St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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104676 Unique Reference Number Liverpool Local Authority 324087 Inspection number 1–2 July 2009 Inspection dates Jean Kendall HMI 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 190 School (total) 0 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 Fr Vincent Kennedy Chair Mrs Paula Jacobs Headteacher 18 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Sands Road Off Elmsley Road School address Mossley Hill Liverpool Merseyside L18 8BD

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4–11 Age group 1–2 July 2009 Inspection dates 324087 Inspection number 0151 7243233 Telephone number 0151 7246911 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 1–2 July 2009 Inspection dates 324087 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: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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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 Anthony of Padua is a small Catholic Primary School in a relatively advantaged area of Liverpool. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils are of White British heritage with a few pupils speaking English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average and there are no pupils with statements of special educational need. The proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school at various stages of the year is relatively high because the school receives a number of pupils whose parents are working or studying in the area for short periods of time. A before and after school club is run by a private provider and this was inspected separately. The school has achieved a number of awards including the Healthy Schools Award, Activemark, Basic Skills Quality Mark, Dyslexia Friendly School status and the Inclusion Charter Mark.

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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: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding because they receive excellent care, guidance and support from all staff. Pupils thrive in this happy, secure school which is underpinned by a strong Catholic ethos. They feel safe and develop into confident and competent young people. Their exemplary behaviour and positive attitudes to their work help them to make the most of the many interesting and varied opportunities the school offers. Typical comments from pupils include, 'I love the school, it's like home.' and 'Teachers care for you, they make lessons interesting and most importantly they show you kindness.' Children enter the school with knowledge and skills that are typical or above those expected for their age. They make good progress to achieve standards that are well above average by the time they leave. This is because the quality of teaching is consistently good and pupils are

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Grade: 2

highly motivated to achieve well. Teachers and teaching assistants work hard to ensure lessons are interesting and exciting. The good curriculum is enriched very well through visitors to the school, educational visits and an outstanding range of out of school activities. The 'inspiration themes' capture pupils' interest and enhance their learning. Work is generally very well matched to pupils' needs and abilities although, in a minority of mathematics lessons, pupils do not learn at a fast enough pace because the work is not challenging enough. Nevertheless, pupils have a good understanding of how well they are doing in key aspects of their work and know their learning targets. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is good and their learning targets reflect their skills and talents. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they receive good support. Robust procedures have been established

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Grade: 2

to identify any pupils that are not achieving as well as they might. These are having a good impact and pupils' achievement is now good across the whole school. Most parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire expressed a high level of satisfaction with the quality of education, care and leadership in the school. All parents stated that their children are happy and enjoy school. However, a significant minority feel that relations and communication between parents and the school could be improved. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and clear direction to promote a high quality of care and education. She has been very well supported by leaders and staff across the school. Their commitment and energy, together with their strong team work, has secured improvements in all major aspects of provision since the last inspection. Standards and achievement have risen as a result. Given these strengths, the school has good capacity to make further sustained

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Grade: 2

The quality of provision and leadership in the Early Years Foundation Stage are good and aspects of provision are outstanding. Children's welfare is promoted exceptionally well and their personal development and well-being are outstanding. Children enter the Reception class from a range of settings with knowledge and skills that are typical or above age-related expectations. Good induction procedures help them settle quickly so they are happy and confident in their learning from the start. They feel safe and secure and good procedures are in place to secure their safety at all times. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009 Children thoroughly enjoy the varied and challenging activities provided for them both indoors and in the rich outdoor environment. Well thought out adult directed and independently accessed activities stimulate their imagination, arouse their curiosity and challenge their thinking.

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Grade: 2

Children are typically engrossed in their learning and laugh and play together with great joy. Adults are effectively deployed to guide and support them and help them build on their knowledge and skills. Consequently, children make good progress in all areas of learning and particularly in their social and emotional development and language skills. Children have a rich vocabulary and express themselves with confidence. Leadership and management are good. The two Reception class teachers, teaching assistants and Early Years Foundation Stage leader work well as a team to ensure children's care and education is of a high quality. Provision and children's progress has improved significantly as a result of their concerted efforts and commitment.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Develop teaching and assessment in mathematics so that pupils of all abilities, particularly the more able, make consistently good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement across the whole school is good. They are well prepared to begin the National Curriculum in Year 1 with knowledge and skills that are above average. Good teaching helps pupils build on these skills effectively. Their attainment in standardised assessments at the end of Year 2 has been consistently above average for several years. It has improved further with a larger proportion of pupils reaching higher levels in the most recent assessments. Pupils continue to make good progress across Key Stage 2. Although, in the past, boys have not achieved as well in mathematics as boys in similar schools, there are indications that this is improving. Standards at the end of Year 6 have been above average for several years and are well above average in the current Year 6 class in English, mathematics and science. Writing, particularly by boys, has significantly improved following a whole school focus on these aspects.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' skills in information and communication technology (ICT) are excellent and are enhanced across the curriculum. Pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress to meet challenging individual targets in each year group.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. The supportive ethos of the school, together with an effective programme of personal, social and health education give pupils a very strong sense of spirituality and social and moral awareness. They display respect for each other and those from different backgrounds and cultures. Pupils' mature attitudes and excellent behaviour help them gain the most from their lessons and the many enrichment activities. They are extremely polite, well mannered and considerate both in lessons and at break times. The excellent relationships between pupils and staff contribute to pupils' sense of feeling safe and secure. They report that bullying is unknown and have full confidence in staff to deal with any incidents should they occur. Their enjoyment of school is evident in all 6 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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Grade: 1

