace with a variety of interesting and enjoyable activities. Pupils understand the work and are able to move on to the next stage of the lesson. Occasionally, the pace slows and a few pupils lose interest. Pupils' work is regularly

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Grade: 2

marked and often gives clear guidance about how they can improve their work. Teachers are putting into action a new system of assessment that gives each pupil individual 3 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 2006 targets based on what they need to learn next. This system has yet to be evaluated for its effectiveness and to be used consistently across the school.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and is enhanced with a wide range of extra curricular activities that include arts, sport and chess. Singing and playing musical instruments are strengths of the school. Every pupil from Years 3 to 6 plays a musical instrument and half of the pupils play two instruments. Pupils compete with other schools in a range of sports. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are provided for well. The school does not yet formally identify pupils with exceptional talents, except in music and physical education. The provision for literacy, numeracy and ICT is good. Local and residential visits make a good contribution to pupils' learning. The headteacher has identified that the curriculum could be made more exciting by rethinking how subjects can be taught. Time has been set aside this term to plan for this.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The strong Catholic ethos underpins the school's system for effective pastoral care. Most parents agree that their children feel safe and well cared for within the family atmosphere of the school. All requirements for child protection and risk assessment are fully in place. The school has achieved the Advanced Healthy Schools Award and actively promotes a healthy lifestyle for its pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because of the effective provision. There are strong links with the Catholic secondary schools to ensure the smooth transition of the pupils after Year 6. Parents are very supportive of the school and regard it highly. The system of assessment is being refined so that the targets set for pupils are more closely focused on their individual learning needs.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a thorough knowledge of the school and has used self-evaluation effectively to identify areas that are working well and those that need improvement. Subject leaders regularly monitor the provision in their subjects and in English, mathematics and science, and have analysed strengths and weaknesses in pupils' performances. This information has been used to raise standards. Governors are effective. The chair of governors reflects on the practices they adopt and is constantly seeking to improve the way in which they work. Governors satisfactorily hold the school to account, are loyal and work hard to support the school. Finances are well managed. The current high carry forward of funds is being used to provide two classes in a large year group in order maintain the good quality of education for pupils. Management systems are good and the school runs smoothly as a result.

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Grade: 2

Staff and governors are involved in self-evaluation of the school but parents and pupils 4 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 2006 have a limited input. Senior leaders and governors are looking at ways to seek the views of parents and pupils more efficiently. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The strong sense of community, Church links and the effective provision means that the school is in a good position to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 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: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 20 February 2006 to 21 February 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 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 2 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 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 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 1 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 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

We were pleased to visit your school towards the end of February. Thank you for welcoming us, and a special thank you to those who spoke to us. You told us that you enjoy coming to school and are very happy. We can see why. You go to a good school. The headteacher, staff and governors work hard to make sure that your school is a good place to be in. You learn a lot and reach high standards because your teachers teach well. Most of you find the lessons interesting and want to do the best you can, so you listen carefully and most of you behave excellently. If you need advice or support, you tell us that you have someone you can confide in. We noticed that many of you are polite to adults and treat one another with respect. We have a few suggestions to make your school even better. We think some of you could improve your writing and we have asked your teachers to help you to do this. You may have noticed

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that your teachers are marking your work differently from a year ago. We have suggested that all your teachers keep on with this new way. You can help by trying out your teachers' suggestions for improving your work. The final thing we have asked is that the governors and teachers keep up the work they are doing to find out what you and your parents think of the school. Teachers will then be better able to plan for the future of your school. We wish you every success in the future.

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