Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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108031 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 288003 Inspection number 11 °12 June 2007 Inspection dates Joe Peacock 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 152 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Teresa Boyd Chair Mrs Gabrielle Nieland Headteacher 20 May 2002 Date of previous school inspection Eden Way School address Argie Avenue Leeds West Yorkshire LS4 2TF

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0113 2144560 Telephone number 0113 2144561 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 11 °12 June 2007 Inspection dates 288003 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is situated near to the centre of Leeds. It is smaller than average. There has been an increase in the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic families to almost one in five of all pupils. Many are in the early stages of learning English. The proportion entitled to free school meals is above average and the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school has a new headteacher and over half the staff have been replaced since the previous inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Grade: 3

The school has been accurate in judging its effectiveness to be satisfactory in most areas and good in some. The unsettled period caused by many staff changes is now over and all staff, inspired by the vision of the headteacher, show a strong determination to bring about improvement. Previous areas of weakness such as raising standards in English, mathematics and science have mostly been resolved but there is still work to do in raising standards in science. Continuing to develop the role of subject coordinators is recognised as a priority by the school. There has been a marked improvement in resources for information and communication technology (ICT) since the previous inspection. Overall, the school is providing satisfactory value for money. The children's attainment on entry to the Nursery is below that normally expected. Good teaching ensures that children settle in quickly and make good progress. Children who are in

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Grade: 3

the early stages of learning English as an additional language are supported very well and most make rapid progress. There is a strong emphasis on developing reading skills in all classes and pupils' performance throughout is above average. Standards by Year 6 in English and mathematics are broadly in line with those expected nationally with most pupils making satisfactory progress. In science, standards are below average. Inspection evidence confirms that pupils are on course to meet their targets which are higher than in 2006. Good relationships between home and school and pupils' good behaviour and attitude towards their schoolwork contribute effectively to pupils' good personal development and well-being. A third of parents, for example, returned their inspection questionnaires and virtually all were very positive showing that parents have confidence in the school. Most pupils have a very good

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Grade: 3

knowledge and understanding of religions and cultures different to their own through the well planned religious education curriculum. They clearly enjoy being at school. Good links with other schools and strong community involvement add significantly to pupils' learning experiences and prepare them well to be responsible adults. Attendance is below average but improving steadily as a result of measures taken by the school. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. In the lessons seen, the quality ranged from outstanding to inadequate. This linked closely to the quality of teachers' lesson planning. Pupils' progress and their level of concentration, for example, suffered when they were not provided with sufficiently challenging or interesting tasks to do. Assessment procedures are good and give accurate information on the standards being achieved. This information is used effectively to identify those not performing as well as expected and to set new targets

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Grade: 3

for pupils. Pastoral care and support are good and parents showed how much they appreciate this in their very positive responses to the inspection questionnaire. Academic support and guidance is satisfactory overall. Pupils regularly review their learning targets with teachers, parents meet staff twice a year to discuss them, and there is a termly review for those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However, targets set to meet the needs of all pupils are not consistently implemented by the staff. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff monitor standards closely but are just beginning to develop their role in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning to give them a clearer picture of strengths and priorities for improvement. The governing body, led by a very 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007 astute chairman, supports the school effectively but the governors' role in self-evaluation is

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Grade: 3

not fully developed. Nevertheless, the school has a good capacity to further improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in science by Year 6. • Improve the quality of teachers' planning to ensure that tasks match the needs of all pupils more closely and are purposeful and interesting. • Develop the role of subject leaders to include more involvement in rigorously monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. • Improve attendance. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Children enter the school with skills that are generally below those expected, especially in communication, language and literacy. Most make good progress especially in their personal and social and reading skills because of the good quality of provision for these aspects. By the end of their Reception year, most achieve the learning goals expected of them for this age group. In Years 1 and 2, although pupils' overall achievement is satisfactory, they do particularly well in reading. The current standards in Year 6 are broadly average in English and mathematics but below average in science. In the national tests for 11 year olds, standards tend to fluctuate from year to year depending on the number tested and the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Pupils' performance in science was well below average in 2006 but is on track to improve slightly this year. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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Grade: 3

make satisfactory progress but those learning to speak English often make good progress because of the skilled support that they receive.

