St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster

Inspection Report St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster

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126481 Unique Reference Number Wiltshire LEA 282120 Inspection number 13 October 2005 to 14 October 2005 Inspection dates Deborah Zachary RISP Reporting inspector

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

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Woodcock Road School address Primary Type of school Warminster Voluntary aided School category Wiltshire BA12 9EZ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01985 218284 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01985 212797 Fax number 200 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Anne Hunter Headteacher 27 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282120 13 October 2005 - 4 to 11 14 October 2005 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 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 inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is of average size. The pupils are mainly white but there are a small number from minority ethnic groups. Few pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The intake to the school varies in ability from year to year, but fewer pupils than is typical have learning difficulties and disabilities. A large minority of pupils have parents in the army, and around a quarter of the pupils arrive or move on every two years as the Regiment changes. The school has experienced major difficulties in appointing a permanent headteacher since January 2004 when the previous headteacher retired. The deputy headteacher has been acting as headteacher since January 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 October 2005

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to pupils’ progress in mathematics and writing in Years 3 – 6. St George’s Primary has a number of strengths but overall it is not effective enough and does not give sufficient value for money. The headteacher, governors and staff agree with the inspection team that standards are not high enough. With the help of the local education authority (LEA) they have set about putting things right. Teaching has been monitored and support given to improve learning, but whilst teaching is now satisfactory, standards have not yet risen sufficiently. Monitoring has been carried out by the school’s leadership but not yet

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Grade: 4

by subject co-ordinators, and has tended to focus on general teaching points rather than things that need to improve in specific subjects. Teachers keep good discipline and have clear objectives for lessons but they do not always identify clearly what pupils of differing ability need to learn next. Longer term, pupils are aware of group targets but not of things they are aiming for as individuals. The school’s strengths are in the Foundation Stage (Reception), where good and sometimes outstanding teaching leads to good overall progress, and in pupils’ personal development. Spiritual development is particularly good throughout the school, and behaviour is good. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been inadequate. It has been disrupted by problems in appointing a permanent headteacher, but significant effective work has been done in the last two terms under the leadership of the acting headteacher. Strong support from the LEA is programmed to continue until the end

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Grade: 4

of 2006. The school therefore has the capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve progress in mathematics and in writing in Key Stage 2. • Improve teaching by ensuring that teachers identify what pupils of different abilities need to learn during the lesson, and make their targets clear to pupils. • Focus the monitoring and improvement of lessons on how well the specific subject observed is taught, involving subject leaders to a greater extent.

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Grade: 4

Pupils’ standards are broadly average throughout the school, but their progress varies at different stages in the school. There is no difference in the rate of progress made 2 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 October 2005 by different groups of pupils, including those from army backgrounds only in the school for a short period. Pupils’ standards when they enter the school vary from year to year but are broadly average. They make very good progress in reception, because of stimulating and very carefully planned teaching. They make broadly satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 – 2) but inadequate progress in Key Stage 2. Pupils make the best progress in reading, throughout the school. The school’s significant investment in reading resources over the last few years has paid off. However, 2004 Year 6 national tests showed progress was poor in mathematics and

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Grade: 4

in writing. The 2005 tests showed some improvement in mathematics, though progress was still not good enough, and progress was worse in writing than in 2004. The school tracks pupils carefully and sets appropriate end-of-year targets for each year group. These records show that in the current Year 6, progress through Years 3 – 5 has been inadequate. The progress in lessons now is a better picture. Pupils in Year 6 are starting to make up lost ground and pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are making satisfactory progress towards the short-term targets set for them. Even so, because this satisfactory progress is recent, achievement overall is judged unsatisfactory.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress in developing their personal qualities. In the Foundation Stage, children make an enthusiastic start. Pupils throughout the school enjoy their lessons and many agree that 'we learn something new every day.' Classes have a productive buzz and pupils are gaining valuable skills for the future – they show increasing self-discipline when working in groups as well as working independently. Around the school pupils are sensible and caring, which ensures that the school is a safe and a happy place. Challenging behaviour is seldom seen and bullying is not a significant issue. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and contributes greatly to their increasing self-esteem. The pupils’ very good spiritual development is enhanced by the school's Catholic focus, but they also show an understanding of other faiths. Pupils understand the behaviour rules, which they think are fair. Pupils are

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Grade: 2

encouraged to realise their rights and they take responsibility in many ways, though as yet there is no school council. Pupils are well aware of healthy eating and are well supported in this by cooked meals and healthy snacks. In a reception lesson, eating pieces of fruit was woven seamlessly into an outstanding lesson on understanding ‘more’ and ‘less’. Multicultural education is developing well through allowing pupils from a range of backgrounds to celebrate their diversity. The school’s attendance is usually above the national average, but a small minority of pupils have lower attendance, or fail to explain their reasons for being absent. 3 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 October 2005

