Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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109266 Unique Reference Number South Gloucestershire Local Authority 309946 Inspection number 13 November 2008 Inspection date Joanna Pike Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 141 School (total) 21 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mell Pott Chair Dawn Breeze Headteacher 29 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Amberley Road School address Patchway Bristol BS34 6BY

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4–11 Age group 13 November 2008 Inspection date 309946 Inspection number 01454 866786 Telephone number 01454 866788 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 13 November 2008 Inspection date 309946 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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This small primary school has provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the Reception class. There is also a privately run pre-school group on the school's site. The majority of pupils are of White British origin. A fifth of children come from Traveller families of Irish Heritage. Many of these children are absent from school for long periods of time. The number of pupils leaving and joining the school is higher than in most schools. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is slightly above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is similar to most schools. The school has gained the Activemark award, Healthy School status and is an Eco-School.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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Grade: 3

Holy Family is a satisfactory school. Good provision for pupils' personal development, as well as effective pastoral care, results in pupils having very positive attitudes to their learning. As one child said, 'We do lots of interesting things in lessons.' A significant contribution to pupils' enjoyment of school is the positive ethos that engenders very good relationships. Pupils' behaviour is good around school and in lessons, where pupils work very hard. They have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and enthusiastically take part in the wide variety of opportunities to exercise. Children enter the Reception class with knowledge and skills that are below expectations, with a significant proportion having very limited language and number skills. Pupils make satisfactory progress from the EYFS through to Year 6. By Year 6, standards overall are slightly below average but there is variation in different areas. In writing and mathematics, standards are

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Grade: 3

below average, whilst standards in reading and science are broadly average. Progress in writing and mathematics is not rapid enough to overcome many pupils' initial weaknesses. The school is making good use of tracking information to identify pupils who are underachieving and providing support to help them catch up. This is beginning to have a positive impact. Over the last two years, results in Year 2 have begun to rise, and in 2008, pupils who are Travellers of Irish Heritage did better than similar pupils nationally. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and there are good features. In some lessons, teachers make it clear to pupils what they will learn. Pupils understand the steps they need to make in lessons to improve and reach their targets, and they are kept learning at a brisk pace. However, there are occasions when teachers do not give pupils a clear explanation of what they will learn, or link this to their targets.

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Grade: 3

The good curriculum is enriched with trips and visits. The use of themes that link several subjects together is adding to pupils' enjoyment. This new development is beginning to give pupils good opportunities to apply their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. The curriculum in the EYFS does not have enough opportunities for children to overcome weaknesses in language and number skills. Parents greatly appreciate the good pastoral care. As one parent said, 'a happy, warm caring school'. Academic guidance is good overall, but the quality of marking and use of targets varies from excellent to adequate. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher provides good leadership, and, with senior leaders, is beginning to make good use of tracking information to identify individual pupils who are underachieving. However, this information is not used to check whether all groups of pupils are doing equally well or to measure the impact of different support strategies

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Grade: 3

Good provision for children's social and emotional development ensures that they make good progress. All children reach or exceed expectations in this area by the end of the year. Children experience a good range of activities, including a balance between teacher-led sessions and those that are play-based. Adults are adept at extending children's learning through questioning. Good use is made of the outdoor area which benefits children's creative and physical 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008 development. Most children are able to work well independently within their first term in school. However, because activities do not always have a strong enough focus on encouraging language and mathematical development, children's progress is only satisfactory in these areas. Children quickly settle because of the good induction arrangements and effective pastoral care.

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Grade: 3

Expectations are high, and so most children behave well. Good relationships help children to develop positive attitudes towards learning. Assessment is thorough and used well to plan children's next steps. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Better use of the outdoor area and good provision of independent activities are improvements since the previous inspection. However, not enough attention has been paid to strengthening provision to support the development of children's language and mathematical skills.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ In the EYFS, maximise opportunities for children to develop their language and mathematical skills so they make better progress. ■ Raise standards and achievement in mathematics and writing by spreading the good practice in teaching, particularly in clarifying the aims of each lesson and helping pupils know how to improve. ■ Make better use of tracking information to check the progress of different groups and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before the next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Standards at the end of Year 6 overall are slightly below average and achievement is satisfactory. In 2007, results for Year 6 dipped, and a significant number of pupils underachieved. These were either new to the school or were pupils from Traveller families of Irish Heritage who had had high absence. Those pupils who had been at the school since Year 2, and had attended regularly, made satisfactory progress. Results in 2008 showed improvement in the proportion of pupils gaining higher levels in English and science. Progress was satisfactory for the majority of pupils, but with some variation across subjects. In mathematics, many pupils have weaknesses in their knowledge and understanding of number facts and this hinders their calculation skills. The school is sensibly addressing this through a strong focus on learning multiplication tables and understanding how to apply their knowledge. In English, pupils' reading skills are stronger

