Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

p.1

109242 Unique Reference Number North Somerset Local Authority 288323 Inspection number 20 °21 November 2006 Inspection dates Jacqueline Ikin Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Ellenborough Park South School address Primary Type of school Weston-super-Mare Voluntary aided School category BS23 1XW 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01934 621919 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01934 621590 Fax number 192 Number on roll (school) Rosemary Mapson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Caroline Hostein Headteacher 1 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288323 20 °21 November 2006 4°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Corpus Christi is an average-sized primary school which serves three Catholic parishes. Most pupils come from White British backgrounds with one third coming from minority ethnic backgrounds. An above average number of pupils speak English as an additional language. A below average number of pupils are entitled to free school meals and a below average number have learning difficulties and disabilities. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been in post for just over a year, the school was without a deputy headteacher and the co-ordinator for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities was absent. The chair of governors had been in post for one week.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. It is benefiting from the very strong leadership of the headteacher who has a clear vision for the future of the school and an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Most of the recent improvements have been brought about as a result of her expertise and commitment. Improved provision for the Foundation Stage has resulted in the children making satisfactory progress. They reach the standards expected by the time they enter Year 1. Standards in other year groups are average and improving, most notably in reading, mathematics and science. Achievement is satisfactory, soundly preparing pupils for their future lives. However, standards and achievement in writing are not as good as they should be, particularly for more able pupils. Although teaching and learning and the curriculum are satisfactory, there are variations which result in pupils making better progress in some year groups than others. Where

p.4

Grade: 3

pupils do not make enough progress, it is mostly because of insufficient planning for their individual needs and dull teaching methods. During the inspection, some parents raised concerns about provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Inspectors mostly agree with their views and found that these pupils do better in some classes than others. There are signs of improvement. As a result of a recent staff appointment individual education plans (IEPs) are beginning to be more closely tailored to meet pupils' individual needs. The headteacher knows that more needs to be done to identify these pupils at an earlier stage, and that IEPs need to be included more in lesson planning and reviewed regularly. The good provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language means that they are able to make good progress. The care, guidance and support that the school provides are inadequate. Although

p.4

Grade: 3

there are strengths in provision for pupils' pastoral care and health and safety, the academic support and guidance that pupils receive is poor. Assessment is weak and not being used with sufficient precision to set challenging targets and plan work for pupils' different needs and capabilities. Marking of pupils' work tends to be superficial and does not provide enough guidance to help pupils understand what they have to do to improve. The school has a strong Catholic ethos and pupils' spiritual development is good. Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory and they have a satisfactory understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Behaviour is satisfactory. The good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning of most pupils, and the good contribution they make to the school community, are marred by the poor behaviour of a small minority of boys. Pupils report that behaviour is much better than it was as

p.4

Grade: 3

a result of the school taking a firmer line. The headteacher and governors are united in their determination to build on the satisfactory improvements in achievement and standards since the last inspection and to address the areas that they know need further work. However, the leadership and management of the school and its capacity to improve are judged to be satisfactory rather than good because the effectiveness of subject leaders and middle managers 2 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006 in the school's improvement work is inadequate. Although the school's overall effectiveness in satisfactory, its performance in two respects is inadequate. Before the next section 5 inspection, Ofsted inspectors may visit the school to monitor the progress that it has made in remedying these weaknesses. The school would receive two to five days notice of such a visit.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Improve provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities by making sure that all these pupils have individual educational plans matched to their needs which are reflected in teachers' planning and reviewed regularly. • Raise standards and achievement in writing by improving the level of challenge, particularly for more able pupils. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching and learning by making more accurate use of assessment to set targets, guide pupils' progress towards them and plan work which meets pupils' different needs. • Ensure that middle managers and subject leaders take on their full roles and responsibilities for raising standards and achievement in their curriculum areas.

p.5

Grade: 3

Attainment on entry to the Reception class is average. The children make satisfactory progress during their Reception Year and most reach the standards expected for children of a similar age. There are variations in pupils' progress between year groups and between subjects but achievement for most pupils is satisfactory and standards are average by Year 2 and Year 6. The school is successfully improving standards in mathematics and science, for example, in Year 2 and Year 6, by improving pupils' skills in applying their knowledge of number to problem solving and their factual knowledge of science in investigational tasks. An improved focus on helping pupils to link letters to the sounds they make is improving standards of reading. Writing has not improved to the same extent and more able pupils do not achieve as much as they should in the subject. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve as well as their classmates

p.5

Grade: 3

and those who speak English as an additional language do well because of the good support that they receive. The achievement of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is not always as good as it should be because of insufficient planning for their needs.

