Holy Name Catholic Primary School

Holy Name Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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104634 Unique Reference Number Liverpool Local Authority 286993 Inspection number 16 °17 July 2007 Inspection dates Clare Henderson Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 346 School

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The local authority Appropriate authority Mrs A Radford Headteacher 2 December 2002 Date of previous school inspection Moss Pits Lane School address Fazakerley Liverpool Merseyside L10 9LG

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0151 5253545 Telephone number 0151 5253692 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 16 °17 July 2007 Inspection dates 286993 Inspection number .

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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

This school, above average in size, serves an area of considerable social disadvantage. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage. An increasing number are from minority ethnic families, some of whom are at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. Children's skills on entry to the Nursery are below those expected at this age, particularly in speaking, listening and social skills. The school has gained many awards, including those for being a Healthy School and Dyslexia Friendly School.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007

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Grade: 2

Holy Name is a good school that provides good value for money. There are significant strengths, not least pupils' outstanding personal development and the good leadership and management. These are reflected in the good care, guidance and support pupils receive. This view is borne out by parents who are happy with its work. They make comments such as, 'staff genuinely care for my children which gives me, as a parent, total peace of mind'. The school has addressed the issues raised during the previous inspection and demonstrates a good capacity for further improvement. Achievement is good. Children enter the Nursery with skills below those expected for their age. As a result of the good quality teaching they receive, many reach standards that are similar to the national average by the time they move to Year 1. This represents good progress. Pupils continue to make good progress through Years 1 to 6 so that, by the time they leave the school,

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Grade: 2

they reach average standards in English and mathematics. The school has been working hard to help pupils in Years 5 and 6 to catch up, following some disruption to their learning through staffing difficulties in the past. This has largely been successful, through high quality teaching, in bringing pupils up to average levels. However, the most able pupils do not perform as well as could be expected in English and mathematics. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and behaviour is exemplary. They know the importance of keeping fit and healthy, and how to keep safe. Effective systems to prevent bullying and racism help them to feel secure. Many of them serve their school and the local community well in a range of different ways. This provides a positive basis for the next stages of their education and future well-being. The curriculum is good, with an adequate emphasis on basic skills in literacy and numeracy

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Grade: 2

lessons, but pupils do not have enough opportunities to extend their writing skills in the other subjects which they study. Good teaching ensures that all pupils experience a stimulating, well organised and structured learning environment that supports their personal development well. Children make good progress because, in most lessons, teachers make good use of assessment information to plan activities in which all pupils want to be involved. Governors are well informed and support and challenge the school effectively. The school's links with outside agencies are supportive of pupils' learning and have been influential in improving their academic and personal development. The school's evaluation of its own effectiveness is generally accurate, if a little modest in the areas of personal development and achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the most able pupils are sufficiently challenged in English and mathematics.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills across the curriculum, for example, in history, science and geography.

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Grade: 2

On entry to school, pupils' skills are below average for their age. By the end of Reception, they have made good progress: many meet and some exceed the goals set for them. The school has been particularly successful, through the introduction of a structured letters and sounds programme, in improving children's communication skills and science. Standards reached by 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007 pupils at the end of Year 2 and 6 have, in the years since the last inspection, been broadly average in English and mathematics, representing good progress overall. However, during this time, disruptions to staffing in some Key Stage 2 classes have slowed progress, particularly for the most able pupils. The achievement of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those at an early stage of learning English is as good as their classmates.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are outstanding. The school pays very good attention to developing all pupils' understanding of the multicultural society in which they live. Consequently, pupils work and play happily together showing their commitment to racial harmony. They say they feel safe and that there is always someone to turn to for help. The 'worry and sorry boxes', introduced by the school council, are very helpful if they are worried or feel they have been unkind to someone. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school as seen by their improved attendance, which is now about average. This shows a considerable improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils say that they appreciate the good opportunities they have to learn from, and with, others in the school community. Behaviour is excellent because of the very good way staff and pupils