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Grade: 2

Where teaching is good or outstanding, pupils behave very well in lessons and appear to enjoy school. When they are not provided with interesting or challenging tasks, many switch off and their behaviour and learning suffers. Attendance is slowly improving but remains below average despite a raft of measures to reduce absence. Most pupils show respect and consideration for others, willingly accept responsibility and are polite and helpful. The school's pupil council takes pride in its achievements, particularly in improving break times by developing the play area and reinstating the 'playground buddies'. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their spiritual development has a very high profile, reflected in assemblies and class. The inclusive nature of the school successfully develops pupils' self-esteem and confidence because everyone knows that their different achievements are valued and rewarded. Pupils understand how to keep safe and

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Grade: 2

healthy. There are good links with the wider community and other schools. Good opportunities for sport successfully promote a healthy lifestyle. Good attitudes to work and pupils' ability to get on well together are good starting points for future success in the workplace. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning varies significantly. The more effective lessons move along at a lively pace with interesting work to challenge and engage pupils so they enjoy learning and work hard. Pupils' progress is good in these lessons. Particularly outstanding teaching in Year 6 utilises humour, pace and challenge very effectively. Pupils try very hard to win the reward of 'unbelievable praise' and really enjoy their learning. Attendance in Year 6, as a result, is regularly higher than elsewhere. Teaching assistants provide satisfactory support in most activities. Typically, pupils listen well and their good relationships ensure they cooperate and work together happily. Reading and writing skills are taught well throughout the school, starting with regular focused sessions in the Foundation Stage, and these have led to improved standards. However, learning in some lessons is hampered when the pace is slow and activities are not

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Grade: 3

planned well enough to capture the interest of the pupils or meet the learning needs of different groups of pupils. In the Foundation Stage, practical investigations capture the inquisitive nature of the children well so they make good progress. However, activities planned for the outdoor area do not always have a clear focus on what the children will learn from them.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum makes suitable provision for literacy, numeracy and ICT and provides pupils with the basic skills on which to build their future learning. However, there is still work to be done to improve provision in science. Work to make learning more interesting and purposeful by linking different subjects is at an early stage of development and opportunities to develop and use ICT skills in other subjects are limited in some classes. Children in the Foundation Stage experience a well-balanced range of practical investigations. The recently implemented programme for pupils' personal and social development effectively raises their awareness of other people's feelings and reinforces good attitudes and behaviour. Pupils know how to be healthy and stay safe, are mindful of the needs of others and show an increasingly mature consideration of feelings and issues that affect their world. Enrichment activities include

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Grade: 3

frequent use of the local area, visits and visitors and enthusiastically written accounts show older pupils really enjoyed their residential trip earlier this year. After- school clubs have been extended to include a very popular art club for younger pupils.

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Grade: 2

The school is rightly proud of its good pastoral care and pupils themselves say that they feel safe in school. They trust all the adults around them because they know they will always listen and help. Good links with parents are strengthened by links through the church and the parish, so staff know the families and pupils well. Staff work hard to promote pupils' personal development and well-being, successfully raising their confidence and self-esteem so they become caring and mature individuals. Suitable arrangements are in place to ensure pupils' protection and safety. The school tracks pupils' progress well and uses the information increasingly well to set targets that pupils are keen to reach. However, the targets are not consistently implemented to meet pupils' needs. In most classes, teachers' marking tells pupils what they need to do to improve their work. Sometimes, pupils have opportunities to assess

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007 each other's work, which in turn helps them improve their own understanding of the learning process. Good support for pupils in the early stages of learning to speak English ensures that they make good all-round progress.

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Grade: 3

The new headteacher has a clear vision about the kind of school Sacred Heart should become. In the three years since being appointed, there has been a strong focus on creating a culture of shared leadership and management. The experience of the deputy headteacher has been invaluable and the senior leadership team is proving to be effective in bringing about school improvement. The management of provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the Foundation Stage is good. Staff know the school well and their evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate. Weaknesses identified in the previous inspection have mostly been corrected. Replacing half the staff has impeded the development of subject leaders' roles as new staff have needed time to undertake new roles and responsibilities. Staff regularly and carefully monitor standards but their role in monitoring and evaluating the quality

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Grade: 3

of teaching and learning is underdeveloped. As a result, the quality of teaching varies from class to class. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body is well led and the business at all meetings is carefully and thoroughly reported. Although all governors visit the school regularly, they are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of provision. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 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 3 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

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 3 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 3 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leeds, LS4 2TF. Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed talking to you all and looking at the displays of your work around school. Year 6 clearly enjoyed their residential visit! These are the other good things about your school. • Most of you enjoy being at school and all of you behave so well in class and around school. • How quickly children settle into the Nursery and the good progress most make by the time they leave Reception. Those who are learning to speak English make especially good progress. Well done to them for trying so hard. • The high standards you reach in reading, particularly in Years 1 and 2. • Your new computer suite looks fantastic and it was good to see the computer linked whiteboards being used so well in most lessons. • The school takes good care of you all and is quick to support you if you need help.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• You have good links with the church and other schools and colleges. I have asked your governors and staff to concentrate on the following to improve your school even more. • Improve the standards you reach in science by Year 6. • Make sure that your teachers always plan really interesting and challenging work that makes you have to concentrate and think hard. • Giving your teachers time to visit each other's classrooms and share good ideas. • Continue trying to improve your attendance. Thank you again, for helping us with this inspection. We hope that you will carry on enjoying everything that school offers and try your best to make it even better. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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