St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel

Inspection Report St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel

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126036 Unique Reference Number West Sussex LEA 293442 Inspection number 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006 Inspection dates Heather Yaxley HMI Reporting inspector

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

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London Road School address Primary Type of school Arundel Voluntary aided School category West Sussex BN18 9BA 5 to 11 Age range of pupils 01903 882115 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01903 883038 Fax number 197 Number on roll Prof Paul Webb Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Margaret Fraher Headteacher 5 March 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293442 28 June 2006 - 5 to 11 29 June 2006 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 of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

St Philip’s is a one-form entry Catholic Voluntary Aided school, with 62% of pupils being Catholic. The school serves the Catholic parishes of Arundel and Storrington and although pupils from other Christian denominations and faiths bring diversity, the main ethos is of the Catholic tradition. The school has increased in size since the last inspection. Pupils come from a range of different social backgrounds. The vast majority are from White British heritage and no pupils are registered as entitled to free school meals. There is some mobility when a small but significant number of older pupils go on to private education. Two pupils are learning English as an additional language, two are looked after by a local authority and 15% have been identified as having learning difficulties or disabilities.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006

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Grade: 2

St Philip’s is a one-form entry Catholic Voluntary Aided school, with 62% of pupils being Catholic. The school serves the Catholic parishes of Arundel and Storrington and although pupils from other Christian denominations and faiths bring diversity, the main ethos is of the Catholic tradition. The school has increased in size since the last inspection. Pupils come from a range of different social backgrounds. The vast majority are from White British heritage and no pupils are registered as entitled to free school meals. There is some mobility when a small but significant number of older pupils go on to private education. Two pupils are learning English as an additional language, two are looked after by a local authority and 15% have been identified as having learning difficulties or disabilities.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards for older pupils in mathematics and science and in all subjects for those pupils who are most able. • Continue to improve provision for ICT. • Continue to improve procedures for ongoing assessment and tracking of progress to ensure that teachers’ planning is informed and meets the needs of pupils of all abilities.

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Grade: 3

When pupils first enter the Reception class, the majority have skills that are broadly average for their age. At the end of Year 6, standards remain broadly average although standards in science are declining. However, indicators for 2006 show that standards are beginning to rise, with more pupils reaching higher levels of work, especially at the end of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Overall, the progress that pupils make is satisfactory; it shows some improvement over the past three years but varies between subjects and age groups. Targets are challenging but they are not always met, particularly by older and more able pupils. Progress in English shows consistent improvement and it is now good for the majority of pupils. Test results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2006 show that some pupils did not make enough progress in science, and progress in mathematics remains satisfactory. Girls and boys achieve equally and those with learning difficulties or disabilities often

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Grade: 3

make good progress. Systems to monitor progress are being developed so that staff can track rates of progress more accurately.

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Grade: 2

The progress that pupils make in their personal development is good, and often outstanding. Pupils participate fully in all learning and social opportunities offered to 2 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006 them. They undoubtedly enjoy their education, as is shown by their infectious enthusiasm and exemplary attitudes to learning. Attendance is average. Pupils of all ages are very keen to take responsibility for their part in the life of the school, ably supported by a very active and well-established school council. They are proud to have been involved in extending the Fort Henry play equipment, organising a disco and helping with plans to redesign parts of the building. Contribution to the wider community is outstanding and supports very strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Activities within the parish include charity work with the hospice

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Grade: 2

and activities linked with the cathedral. The way in which pupils of all ages respond to initiatives to promote healthy living is excellent. They take opportunities to exercise and eat healthily in school, and are already thinking about how to look after themselves in the future, for example in relation to smoking. Excellent behaviour by the vast majority of pupils enables them to feel safe and confident. The work of peer mediators makes a significant contribution to pupils helping one another to resolve any difficulties as they arise. Excellent relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and staff mean pupils confidently seek help when they need it. These skills prepare pupils very well for the next stage in their lives although not all pupils make expected progress in their basic skills.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. Strong relationships underpin a blend of good management of pupils and a good range of teaching methods. Lessons are conducted in a constructive atmosphere and pupils are motivated to learn. They enjoy their lessons, are attentive and sustain their levels of concentration exceptionally well. This results in a brisk pace to their learning. Teaching initiatives introduced to develop speaking and listening skills have been very effective and pupils of all ages are confident and articulate. The quality of planning is good but does not always offer enough challenge especially for those who are most able. Systems for teachers to monitor progress using ongoing assessments are being developed but are relatively new. Marking is adequate. At its best, it is helpful in making clear to pupils what they need to do to improve and encourages them to evaluate their own work. However, this is not a consistent picture.

