St Anthony's Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report St Anthony's Catholic Primary School

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107348 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 287808 Inspection number 11 °12 December 2006 Inspection dates Colin Smith 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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High Busy Lane School address Primary Type of school Shipley Voluntary aided School category West Yorkshire BD18 1HD 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01274 592738 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01274 593738 Fax number 126 Number on roll (school) Fr Nigel Barr Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs A Cook Headteacher 21 May 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287808 11 °12 December 2006 4°11 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

St Anthony's is a small Catholic primary school. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and entitled to free school meals is average. The majority of children are of white British heritage. A small number of pupils are of Pakistani, mixed White and Black Caribbean, Indian and other White heritage. Only a very small number of these pupils speak English as an additional language. A new teacher joined the school last year and the teacher in Reception started in September 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The school's overall effectiveness and the value for money provided are satisfactory. Teaching and support staff are very caring and eager to do their best for all pupils. In particular, the vulnerable pupils are very well looked after, supported and safeguarded. The school is very successful in helping pupils to behave well, act responsibly and lead healthy and safe lifestyles. Consequently, pupils' personal development is good. Their enjoyment of school is reflected in their excellent attendance. The school's friendly atmosphere, in which the importance of good citizenship is emphasised, is helping to prepare pupils well for the future. Parents' widespread appreciation of the school's work is captured in the following comment, 'The care and commitment to children is evident in the welcoming and happy family atmosphere.' Pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall. The quality of teaching and the progress

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Grade: 3

children make in Reception are satisfactory and improving. Strong teaching in Year 1 and 2 enables pupils to make good progress. Junior pupils make satisfactory progress. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in English, mathematics and science are average. Pupils make good progress in Year 6 in response to stimulating and meticulous teaching. Progress through Years 3, 4 and 5, although satisfactory, is restricted. This is because expectations of what pupils can achieve and the level of challenge provided in lessons are not always sufficient to move pupils' learning on quickly, particularly the more able pupils' learning. Throughout the school, pupils who experience learning or language difficulties make good progress, largely because of the dedicated work of teachers and support staff. The curriculum and the way it is taught are satisfactory overall. However, many additional activities are provided which enrich pupils' learning and contribute to their

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Grade: 3

good personal development. The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory. Key leaders are very successful in setting a positive climate for learning. Since the previous inspection, the school has acted satisfactorily in improving the use of teaching time and providing outdoor play facilities for Reception children. Pupils' individual learning difficulties are clearly identified and well supported. However, not enough is known about how much progress is made by whole classes in reading, writing and mathematics. This makes it more difficult for school leaders to know where to concentrate their energy on improving teaching and the curriculum where it matters most. This is holding back the school's capacity to improve. This capacity is satisfactory and not good, as the school believes. This is the only area where inspection findings differ from the school's otherwise accurate self-evaluation.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise teachers' expectations and provide more consistently challenging work to increase pupils' achievement, particularly the more able ones, in Years 3, 4 and 5. • Investigate how well pupils achieve in each class in order to guide strategic planning and raise the quality of teaching to consistently good levels throughout the school. 2 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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Grade: 3

Children enter school with attainment typical for their age. Reception children make good progress in reading, although writing is not developing as quickly. By the end of the year, most children reach the goals expected in all areas of learning. Year 1 and 2 pupils achieve well. Standards are above average by the end of Key Stage 1 and rising in reading and writing. In three of the last four years, pupils have made satisfactory progress through Key Stage 2. They have entered Key Stage 2 with average attainment and reached average standards by Year 6. This is the result of setting and meeting realistic targets. The fall in standards in 2005 was attributable to the unusually high number of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. This adversely affected their achievement and that of others. The school has now developed strategies to counter such difficulties, should they arise again. The school's Key Stage 2 results

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Grade: 3

recovered in 2006 and far more pupils achieved higher levels. Pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 make comparatively slower progress than in Years 1 and 2, largely because they are not always challenged sufficiently. This particularly restricts the progress of the more able pupils. This weakness is converted into a strength in Year 6, which is why pupils make good progress in their final year. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, the very small numbers of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with English as an additional language make good progress in relation to their starting points.