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Grade: 3

than those in writing. Improving writing is a whole school priority, and pupils' skills in punctuation and vocabulary are being developed more systematically. The school has put in place several intervention groups to help boost pupils' progress, especially for those pupils who are Travellers of Irish Heritage who are absent for lengthy periods of time. School data show that many pupils who receive extra support are making much better progress, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Results for Year 2 in 2008 improved from being significantly below to just below average. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils feel safe and cared for, though a few commented that occasionally others behave roughly. However, they are confident that any bullying or friendship problems are dealt with swiftly. They understand risks, for example when using the Internet. As a result of the school's Catholic ethos, pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. They have good self-awareness and can empathise with others. Their knowledge of different cultures is good and their understanding of the diversity of society in Britain today is well developed. Pupils are polite to visitors and show good self-confidence. The school council gives pupils an effective voice. Older pupils benefit from the opportunities to contribute to the community, but there are fewer opportunities for younger pupils. Team and enterprise skills are promoted well through special events such as visits to local businesses and fund raising. With a reasonably sound base of literacy, numeracy

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Grade: 2

and ICT skills, pupils are adequately prepared for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 3

Planning is effective and work is matched well to learners' needs. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good and this results in pupils being confident to 'have a go'. In some classes, good use is made of displays which explain how to be successful in lessons. Progress is limited in lessons where objectives are unclear or the pace slows. On occasions, teachers miss opportunities for pupils to explain their ideas and thinking. Teaching assistants manage a large range of intervention groups well so that pupils' progress is beginning to improve. This also helps those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to make similar progress to their peers.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum has an appropriate emphasis on literacy, numeracy and ICT. Planning for each theme includes opportunities to apply these skills, but these are not yet developed systematically across the school. Pupils and parents value the very good range of clubs and activities, including residential trips, which are offered outside of lessons. Special events, such as arts week, World Focus day and multifaith week, further enrich the curriculum, and help promote pupils' good cultural understanding. The school makes very good use of the local environment to extend the range of activities offered to pupils. All these features increase pupils' enjoyment, self-confidence and positive attitudes towards learning. As one parent said, 'a great place to be at school'.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care and support are a real strength. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust and meet current guidelines. Care and support given to vulnerable pupils are good. In particular, the school has done a great deal to help forge closer partnerships with Traveller families of Irish Heritage, so that children's learning can be better supported. The school works effectively with external organisations, which strengthens its ability to support and help pupils. Effective 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008 procedures to encourage good attendance have been put in place. As a result, the rate of attendance has risen to be in line with national figures. In some classes, pupils know their targets and good use of them is made in lessons and marking. However, this good practice is not yet consistent across the school, so some pupils do not know their targets and marking

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Grade: 3

The headteacher is determined to improve pupils' achievement and staff share this drive for improvement. Subject leaders carry out regular checks to ensure that pupils' knowledge, understanding and skills are built progressively across the school. However, monitoring of teaching is not rigorous enough to ensure that teaching, marking and the use of targets is consistently good across the school. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. The school development plan identifies appropriate priorities. It is very thorough, but it is not clear which are the key priorities on which to focus attention. The steady improvement in results in Year 2 and the more rapid progress of pupils getting extra support shows a positive impact from the school's actions. However, the school does not have a clear view of which intervention strategies are most successful in accelerating learning. While these initiatives are at an early stage, they

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Grade: 3

demonstrate that the school has satisfactory capacity to improve. Governors, many of whom are new, are kept well informed through good links with each subject. However, governors do not yet have sufficient knowledge about national and school data to ask searching questions about the school's performance. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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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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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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learners?

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

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

14 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Bristol BS34 6BY It was good to come and see you at your school! Thank you for making us so welcome, talking to us and helping us during the school's inspection. We especially enjoyed the good discussions we had with some of you. We learned a lot. Currently, your school is giving you a satisfactory education. Here are some of the most important bits of the inspection report that I thought you might like to know about:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You work hard in lessons and make steady progress so that you reach average standards in reading and science by the end of Year 6. ■ Your personal development is good; you really enjoy your time in school. Your behaviour is good. ■ Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers make lessons interesting and fun.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers work hard to give you a good curriculum, which has exciting events such as trips out. ■ The school does a good job in making sure that you all feel safe, settled and secure.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way the school is led and managed is satisfactory and your headteacher, staff and governors are working hard so you can all do even better. To improve further, we have suggested that the school does three things:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that activities in the Reception class include lots of opportunities to improve children's reading, writing and mathematics. ■ Help you to achieve even better in writing and in mathematics by making it clear what you are going to learn in lessons, and giving you good advice for reaching your targets. ■ Check to see if the things done to help those of you who fall behind, such as the support groups, are working well. Thank you again for all your help. Yours sincerely Joanna Pike Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Holy Family Catholic Primary School, 13 November 2008

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