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Grade: 2

Those with learning difficulties or disabilities make good progress because tasks set by the coordinator meet their needs and teaching assistants give good support. Parents and carers are supportive and are closely involved in their children’s learning.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is of good quality. It is particularly strong in developing pupils’ creative, artistic and musical skills, following the initiative of Excellence and Enjoyment in 3 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006 Schools. A good start has been made in linking subjects together to provide a broad curriculum. The all-pervading Catholic ethos of the school is most influential. It develops pupils’ concepts of service to the community and spirituality and helps them develop a strong moral framework. The good accommodation has been designed to support the curriculum. There is a well-equipped library which encourages pupils’ reading and research. However, the use of ICT to support other subjects is less effective because the current arrangements do not fully meet pupils’ needs. The accessibility and reliability of the equipment and opportunities to research using the internet are

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Grade: 2

inadequate. Excellent after-school activities, visits to local places of interest and visitors who come into the school increase pupils’ enjoyment and give extra opportunities for success in drama, music and sports. Pupils’ personal, social and health education is of good quality, with emphasis placed on their well-being, a healthy life style and citizenship.

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Grade: 2

The school takes good care of its pupils and procedures for child protection are good. The strong Catholic ethos is evident in the exceptional pastoral care of pupils. This has a very positive influence on their attitudes and behaviour and on their enjoyment of school. The many creative opportunities that are given in the curriculum also contribute to this enjoyment. The support for academic achievement through ongoing assessment is relatively new and although suitable procedures are in place, they have not yet had enough effect on standards. The provision for those who are vulnerable or who have additional learning needs is good and pupils feel safe. The school has close links with the high school and pupils are helped to make a smooth transition to secondary education. They attend a science and ICT workshop as part of this process. Parents and carers are welcomed to the school and are very well informed about school life. Many benefit from the curriculum

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Grade: 2

meetings held by teachers and take part in parent forums. Parents have confidence in the school and one said, ‘I am particularly struck by the caring, nurturing environment that St Philip’s offers’. Another parent said, ‘The school promotes independence and definitely provides security and stability for the children’.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, assistant headteachers and governors make a good contribution to pupils’ progress and to continuing school improvement. They accurately evaluate the quality of what they do and regularly seek the views of others. By prioritising areas for development, they have been effective in implementing changes, although some of these have not been in place long enough to make sufficient difference to pupils’ performance. However, the importance placed on improving pastoral aspects of the school, such as behaviour and attitudes, together with good development of provision, is now beginning to make a positive difference. Priorities identified by the senior 4 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006 management team include assessment and tracking procedures, together with a continuing focus on progress for the most able pupils. These priorities are suitable for

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Grade: 2

the school at its current stage of development. Monitoring of teaching is good and the introduction of systems to track achievement is helping to inform leaders and managers of the progress made by different groups of learners. This needs to be further extended by ensuring that better use is made of assessment information. The governing body is particularly effective in making sure that the headteacher has the support she needs to improve resources and develop the skills of staff. Good teamwork and reorganisation of staff responsibilities have resulted in good progress in issues raised at the last inspection and this shows a good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, 28 June 2006 to 29 June 2006

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Overall

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

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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needs and interests of learners?

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

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You may remember that we came to inspect your school during the week when you were celebrating the feast of St Peter and St Paul at the cathedral. It was a pleasure to visit you, to talk with many of you about what you think about St Philip’s and to see all the good work that you are doing in school. We have also taken into account the many completed questionnaires and the comments made to us by your families. We found that St Philip’s is a good school and getting better all the time. You are very happy to be in school. You are particularly well behaved in lessons and at play times. The work that you do for others in the community is excellent. We particularly enjoyed listening to the music lessons and drama going on outside the room where we were working. We also found that some of you are not achieving as much as you should in mathematics, science and ICT so we have asked Mrs Fraher and the staff to look at how they assess and track how well you are doing.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We hope that you will read our full report with your families (it isn’t too long!) and that you will talk to Mrs Fraher about how you can all help to make your school even better than it is already. Thank you again and we wish you well in all that you want to achieve for yourselves in the future. Heather Yaxley John Parsons

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