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, though much better in the Foundation Stage. However, the quality of teaching needs to be further improved in most of the school in order that pupils make better progress and make up lost ground. Teachers build very good relationships with pupils, so that pupils enthusiastically enjoy their lessons. Teachers have good discipline and classrooms are calm and productive. Teachers value the work of their pupils and use the classroom displays to good effect. Resources, including the new interactive whiteboards, are well used to motivate pupils. Teaching assistants support pupils well. Teachers are confident in their questioning and encourage pupils to be inquisitive for knowledge, and to take responsibility for their own learning through independent research and groupwork. Many of these things are comparatively recent and reflect good planned improvements over the last two terms.

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Grade: 3

Though assessment is satisfactory, and teachers give different ability groups different activities, these are not always finely tuned to what pupils need to learn next. Lesson objectives are not always sufficiently focused to build on pupils’ prior learning, and so some lessons do not provide the sharper challenge needed to help pupils catch up.

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Grade: 3

The national literacy and numeracy strategies are now fully in place, and staff have had recent support to bring their expertise up to date. The introduction of small booster classes for Year 6 pupils who have been identified as needing specific extra help is an example of effective action taken to raise standards. During one of these, pupils were really excited by their progress in some basic number skills. One pupil exclaimed spontaneously, 'I really understand it now – I didn’t understand it before!' The national curriculum is covered, but some areas, such as aspects of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that are taught during other subjects, are as yet planned in outline rather than part of the school’s systems. The curriculum is enhanced by sporting and musical activities and by trips out.

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Grade: 3

Staff have good personal knowledge of each individual and the pastoral care is strong, which ensures their happiness at school and promotes pupils’ good personal development. The school is dedicated in educating more vulnerable children – these are well looked after in the school. Though care is good in practice, some policies are being reviewed and are in draft form. Attendance procedures are satisfactory, but data is not routinely analysed to identify and improve the lower attendance of a small minority of pupils. The health and safety of pupils and staff receive due priority and 4 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 October 2005 a recent external report indicated no significant areas of concern. Effective child protection arrangements are in line with local guidelines and training is up to date. Pupils with learning difficulties have action plans that are tailored to their individual

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Grade: 3

needs. Other pupils have an increasing knowledge of how they might improve their learning through group targets, but personal targets giving individual guidance are not well developed.

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Grade: 3

The instability in leadership has limited how well the school has improved, but since January 2005 the acting headteacher has worked closely with the LEA to identify what is needed and raise standards. Self-evaluation is satisfactory, and shows an accurate identification of what needs to be done. The school’s judgements on achievement and curriculum were higher than those of inspectors because the school gave more weight to changes that have only just taken place, whilst the inspectors needed to see a longer-term impact. The governing body has been fully supportive of the drive to improve and the involvement of the LEA, and the Chair is fully aware of the need to improve standards. Governance is satisfactory. The school’s analysis of test results and pupils’ progress is detailed and rigorous, and this has formed the bedrock on which improvements have taken place. The monitoring of the quality of teaching is not so well developed. LEA advisers are helping to improve

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Grade: 3

quality through team teaching with staff. However, the formal monitoring of teaching has focused on general teaching quality rather than ensuring that pupils are fully challenged in developing skills in individual subjects. It has helped teachers to involve pupils better in lessons with groupwork and independent learning, but has not had enough impact on helping pupils catch up. Subject coordinators monitor teachers’ plans but not classroom practice, and so their subject expertise is not fully exploited. The acting headteacher has displayed good leadership in the way she has motivated staff to improve. She has been particularly successful in restoring an ethos of good behaviour and learning in classrooms after a difficult start to the year. She and the staff are committed to ensuring that all pupils are valued and enabled to do their best. Parents feel involved, and hold positive views of the school.

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Grade: 3

5 Inspection Report: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 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: St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster, 13 October 2005 to 14 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 No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 4 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 3 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 4 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

St George’s Catholic Primary School Woodcock Rd Warminster BA12 9EZ 17 October 2005 Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming us to your school and telling us about your work. We enjoyed our visit and now we want to share with you what we thought about the school. These are the things we especially liked: You behave sensibly and care for each other, which ensures that the school is safe and a happy place. The youngest pupils get a great start to school in the reception class. You do well in your reading as you move through the school. Your headteacher and staff care well for you and are working hard to help the school improve. You are starting to understand other faiths and ways of living as well as your own. But we know everyone wants to do better and we have suggested some things the school must act on: We think you could do better in mathematics and in writing. We have asked your teachers to tell you exactly what you need to do to improve, and you must promise to try hard on these

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

things. We have asked the people who are in charge of the school to work on making teaching even better. With best wishes Deborah Zachary Lead Inspector

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