All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School

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134250 Unique Reference Number Liverpool LEA 282508 Inspection number 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 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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Oakfield School address Primary Type of school Anfield Voluntary aided School category Liverpool L4 2QG 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 2639561 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 2639561 Fax number 493 Number on roll Mgr A Hunt Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr P Sherry ( Acting ) Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282508 1 February 2006 - 4 to 11 2 February 2006 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006

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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 three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is an amalgamation of an infant and a junior school, which opened in September 2003. It operates on two sites, about three quarters of a mile apart, in an area where there are high levels of social disadvantage. Proposals to bring the whole school onto one site are ongoing. The school is resourced to cater for up to 16 children with severe learning difficulties and the proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in the school overall is broadly average. Most of the children are of white British background. Three per cent of the children are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The attainment of the children on entry to the nursery is below that expected for their age overall. A large minority of children have poor social and communication skills. The number of children who start or leave the school other than at the normal time is above average. An acting headteacher is

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Description of the school

in post until the headteacher designate starts in the Summer term, 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006

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Grade: 3

The effectiveness of the school is satisfactory. Children's achievement is satisfactory overall and standards are broadly average. Test results in Year 6 in 2005 were broadly average in mathematics and science, but below average in English. This reflected an improvement over 2004, the first year after the school's amalgamation. This improvement is likely to continue but more needs to be done to help the more able children to achieve higher standards in both English and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and in English in Key Stage 2. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve satisfactorily and the few at the early stages of learning English as an additional language make good progress. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well because of the good provision. Throughout the school children's personal development is good; this results from good levels of care, support and guidance. The quality of teaching,

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Grade: 3

learning and the curriculum are satisfactory. More action needs to be taken to overcome gaps identified in the children's learning and more opportunities are needed for children to write at length. Leadership, management and governance of the school are satisfactory overall. During this interim period before the arrival of the new headteacher, the acting headteacher and the acting deputy headteacher are providing good leadership. Inspectors' views and the school's views of its performance are sometimes at variance, because the school has too generous a view of its provision. The school gives satisfactory value for money and has the capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards and achievement in writing by providing more opportunities for children to write at length. • Raise expectations of what the more able children can achieve in English and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and in English in Key Stage 2. • Remedy the gaps in children's skills and learning identified through the school's assessment and tracking procedures. • Do all it can to press for the move to a single site.

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Grade: 3

Children's achievement is satisfactory overall. Standards are broadly average in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6, although they are lower in English. Standards in 2004 were very low but improved in 2005 and show continuing signs of improvement. Good provision in the Foundation Stage enables the children to achieve well from a low starting point, although by the time they start in Key Stage 1 most have not yet attained all the early learning goals expected of them. Whilst progress is satisfactory overall at Key Stage 1, standards are below average at the end of this key stage because higher attaining children do not achieve as well as they should. Standards are adversely affected by pupil mobility in Key Stage 2 and this is clearly evident from the school's data tracking children who arrive and those who leave. Although overall 2 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006

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Grade: 3

achievement in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory, it varies. In mathematics, children make good progress but in English, progress is only satisfactory, owing to weaknesses in the development of writing skills and to the more able children not achieving well enough. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress. Those at the early stages of learning English as an additional language make good progress thanks to good teaching based upon accurate assessments of their achievements. The school sets challenging targets in English and mathematics for children in Year 6. It has recently had some success in reaching these in mathematics but not in English.

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Grade: 2

The children's personal development is good. In lessons the great majority of children have excellent attitudes to learning and behave very well. Behaviour around the buildings is generally good. Parents and children report that there are a few incidents of aggressive or bullying behaviour and that these are dealt with satisfactorily by the school. There were no exclusions last year and levels of attendance are broadly average. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent because of the positive, Christian ethos of the school and the various opportunities the children have to explore issues; for example, in personal, social and health education lessons. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Throughout the school the children are making good progress, learning about a safe and healthy lifestyle. The school council were pleased with how the school

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Grade: 2

has taken on the concept of Fair Trade in purchasing fruit and vegetables for school. The children make a positive contribution to the local and the wider community through a variety of musical and sporting events, links with special schools and charities. Such activities prepare pupils well for future life, but their basic skills in English could be better developed.