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Grade: 2

Pupils behave well, in and out of lessons, are eager to learn and enjoy school. Attendance is exemplary. Pupils' spiritual, social and moral development is good. Their self-esteem and confidence develop well. Pupils understand and abide by rules and are learning to make informed decisions. They are well aware of potential dangers, such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, traffic and strangers. They know when to say 'No.' Pupils' cultural development is satisfactory. They show respect for other faiths. However, there are few opportunities for pupils to appreciate diversity fully. Pupils are friendly and cooperative. As one pupil explained, 'We all get on well together.' This is because relationships are good and older pupils take responsibility for younger ones. Pupils are proud to represent the school council and have a mature understanding of what it means to be a good citizen. Their good awareness of the importance of diet

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Grade: 2

and exercise springs from the valuable work done by the school in gaining the Activemark award and achieving Healthy Schools status. 3 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The teaching of phonic skills in Reception is very good. However, the purpose behind some of the practical activities is not communicated well to children. This hampers the development of independent learning. Teaching in Years 1, 2 and 6 is consistently good. In these classes, teachers' expectations are high and pupils respond by surmounting difficult challenges, such as solving mathematical problems. These factors are reflected in the carefully presented work in their books. In all classes pupils are well managed and give of their best. Lessons are well organised and clearly explained. As a result, pupils understand exactly what they are expected to learn. The effective use of discussion and drama, along with prompt sheets on how to achieve more fluent and interesting writing, is helping to raise standards in English. The use of assessment to measure how well pupils are learning is satisfactory. However, the information

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Grade: 3

gathered is used more effectively in some classes than others to provide activities that challenge all of the pupils. There are occasions, for example, when pupils are involved in cutting and sticking activities when they could be tackling more demanding tasks from the outset.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum largely meets pupils' learning needs and national requirements. Pupils benefit from valuable experiences in information and communication technology (ICT), develop good investigation skills in science and are fascinated by history. An extensive range of visits, visitors and out of school activities is provided. These, along with the good personal, social and health education programme, contribute significantly to pupils' enjoyment of school and their understanding of healthy lifestyles. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well catered for because the curriculum is sensitively adapted to their emotional and learning needs. The school has begun to consider the needs of the able, gifted and talented pupils and makes some provision, for example, to allow them to work with older pupils in literacy and numeracy. However, their needs are not considered sufficiently in some classes when activities are planned.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are safe and very well cared for. They benefit from having trusted adults to confide in. This is why they are content and happy learners. The support for the most vulnerable pupils is very good. Strong links established with parents, carers and health professionals ensure that these pupils are safeguarded and the barriers to learning are successfully removed. As one parent observed, 'The dedicated work of staff, in managing my child's emotional difficulties, has brought his learning up to standard.' The guidance on pupils' attainment is satisfactory and improving, although not yet 4 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006 sufficient to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress through Key Stage 2. Pupils are increasingly being encouraged to assess their own learning by setting targets and routes to achieve them. Older pupils are highly motivated by these

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Grade: 3

The headteacher, deputy headteacher and key leaders are very successful in creating a positive learning atmosphere in which pupils' enjoyment of school is nurtured. Parents are continually encouraged to share in their children's education. The overarching care and good support provided secures pupils' well-being. Senior staff and subject leaders check the work of the school and support teachers by observing lessons and examining planning and pupils' written work. This helps new members of staff to settle into routines quickly. However, the link between the outcomes of such evaluations and future planning is insufficiently clear in the school improvement plan. A good feature of the process is the way in which individual pupils' assessment results are regularly reviewed and discussed. Any pupils whose progress falters receive additional support. This usually puts them back on track. However, the school is not yet in a position to

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Grade: 3

evaluate how well groups of pupils perform, such as the more able ones or pupils in different classes. Consequently, it is harder for key members of staff to know where to focus their attention to raise the quality of teaching. Governors provide satisfactory support. Their meetings and informal visits go some way towards holding the school to account. 5 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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?

3 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. 7 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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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? 8 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making me welcome and answering my questions. I enjoyed my visit. Your school is at least satisfactory in all respects and there are many good features. Standards are average in English, mathematics and science and older pupils are well prepared for high school. The information from the tests you have done and the lessons observed shows that you are making satisfactory progress overall. Some pupils make good progress. Those who do not find it easy to learn are very well supported. This is helping them to reach their targets. However, the more able pupils do not always achieve as well as they could, especially when the work provided does not challenge them enough. The variety of lessons and many extra activities make school interesting. I can see why you like art, sport, history and information and communication technology so much. Carrying out investigations is helping you to understand some difficult ideas in science.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

On the first day, I noticed how well you are cared for and looked after. This is why the school is a happy one. Your parents agree with this view. You try hard in lessons, your behaviour is good and attendance is excellent. To help your school to be even better, I have two recommendations. • I have asked your teachers to make sure that you are given challenging work in every lesson to help you to reach higher levels, particularly the more able ones among you. You can help by trying your best to reach the targets that teachers set for you. • I have suggested that the headteacher and staff measure your individual progress and if it slows down, that extra support is provided. This helps you to catch up. I have asked your headteacher to work out how much progress each class is making in reading, writing and mathematics. This will show any differences and where changes and extra work might be needed to help all pupils to make equally good progress in every class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 Inspection Report: St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 December 2006

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