p.5

Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is satisfactory. Spiritual development is a particular strength. Pupils' enjoyment of learning is satisfactory but varies according to the quality of teaching. They 'switch off' when they have to sit for too long listening to their teacher or when tasks are either too easy or too difficult for them. Behaviour is satisfactory. 3 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006 Although most pupils behave well, this is marred by the challenging behaviour of a small minority of boys. The work of the learning mentor is making a considerable contribution to improving matters. Pupils have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe and a satisfactory awareness of how to lead healthy lives. They make a good contribution to the school and wider community, for example, through their

p.5

Grade: 3

work on the school council and by singing outside Tesco's at Christmas. They are soundly prepared for their future lives. Attendance is satisfactory.

p.6

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory but there are variations between classes. During the inspection, good teaching was seen in Years 2 and 6, where skilled questioning and lively explanations successfully captured pupils' interest and tasks met the needs of most pupils well. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Satisfactory attention is given to the development of pupils' communication, language and listening skills. Weaknesses occur when planning does not build on what has gone before and there is insufficient focus on what pupils of different capabilities are to know, understand and be able to do as a result of the lesson. Tasks are much the same for all pupils in these lessons and teaching methods are uninspiring. As a result most pupils mark time because those with learning difficulties and disabilities struggle to understand and the more able finish quickly and are bored. There is a particular lack of challenge for

p.6

Grade: 3

The school provides a generally satisfactory curriculum. Provision for Reception- aged pupils has improved since the last inspection, as has music and art. Good use is made of visits and after school activities to add interest to the curriculum. There is sound provision for personal and social education and citizenship and good provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language. The curriculum does not always meet the needs of pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities. Provision for more able pupils is satisfactory; however, the writing curriculum does not always include the challenging work that they need. The use of ICT to support learning across the curriculum varies but is satisfactory. The new interactive whiteboards are contributing to this.

p.6

Grade: 4

Care, guidance and support are inadequate. Pupils receive good pastoral care. Child protection procedures are well managed and regular health and safety checks are 4 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006 carried out. The academic support and the guidance that pupils receive are weak. Not enough use is made of assessment and information from setting targets to plan precisely for pupils' varying capabilities and to give them the advice and support that they need to make progress. There is limited use of ongoing assessment to check how well pupils are getting on and to plan the next steps in learning. Marking is not used well enough to help pupils know what they have to do to improve. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive good personal care. The academic support and guidance that they receive falls short because when targets are set they are too general and individual

p.6

Grade: 4

education plans are not reviewed often enough.

p.7

Grade: 3

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The leadership of the headteacher is a particular strength. She has initiated many improvements in spite of a very heavy workload. Not all staff fully understand their role in monitoring and influencing teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility. Their effectiveness in influencing standards and achievement is inadequate because of this. Performance management is satisfactory and firmly linked to improving standards. Satisfactory monitoring and evaluation procedures by the headteacher include consultations with all those with an interest in the school. The information gained from this monitoring is used appropriately to inform the school's plans for improvement. The governance of the school is satisfactory and the new chair of governors has a good understanding of his role. 5 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.7

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: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.9

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: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed talking to you and watching you learn and play. We can see why you mostly like your school and agree that it gives you a sound education. What we found out about your school: • Your headteacher is doing a good job in helping the school to get better. • You are now doing better in reading, mathematics and science. • The school has a calm atmosphere which helps you think about the wonder of the world about you and of your special place within it. • We think that the school council works well and that you do a lot to help the school run smoothly. • The school keeps you safe and helps you understand how to keep yourselves safe and healthy. What we think needs to be improved: • The way the school helps you to reach higher standards in writing. • The ways that it helps those of you who struggle with your work to do the very best that

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you can. • The way that teachers plan for your different learning needs in lessons and the support and guidance that they give you to help you improve your work. • To make sure that all those who help your headteacher to manage the school understand what they have to do. 9 Inspection Report: Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, 20 °21 November 2006

p.11