Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 20 Sept 2006

Inspection Report - Amended Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School

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120186 Unique Reference Number Leicester City Local Authority 291660 Inspection number 19 °20 September 2006 Inspection dates Graeme Bassett 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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Thurcaston Road School address Primary Type of school Leicester Voluntary aided School category LE4 5PG 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0116 2665790 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0116 2680511 Fax number 215 Number on roll (school) Jan Kirkham Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mary-Ann Davis Headteacher 1 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291660 19 °20 September 2006 3°11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report updated to resolve formatting inconsistency

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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

St Peter's is an average-sized primary school situated to the north of Leicester city. The school serves a socially and economically disadvantaged area and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. Children enter the Foundation Stage with skills that are exceptionally low. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average. A few pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. Following two years of severe disruption in staffing that included two acting headteachers in post, the present headteacher took up her appointment in January 2005. Several staff changes have been made since then.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a rapidly improving school where the overall effectiveness is currently satisfactory. The headteacher has worked tirelessly since her appointment to successfully establish a stable staffing following a period of severe disruption that caused a significant drop in pupils' standards and achievement and provoked dire behaviour and unacceptable attitudes. Under her good leadership and management, with the conscientious support of the senior staff, the school has a good capacity for further improvement. The headteacher provides the driving force behind the school's developments. This has been most noticeable over the past year as the pupils' standards and achievements have been rigorously improved, particularly in Years 3 to 6. However, many improvements will take more time to have an impact. The school now provides a secure environment where the pupils' personal development and well-being are good. This is very evident in the pupils' good social and cultural

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Grade: 3

development and in their moral development, which is outstanding. Pupils have a strong awareness of how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They feel safe and have a good understanding of the need to be aware of the safety of others. Pupils enjoy coming to school, although a small proportion still arrive late or have too many absences. With substantial improvement in behaviour and attitudes, the school has a purposeful and happy atmosphere. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage classes are good. As a result of the good teaching and curriculum here, nearly all children achieve well, even though their standards are still below average at the end of the Foundation Stage. Good teaching throughout Years 1 and 2 ensures that by the end of Year 2 standards are broadly average and pupils' progress is good. This good progress has been evident for several years but in the past, pupils' progress was not sustained

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Grade: 3

throughout Years 3 to 6. Consequently, recent standards in Years 6 have been well below average and pupils' achievement in relation to their starting points and capabilities has been exceptionally low. This decline has now been halted. Currently the pupils in Year 6 are achieving the standards expected for their age and their progress has accelerated. Although standards now are broadly average and achievement is satisfactory, pupils' progress is not as strong in Years 3 to 6 as it is lower down the school. In these years, although teaching is satisfactory, the quality of pupils' work is often spoilt by poor presentation and untidy handwriting that goes unchecked. Comments in the marking are not always followed up immediately and used to set pupils targets that show them how they can improve. The school has adopted the local authority assessment recording system to check on how well pupils are doing. However, it has not yet resolved how

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Grade: 3

these records can be used most effectively by teachers to analyse how well each pupil is progressing and what each pupil needs to be taught next.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop the use of assessment records to check and analyse each pupil's progress and to identify what they need to be taught next. 2 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006 • Ensure marking in Years 3 to 6 is followed up and used to set targets for pupils that they understand and that help them to improve their work. • Ensure that the quality of pupils' work in Years 3 to 6 is improved through better presentation and neater handwriting.

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Grade: 3

Children enter the school with exceptionally low attainment but nearly all make good progress and achieve well in relation to their starting points. Even though the children's progress is good, standards in writing and numeracy are still below the national average at the end of the Foundation Stage. Good progress is continued throughout Years 1 and 2 and, by the end of Year 2, standards are broadly average. In recent years the severe staffing problems had a detrimental effect upon pupils' attitudes and behaviour, especially throughout Years 3 to 6. Consequently, pupils significantly underachieved in 2005 and 2006 and standards in English and mathematics were well below average. Nevertheless, the improvements made by the new headteacher have halted this decline. Last school year, most Year 6 pupils made significant progress during their last two terms, although this was too late to compensate for their earlier

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Grade: 3

lack of progress. Standards in the current Year 6 are a lot better and are broadly average. These pupils' achievement is satisfactory in relation to their standards on entry to Year 3.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management have had an astounding impact upon raising the standards of pupils' personal development and well-being in particular after they had declined in recent years. Children enter Foundation 1 with exceptionally low levels of personal and emotional skills. The moral development of pupils now in Year 6 is outstanding. Their spiritual development is satisfactory and their social and cultural development is good. Behaviour has improved substantially and pupils' attitudes are good. The attendance rate is average and is better than it was. Most pupils come to school on time but, despite the school's strenuous efforts to encourage regular attendance, there is still a small core of pupils whose attendance is unsatisfactory. Most pupils enjoy school and their learning. They get on well together and many say that they have very good friends. They understand the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and how to keep fit.