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Grade: 3

The school views the quality of teaching as good, but inspectors' judgement is that it is satisfactory. In mathematics the appropriate level of challenge results in good progress, for example in Key Stage 2, where the children are taught in sets according to their attainment. In English, however, teachers' expectations are too low and there are not enough opportunities for children to improve their writing. During the inspection some outstanding teaching was seen in Key Stage 2. Teachers plan lessons well, have high expectations of behaviour and value children's contributions. As a result, there are good relationships and children are confident and eager to contribute in lessons. Children are given many opportunities to work collaboratively. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are fully included in lessons. Skilled teaching assistants, when they are well briefed, support the children well but in some lessons

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Grade: 3

3 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 children spend too long all together and the role of the teaching assistant is less effective. When teachers use questions expertly to assess learning, children have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. In some lessons younger children are either confused by questions teachers ask or are insufficiently challenged by a request that requires only a one word answer. There is a good range of assessment information, which identifies weaknesses in children's achievements. In Key Stage 1, however, this is not used effectively to ensure that children make good progress or to set higher levels of challenge for the more able.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors judge the curriculum as satisfactory with some good features and some weaknesses. This does not match the schools' view that the curriculum is good. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to make progress in writing. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage provides good opportunities for a full range of indoor and outdoor activities and is well matched to meet their needs. In Key Stage 2 children have the opportunity to learn French. Work is well planned across all subjects to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, but there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining children. Whole-school themed weeks take place termly and focus the learning across subjects around health, safety, multi-cultural and environmental themes. Staff have worked cohesively as a team to develop these opportunities and to achieve the Healthy Schools Award through work

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Grade: 3

in personal, social, health and citizenship education.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support of the children are good. All aspects of child protection are robust and health and safety issues on both sites are given a high priority. Procedures to track the children's personal and academic progress are good overall but some of the analyses about children's subject knowledge and skills are not then translated into actions to fill the gaps in their learning. This is an aspect for improvement. Staff have undertaken extra training in several aspects of pastoral care to help children who are vulnerable or at risk and children report that there is always an adult to talk to if they have a problem. Provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory. Links with agencies, such as the educational welfare service and those to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, are good. Children are aware of their own targets for improving their work and have a

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Grade: 2

satisfactory understanding of what they need to do to achieve a higher National Curriculum level in English and mathematics. 4 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006

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Grade: 3

The school judges leadership and management to be good. Inspectors disagree, judging them to be satisfactory. This is because children do not always make sufficient progress to reach the standards of which they are capable. The school's recent amalgamation coincided with significant changes to its senior management. This has slowed the pace of amalgamating two formerly separate schools and has had a negative impact upon the monitoring of school performance. Whilst the school has a reasonably accurate view of its performance and a good range of procedures for assessing this, these are not presently being used to sufficient effect. The result is that weaknesses in children's progress have not been fully addressed. However, the acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher are working effectively to improve this state of affairs. The school is conscientious in seeking the views of parents and children and in acting upon these

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Grade: 3

wherever possible. The governing body fulfils its statutory obligations and brings a good deal of expertise to the service of the school. However, its procedures for checking school performance are not sufficiently rigorous. Nonetheless, the governing body is correct in its view that the situation of the school on two separate sites prevents school leaders from being fully effective. The school's recent record of improving standards from a low point in 2004, its good pastoral care and the appointment of a permanent headteacher from the Summer term 2006 indicate that it has the capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 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: All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA NA 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 3 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 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 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 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

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 at school. We enjoyed our visit very much. Now we want to share with you what we thought about your school. These are some of the things that are good in your school: - your teachers are doing a good job taking care of you and helping you all to be safe and healthy - your behaviour is good and you are all growing into sensible students who want to learn and find out more - you are doing particularly well in music and sports and we loved hearing about the successes you've been having - your teachers 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. There are some important things for your headteacher, teachers and school governors to do to make the school even better. - Children in the infant department are not doing as well as they might in writing and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

mathematics. Those of you in the junior department are not doing as well as you might in writing. We want your teachers to get the best out of you because you'll need these important skills when you transfer to secondary school. So we're suggesting ways for them to do this. - We want the governors and your new headteacher to do all they can to help get a single school on one site in Oakfield for you where you can all be together. We think you really deserve it! With best wishes to you all for the future.

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