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Grade: 1

relate to one another. The school has an award for being a healthy school. This underlines their commitment to making pupils aware of the need to be healthy and safe. The school is calm and free from bullying and harassment. Pupils have a strong sense of belonging and pride in the school community. Consequently, they willingly take responsibility for others through, for example, the work of the school council or becoming a playground leader.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. A comment typical of pupils confirms this; 'our teachers do not have favourites and help you do your best'. In most lessons, teachers show high expectations of how hard pupils should work and what they should achieve, and give good support to pupils who need it. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons, are keen to work hard and do their best. Classroom management is excellent and promotes exemplary behaviour. In most lessons, teachers display good subject knowledge and, consequently, pupils are provided with interesting learning experiences, which hold their attention and enable them to make good progress. In less successful lessons, the most able pupils are not always provided with challenging enough activities. Recently introduced assessment of pupils' progress starts in the Foundation Stage and continues through the school, helping to keep pupils 'on track'. Teaching assistants

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Grade: 2

are managed to best effect in supporting the needs of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enabling them to make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good in meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However, although the curriculum places appropriate emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy skills, it does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in subjects other than English. The curriculum in the Foundation 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007 Stage gives pupils a good introduction to learning, laying the basis for the development of key social and emotional skills that are nurtured well throughout the school. An exciting range of visitors to the school helps pupils to develop their skills and knowledge, and supports their personal development well. However, chances for pupils to gain first-hand experiences through visits to places of educational interest are limited. Consequently, opportunities for stimulating

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Grade: 2

further work are missed. Extra-curricular sporting and creative activities promote pupils' fitness, health and enjoyment and are very popular. Pupils with special gifts or talents are provided with additional activities to help them to develop their skills.

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Grade: 2

Outstanding care and commitment to pupils' well-being is displayed in the very good relationships evident in lessons and throughout the school. Pupils' welfare is promoted very well through the curriculum which enables them to avoid unnecessary risks and lead healthy lifestyles. For example, along with the community police officer, pupils learned about how to keep safe on the Internet. The school has recently introduced ways of checking and recording how well pupils are doing in their work. These systems are being used well to set individual and group targets for learning. Pupils understand their targets and that meeting them will improve their work. However, systems are at an early stage and have yet to impact fully on raising standards for the most able pupils. Safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and she is ably supported by staff and governors. They share a clear vision for the future success of the school. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and use a wide range of procedures to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in terms of how pupils' learning has improved. Teamwork is productive and there is a commitment amongst staff to provide the best possible learning environment for all pupils. Because of this, equality of opportunity for each pupil is good. All staff take good care of pupils and make an effective contribution to the smooth running of the school. Parental support for the school reflects their recognition that it is well run and managed for the benefit of their children. Governors are very committed to the school and fulfil their responsibilities effectively. They are both supportive and challenging and do not

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Grade: 2

hesitate in questioning the day-to-day procedures and practices of the school. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Recently, three inspectors came to check the work of your school. Thank you for helping us with the inspection. You were all very friendly and helpful and you welcomed us to your school very well. We particularly enjoyed watching the Year 6 end of year assembly. We found that yours is a good school. Here are some things that impressed us. We were pleased to see how very well behaved you are. We liked the way you are keen to try new things and share the responsibility for helping your school to improve. We learned that you feel safe and well cared for and we saw how well you get along together in class and on the playground. You told us that you know that your headteacher, teachers and other support staff want you to do the best you can. Mostly, your teachers are helping you to do this but we have asked them to think about some things to help you to learn better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We have asked your teachers to give you more opportunities to improve your writing skills in a range of subjects, as well as in English, for example, in history, science and geography. ■ We also think that in some lessons, the more able pupils are given work that is a bit too easy for them. We really enjoyed our visit to your school and wish you all well for the future. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Holy Name Catholic Primary School, 16 °17 July 2007

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