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Grade: 2

They know how to keep themselves safe and are aware of the need for the safety of others. Pupils respond well to opportunities to take on responsibility within the school community, particularly as a representative on the school council. This, together with their satisfactory level of skills in literacy and numeracy, prepares them for their next school. 3 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006

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Grade: 3

Over the past year teaching and learning have improved and are now satisfactory overall. The improved consistency of teaching is now having a significant effect upon raising pupils' standards and achievement. Good use of interactive whiteboards and the increased use of information and communication technology (ICT) are raising pupils' expectations of what they can do contribute to their enjoyment of lessons. In Foundation 1 to Year 2, challenging and enjoyable tasks are planned for the different ability groups, including pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. These activities, well matched to different needs, help pupils to sustain concentration effectively. Expectations of the standards pupils are capable of attaining are particularly high in the Foundation Stage. In Years 3 to 6 more needs to be done to increase the rate of progress. Remarks made by teachers in pupils' books give good pointers to show how pupils can improve, but

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Grade: 3

it is rare for these comments to be followed up immediately or used to set targets for individuals. As a result, the areas identified for improvement are not as effective as they should be in moving learning on. Whole-class targets for English and mathematics are prominently displayed in Years 3 to 6 but the different levels are not always explained so that pupils understand clearly what they need to do to improve. In many cases the untidy presentation and handwriting in pupils' work is not corrected.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It makes a strong contribution to pupils' personal development, such as through the attention given to moral development and issues such as healthy eating. In Foundation 1 and Foundation 2 classes the areas of learning are planned well and activities are interesting and enjoyable. In other classes the teachers are beginning to teach English and ICT skills through other subjects. This is an area in which more work is needed and which reduces the overall effectiveness of the curriculum, especially in Years 3 to 6. Strengths are evident in the arts and in physical education. Games and physical activities organised at playtimes are appreciated by all pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and also those with English as an additional language are supported well. The enrichment to the curriculum through out-of-lesson clubs and activities is good. 'Gifted and talented' pupils are catered for effectively. Clubs such as guitar club

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Grade: 3

are supported enthusiastically. 4 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good because of the high priority given to pupils' personal welfare. Staff know pupils well and create a positive climate for learning. Good emphasis is placed on ensuring high standards of behaviour and, as a result, pupils now feel safe and secure. There are good strategies to support pupils' personal development and this is very evident in their social and moral development. Teachers and assistants give particularly good care and support to the children in the Foundation Stage and, as a result, children settle to the routines of the school very quickly. Those with English as an additional language are given good support in the development of their skills in spoken English. The assessment records for English and mathematics result in satisfactory monitoring of pupils' progress. The school recognises that the systems in place are not yet used fully to analyse each individual pupil's progress. The

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Grade: 2

school has not yet shaped the local authority recording system records to suit the needs of the teachers and pupils.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy and senior staff, has turned this school round. She has a very clear vision for the future and, as a result, the school has good capacity to improve further. Rigorous routines and well thought out strategies have already brought about good behaviour and improved pupils' attitudes. Although many of the improvements will take time to have a full impact, it is clear that from within this safe and purposeful atmosphere pupils are now achieving satisfactorily and standards have improved. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and forms the basis of a good improvement plan containing clear priorities. Senior staff effectively carry out a vital management role in monitoring and evaluating the school's growth and performance. This enables good identification and development of training sessions to ensure that standards continue to rise.

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Grade: 2

The governing body is knowledgeable and supports improvements effectively, especially evident in the recent improvements to the accommodation. All pupils are included well in all that the school does. Parents are more involved in the life of the school than previously, but further work is needed to foster a full partnership that will benefit their children. The school has taken the necessary steps to promote improvements since the appointment of the present headteacher and provides satisfactory value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 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? 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

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. 7 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 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: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking with you and looking at your work. We particularly like your art work and the way the school is calm and welcoming. We found your school to be a happy place. It is providing you with a satisfactory education and is improving. These are the things that are good: • The younger children get off to a good start. • Your behaviour is good and you get on well together. • Your attitudes are good and your work is improving. • Your headteacher manages the school well and is helping it to be better. • You have an excellent understanding of what is right and wrong. • Your teachers and all other adults give you good care and support. We want your school to improve and we have asked your headteacher and governors to: • Make better use of the information your teachers keep about your progress when they plan their lessons. • Make sure that when your work is marked, that you are set targets and you know what you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

have to do to improve. • Help you to improve the quality of your work with neater presentation and hand writing. Thank you once again for helping us on our visit. 9 Inspection Report: Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School, 19 °20 September 2006

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