Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School

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125718 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire LEA 281983 Inspection number 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005 Inspection dates David Cox RISP Reporting inspector

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

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Windmill Hill School address Primary Type of school Cubbington Voluntary aided School category Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 7LN 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01926 424420 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01926 424420 Fax number 162 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Sister Susan (Collins) Headteacher 6 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281983 18 October 2005 - 4 to 11 19 October 2005 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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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 sized primary school. Most pupils are from a White British background, although there are a small number from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is slightly above average. When children start school many do not have the skills and knowledge typical of four year olds. However, this does vary from year to year, from being broadly average to being well below average. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. More pupils than average entered or left in the last academic year outside the normal admission time.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils, a view shared by the school. Good provision in the Foundation Stage ensures children’s education gets off to a good start, with most children reaching the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the reception year. These children make good progress. Children make satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6. Pupils attain average standards by the end of Year 6, although their standards are below average in Years 1 and 2. Children’s writing skills are a weakness. Teaching is satisfactory. However, teachers do not always use the data available to them to ensure that all pupils are achieving as well as they can. The school takes good care of pupils and helps to develop pupils’ positive attitudes; pupils enjoy their time at school. Pupils develop good personal skills. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The school provides satisfactory value

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Grade: 3

for money and has addressed most of the issues identified in the previous report; the school has demonstrated a satisfactory capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in Years 1 and 2 and remedy the weakness in writing. • Ensure teachers make better use of information they gather about pupils’ achievement so more able pupils can have harder work.

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Grade: 3

Pupils attain average standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 and their achievement is satisfactory. When children start school their attainment is below average, particularly speaking and listening skills. Many struggle with reading and writing and have poor social skills for their age. During their time in the Foundation Stage, children make good progress. They achieve well because of the good teaching and a good curriculum that meets their needs effectively. Most meet the goals expected by the end of reception year, particularly in areas such as personal and creative development. By the time pupils reach the end of Year 2, standards are below average and children’s writing is a weakness. Teachers do not provide them with enough opportunities to write at length. More able pupils are not always extended enough. By Year 6, standards are broadly average and pupils make satisfactory progress. Many pupils with learning

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Grade: 3

difficulties make good progress because they receive good support from teachers, support staff and outside agencies. In 2004, the school’s results were close to the national average and pupils made satisfactory progress. In 2005, results were close to the national average and pupils made good progress. The school sets challenging targets for improvement and normally meets these. Grade: 3 2 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They are happy at school. They enjoy learning and opportunities to take part in sport, music and clubs. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved. Pupils’ good behaviour contributes well to the safe, calm school atmosphere. They appreciate star chart awards for good work and medals from the Children’s University for achievement in sport and music. The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ self-esteem and awareness of others are promoted well in assemblies. They know what is right and wrong and are clear that bullying is unacceptable. Pupils’ cultural understanding is much improved. Visits to the Intercultural Festival enrich their awareness of other cultures. Pupils feel safe at school. They are encouraged to eat healthily and to take regular exercise in sport and outdoor activities. Pupils know that their views are listened to

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Grade: 2

in the school council and those improvements, such as to the playground, happen as a result. They contribute well to the school community by taking responsibilities as ‘school helpers’ and working to improve the environment in the eco-council. Pupils regularly raise funds to support charities. Pupils’ basic skills prepare them satisfactorily for life ahead. Grade: 2

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Grade: 3

Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is good and there are examples of outstanding teaching. Teachers are knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage curriculum and provide interesting activities that meet the needs of young children. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the rest of the school is satisfactory, although there are examples of good teaching in both Key Stages. In a Year 6 English lesson, the teacher used newspapers effectively to identify the difference between fact and fiction and pupils made good progress. Teachers use time productively in lessons and most deliver their lessons in a lively manner. When behaviour is managed well, pupils get on with their work and make efforts to complete tasks. Occasionally, teachers do not ensure pupils are listening to instructions which results in some pupils not knowing what to do next. Teachers do

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Grade: 3

not always provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills or show them how to improve their writing. Tasks are often a little too easy for more able pupils because teachers do not take enough notice of the information they have about the data on how pupils can achieve. Grade: 3 3 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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Grade: 3

The school provides pupils with a satisfactory curriculum. It includes the full range of subjects, including personal, social and health education, which supports their personal development. The wide range of stimulating activities and imaginative use of resources in the Foundation Stage curriculum enable children to achieve well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities achieve well because work is planned and adapted to meet their needs. In the rest of the school, links between different curriculum areas are developing satisfactorily, such as pupils learning about the conditions needed for growing bulbs when following instructions in a literacy lesson. However, pupils do not use their writing skills sufficiently well in other subjects to enable them to understand the importance of writing for different purposes. Extra-curricular provision is good and well supported by visits from professional theatre companies, storytellers, artists

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Grade: 3

and musicians. The school provides a wide range of sporting activities and pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer at lunchtime and after school. Grade: 3

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils is good. Pupils are cared for well within the supportive Catholic ethos of the school. Child protection procedures are secure. Careful recording of concerns and good links with support services ensure the well-being of vulnerable pupils. Pupils’ health and safety is assured in the safe and well-maintained school environment. Pupils are confident that adults listen to their concerns and care for them well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive well-organised support in the classroom which helps them make good progress. Parents are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and targets at regular review meetings. Children in the Foundation Stage settle quickly at school because they are well supported and cared for. Parents know the school provides a safe place for children and describe it as ‘a caring, loving environment which stimulates the pupils and engages them in learning.’ They feel

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Grade: 2

communication with them is good but some would like more frequent information about their children’s progress. Grade: 2

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher has a good grasp of the strengths and areas that need to be improved and is fully committed and passionate about bringing about these improvements. In recent years, there have been many changes in staff, which has disrupted the introduction of new initiatives. However, the school now has more secure staffing and the headteacher is quickly forming the new teachers into a cohesive team. A new senior leadership team has been created which has a clear understanding of the improvements needed and is helping 4 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005 the headteacher to move the school forward. The self-evaluation is mostly accurate and paints a picture of a school that provides a satisfactory education. The school development plan is good and identifies the most important areas for improvement.

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Grade: 3

For example, the school has appointed good quality support staff to help those pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities succeed. New assessment systems to help teachers understand the capabilities of their pupils better are being introduced but these are not yet embedded enough to see improvement. Governors hold the school to account and make sure all statutory requirements are met. However, their role of monitoring the work of the school is not developed sufficiently. Parents speak highly of the school. Their opinions are sought on many issues and they feel part of the decision-making process. Grade: 3 5 Inspection Report: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 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: Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 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 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 3 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 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 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

Our Lady and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School Windmill Hill Cubbington Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 7LN 19 October 2005 Dear Children As you know, we visited your school recently to find out how well you are doing. Thank you for looking after us and making us feel welcome. Thank you also for talking to us about your school, the work you have done and how well you enjoy coming to school. We enjoyed your assembly where so many of you received special medals and certificates for doing good work and trying hard. What we liked about your school: Your school is a healthy and safe place to be Many of you younger children do well and get off to a good start You come to school regularly, enjoy your lessons and behave well Teachers and other staff in the school look after you well You like interesting lessons The headteacher is making sure that you have lots of extra activities to do at lunchtime and after school and you are encouraged to make full use of these opportunities

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The teachers who run your school know what it does well and what needs to get even better. What we have asked your school to do now: Help pupils in Years 1 and 2 to reach higher standards Give you more opportunities to improve your writing Help you to improve your learning by making better use of the information they have about you. Yours sincerely David Cox and the inspection team

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