St Wilfrids Catholic Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 12 Mar 2008

St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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126035 Unique Reference Number West Sussex Local Authority 315406 Inspection number 11 °12 March 2008 Inspection dates Linda Kelsey HMI 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 114 School The governing body Appropriate authority Paul Dailey Chair Marianna Emery Headteacher 1 December 2003 Date of previous school inspection Arundel Road School address Angmering Littlehampton BN16 4JR 01903 782188 Telephone number 01903 850751 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 11 °12 March 2008 Inspection dates 315406 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This small school situated in the heart of the village has four mixed age classes. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is higher than the national average. Their special educational needs include speech and language difficulties and autism. Pupil mobility is high and the proportion of pupils with English as an additional language, whilst low, is increasing. Over the last year, the school has experienced a high turnover of staff. The school has received a number of awards including the Active Mark, Investors in Health and the Silver Eco Award.

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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: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. There are some good features, including the provision for, and progress of, children in the Foundation Stage, the personal development of pupils, curriculum provision and the care guidance and support offered to children. It currently provides an adequate standard of education where pupils are making satisfactory progress against their starting points. Standards and achievement fluctuate from year to year and the school has not sufficiently analysed where there are weaknesses affecting pupils' progress over time. Standards of pupils in Year 2 and 6 are currently below average overall when compared to national averages. However, last years' tests indicate that standards were above average for these year groups. The fluctuation in standards is partly because of the small cohorts of pupils, high levels of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and the higher than average mobility. However,

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Grade: 3

it is also because there has been a high turnover of teaching staff in the last few years and this mobility has caused weaknesses in teaching. The curriculum is good and offers a wide range of subjects and after-school activities. Whilst pupils are making good progress in some classes, because of the good teaching they receive, this is not the case for them all. There is also some inadequate teaching, which is preventing pupils' progress from being better than satisfactory. Pupils' workbooks illustrate that many of them have some catching up to do in order to achieve their targets. School assessment data also indicates that not all pupils are making the best progress they could as they move through Key Stage 2. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory and improving. The support for pupils with English as an additional language is also satisfactory. As a result, many of them quickly adjust to school

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Grade: 3

life, make friends and acquire satisfactory language skills to access the rest of the curriculum. The personal development and well-being of pupils is good overall. Most pupils conduct themselves in an orderly way around the school and are polite and friendly. Pupils say they feel safe and know how to keep healthy and many choose to eat fruit. Pupils enjoy school. They are articulate and express their opinions confidently, which they do at the school council meetings. They are proud of the fact that they have influenced some of the improvements, such as the new toilets. Their involvement in decision-making is preparing them for their future. The behaviour of pupils, whilst satisfactory overall, varies, particularly when teaching is at its weakest. In the past, the school has had to exclude children for a fixed term because of challenging behaviour. Currently there are no excluded pupils. This is because the school gives

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Grade: 3

good care, guidance and support and has put in additional resources such as teaching assistants to support the most vulnerable pupils. The many changes in staff have caused inconsistency in practice and this has contributed to the slower pace of improvement over time. Where teaching is good, pupils are more challenged, the pace of lessons increases and, consequently, good progress is made. In other classes, where pace is slower, the work offered to pupils is not sufficiently challenging to keep them motivated at all times. Consequently, some become bored and start to misbehave. Pupils said they did not like it when some children misbehaved because they could not concentrate on their work. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning is satisfactory; some is good and focuses highly on the outcomes for pupils. Some senior members of staff have a good understanding

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Grade: 3

of the wealth of data the school has and there are now good pupil tracking procedures. However, the self-evaluation of the school is inaccurate in its assessment of how good the school is because there is a lack of understanding of the performance data by some senior members of the leadership team. Procedures are in place to support professional development of staff, and good use has been made of outside agencies and support services to improve professional 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008 development and to increase the expertise of the inclusion manager and assessment co-ordinator. As a result, the senior leadership team is gaining in its confidence to have a more strategic overview of the school performance and how the school can improve. Governance of the school is good and governors are becoming more involved through their developing roles and assignments to year groups.

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Grade: 2

Provision for the youngest children is good. The room is a good size and is well organised with good resources. The teacher responsible for the Reception children has carefully planned an exciting and challenging curriculum, which links all the areas of learning together. Good use is made of the outside areas to extend pupils' experiences and choice. Teaching is good and, as a result, children are making good progress. Consequently, when they leave the Foundation Stage, they are well prepared for Key Stage 1 because they have reached the expected level of achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards of achievement and improve the rates of pupils' progress through more informed and better quality teaching. ■ Strengthen the evaluation of the schools' processes by making more informed use of the data about the pupils' overall performance and progress. 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

Standards are currently below average but have fluctuated over time from above average to below. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were above average in 2007, based on mathematics and science papers and teachers' assessment. The English scripts were unfortunately lost in transit but teachers' assessments confirmed that their results would have been in line with those in with mathematics and science. At Key Stage 1, standards were also above average in 2007 but, likewise, they are below average for the current Year 2. Cohorts vary and proportions of pupils with learning difficulties are high in the current top end of the school. Four in ten children in the top two year groups have a learning difficulty or disability. On present performance and school data, the targets, whilst realistic, are below national average for the current Year 6. They are also below average for Year 5. School data also indicates that progress

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Grade: 3

has been more variable over time and that this can be linked to changes in teaching staff.