they do. They attend regularly, enthusiastically participate in lessons and are highly motivated to achieve well. The school council is efficiently run and provides a forum through which pupils can contribute their ideas. Pupils take an active part in fundraising and gain from their responsibilities as young leaders and buddies. Pupils are very aware of the importance of healthy lifestyles and many of them participate in the wide range of sporting clubs on offer at lunchtime and after school. Their knowledge of health and safety was much enhanced by the 'inspiration' themed week that was taking place at the time of the inspection. Pupils collaborate well with each other and have a good understanding of team work and leadership roles. These important life skills, together with their good basic skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT prepare pupils very well for the future.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. During the inspection, outstanding teaching was observed in Year 1 and Year 6. This effectively underpins the good progress that pupils make. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and give clear instructions, so that pupils know what is expected of them. They take time to plan activities that capture pupils' interest and are meaningful. ICT is used effectively to enhance teaching and add interest. Consequently, pupils engage fully with their learning: they work well collaboratively and with a high degree of independence. Their enthusiasm was evident in an excellent Year 6 lesson where they confidently used a range of writing styles and media to inform various audiences about internet safety. In nearly all lessons, teachers use questioning well and encourage pupils to develop their thinking, at the same time assessing their understanding of their work. Teachers and teaching

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Grade: 2

assistants provide active and effective support to build confidence and enable pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, to participate fully and make good progress. Work is generally well matched to pupils' needs and ability, although in a minority of mathematics lessons observed the work did not fully challenge the most able pupils. Excellent relationships underpin secure classroom management and create a good working atmosphere in all classes. Pupils are highly motivated, show responsibility as independent learners and are proud of their achievements.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum, which contributes well to pupils' personal, social, health and academic progress. Work is carefully planned to ensure that key skills are developed consistently and pupils make full use of transferable skills across the curriculum. Pupils confidently use computers and a range of technology in their work across subjects. They say that their lessons are interesting and exciting and are keen to continue their research outside of school. The curriculum is enriched very well through visitors to school, educational visits and an outstanding range of out of school activities. The school's 'inspiration weeks' capture pupils' interest and add depth to their knowledge and skills around particular themes. During the inspection week this centred on healthy and safe living. Pupils also talked with great enthusiasm and knowledge of past themes relating to arts and culture, different faiths, citizenship and

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Grade: 2

7 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009 famous people of Liverpool. There are many initiatives to enhance the learning of gifted and talented pupils and those with specific needs.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support given to pupils are outstanding. The school's nurturing ethos ensures that all pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem. Vulnerable children and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well. Pupils recognise and appreciate the commitment staff make to ensure their well-being and know there are always staff they can go to with any issues or problems. Pupils benefit from extensive guidance on keeping safe and leading a healthy lifestyle. Procedures for managing behaviour are outstanding and include teaching assistants and support staff. Academic guidance has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Pupils are aware of their targets in literacy and numeracy and know what they are expected to achieve and the quality of work required. Their target books are shared with parents and end of year reports provide clear information about pupils' attainment,

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Grade: 1

behaviour, general progress and targets for the coming year. Teachers' marking and feedback in lessons generally gives pupils clear guidance on the next steps in their learning although it is less consistent in this respect in mathematics.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good across the school and outstanding in some aspects. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. Under her clear direction, the school has secured improvement in all major areas of provision since the last inspection. Standards are rising and pupils' achievement is now good across the whole school. The headteacher is well supported by a very able senior leadership team who have played an increasing role in monitoring provision. All staff are fully committed to bringing about further improvements. Through strong team work they are making an excellent contribution to promote a high quality of care and education. Secure systems are in place to monitor the quality of provision and track pupils' progress in their learning. These effectively inform pupils' learning targets and teachers' performance management targets. Self-evaluation is accurate and provides a solid foundation for improvement

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Grade: 2

planning. Governors are well informed and provide a good level of challenge and support for school leaders. They play a full part in the running of the school and know the children and staff well through their links with classes and through leading on aspects of school provision. Resources are managed well and the school provides good value for money. Safeguarding procedures are robust and meet all statutory requirements. Very good procedures are in place to secure the safety of children at the start and end of the school day. The school makes a sound contribution to community cohesion and work in this area is developing well. Good curriculum provision and developing links with other schools are helping pupils to understand diverse faith and cultural traditions. It has good links with the church and other agencies and participates in a range of community-based events. However, a significant minority

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Grade: 2

of parents feel that relations and communication with the parent community could be improved. The school itself is an extremely cohesive and supportive community, where children are happy and confident. Equality of opportunity and elimination of discrimination are integral to all aspects of provision. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 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: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, Liverpool, L18 8BD Thank you for making us so very welcome when we inspected your school. It was a joy and a privilege to see you at work and talk with you. We think you go to a good school and some aspects of your school are outstanding. We would like to share our main findings with you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your personal development is outstanding. You are exceptionally well behaved and have excellent attitudes to learning – a very big well done! ■ You told us your teachers care for you and do their best to make lessons exciting. We agree and think the teachers' and teaching assistants' care, guidance and support for you is excellent. ■ You make good progress in your learning because teaching is consistently good. You have done particularly well to improve your writing. ■ Your key skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are well developed. Together with your very good social skills, this equips you well to go on to succeed in the next stage of your education. ■ Your school is well led and managed. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and your teachers work hard to make sure your school keeps improving. There are a couple of things we have asked the school to develop further.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your parents are very pleased with the quality of care and education you receive but some think that communication with the school could be improved. We agree and have asked the school to look at ways in which they can do this. ■ We have asked your teachers to develop assessment and teaching in mathematics so that you all make consistently good progress in this subject. We would like to wish you every success for the future and hope you achieve your ambitions. 12 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School, 1–2 July 2009

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