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Grade: 2

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good. Pupils' attitudes to school are good and pupils are enthusiastic about their work. They enjoy being part of the school council and in taking responsibility for house captaincy. Pupils also independently run an assembly each week and incorporate into this their own interests and hobbies. They play safely and get on well together, and the school is a calm and harmonious environment in which most pupils can learn. However, occasionally behaviour is unsatisfactory. Pupils admitted that the noise level at times affects their ability to learn. A few parents commented on the poor behaviour of some pupils. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008 Pupils take initiatives, get involved in local events through their church, and raise money for charities both locally and internationally. Many take the opportunity to walk to school on the

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Grade: 2

allocated days. Pupils contribute to the community through their participation in local events and fundraising, as well as entertaining pensioners and singing in local carol services. The weakness in core skills means that for some pupils, their economic well-being is not as secure as it should be.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory overall but ranges from good to inadequate. Teaching over time has been inconsistent and some year groups have experienced many different teachers. This has had an impact on the progress that has been made over time. Some current teaching is good, making good use of assessment data to ensure that work is challenging for the pupils. All teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and, where teaching is good, planning takes account of pupils' past performance, using assessment data. Teachers mark work well. However, at times, pupils spend too long on the carpet, or in getting themselves organised with resources or just in settling down to do the activity. At these times, pace is slow and pupils say that behaviour deteriorates.

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Grade: 2

Planning is good and integrates interesting topic work, which allows for a strong focus on improving literacy skills. Personal, social and health education are good. The consistent use of the interactive whiteboard and computers has enhanced the curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are supported well by teaching assistants, and interesting topics link themes together, making work more relevant and fun. Pupils take part in competitive sports, go on trips outside school and join in after-school clubs which included French, sports, board games and cookery. There is some good quality artwork around the school and some younger pupils are working effectively to design and make shoes. Many pupils play instruments and perform locally in choirs. Visits and visitors to the school further enhance the curriculum. The school is well resourced and makes good use of the large hall, outside areas and computer suite to enhance the already

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Grade: 2

Good systems are in place to ensure all pupils are well cared for, guided and supported. Health and safety arrangement are all in place. Assistants work alongside the pupils who find work more difficult. They also successfully support the growing number of children in the school with English as an additional language. The pupils identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported and the school has a special knowledge of those that are most vulnerable. Although robust assessment procedures are in place and teachers are using data to analyse trends in progress, not enough understanding exists across the whole school yet about how this data can be used to improve progress over time. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis and it has created a common sense of purpose, which is shared by the members of staff, the governors and parents. The majority of parents are positive about the school and the improved behaviour of their children. There has also been substantial improvement in the accommodation, which is spacious with good size classrooms and a new purpose-built hall. The capacity for further improvement is satisfactory. Good procedures are in place to support professional development of staff and good use is made of outside agencies and support services to improve professional development and to increase staff expertise. However, the issues around staff mobility have had an impact on the performance of the school. There is a lack of understanding about the interpretation of the assessment data and this has led to an inaccurate

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Grade: 3

self-evaluation and an over-generous view of teaching. The new assistant headteacher and the inclusion manager have strengthened the leadership team recently. They are both improving procedures for monitoring pupils' progress. Although teaching is monitored regularly across the school, this has not yet had the impact on improving teaching and learning to the level of the best. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 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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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 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: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008

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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 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: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary, Littlehampton BN16 4JR Thank you so much for making me welcome at your school. I enjoyed talking to many of you around the school, watching your assembly and seeing you work in class with your teachers. Your school is satisfactory and you are making satisfactory progress in your work. Your teachers care a great deal about you and look after you well. Supportive class assistants help those of you that find work more difficult. The headteacher has worked hard at improving the school building, improving computer resources and making sure that you go on interesting outings. However, I feel that many of you could do even better. I have asked your headteacher and teachers to make better use of all the information they have about how well you are doing at school. This way they can make teaching better and I have asked them to check that you get

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

some more difficult work so that you all make better progress. I know you can help here because you told me that you know behaviour is sometimes not as good as it can be. I am going to ask you all to make sure that you really work hard in class and behave as sensibly as possible, at all times, so that your teachers can concentrate on making the lessons more interesting and harder for all of you. I wish you all the best of luck for the future. Linda Kelsey HMI 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School, 11 °12 March 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary, Littlehampton BN16 4JR

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Annex B

Thank you so much for making me welcome at your school. I enjoyed talking to many of you around the school, watching your assembly and seeing you work in class with your teachers.

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Annex B

Your school is satisfactory and you are making satisfactory progress in your work. Your teachers care a great deal about you and look after you well. Supportive class assistants help those of you that find work more difficult. The headteacher has worked hard at improving the school building, improving computer resources and making sure that you go on interesting outings. However, I feel that many of you could do even better.

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Annex B

I have asked your headteacher and teachers to make better use of all the information they have about how well you are doing at school. This way they can make teaching better and I have asked them to check that you get some more difficult work so that you all make better progress. I know you can help here because you told me that you know behaviour is sometimes not as good as it can be. I am going to ask you all to make sure that you really work hard in class and behave as sensibly as possible, at all times, so that your teachers can concentrate on making the lessons more interesting and harder for all of you.

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Annex B

I wish you all the best of luck for the future.

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