St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds

St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds Inspection report

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108050 Unique Reference Number Leeds Local Authority 324693 Inspection number 30 June –1 July 2009 Inspection dates Kate Pringle 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 226 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 Mr David Fawcett Chair Mrs Liz Holliday Headteacher 12 July 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Cromwell Street School address Leeds West Yorkshire LS9 7SG 0113 2934411 Telephone number

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3–11 Age group 30 June –1 July 2009 Inspection dates 324693 Inspection number 0113 2934422 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 30 June –1 July 2009 Inspection dates 324693 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009

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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 Church of England Aided Primary School is an average sized primary school. It serves an area of high social and economic disadvantage in the inner city area of Leeds. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is more than double the national average. There is a diverse cultural mix of pupils with the proportion of minority ethnic groups being three times greater than average. Increasing numbers of pupils speak English as an additional language: current levels are almost double the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is higher than average. The number of pupils who start or leave the school other than at the usual time is greater than that found nationally. Children start school in the Early Years Foundation Stage in the term following their third birthday. The present headteacher took up post in September 2008. The school works closely with Leeds

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Description of the school

Parish Church. It holds awards for Healthy Schools, Be Healthy Be Safe, Activemark, the Stephen Lawrence Award, the Inclusion Chartermark and Basic Skills.

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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 Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features. The vision of the headteacher and senior leaders provides a clear and focused direction for improvement. The pupils' regard for each other is a result of the dedication and hard work of the staff, effectively supported by governors. This is an extremely caring and supportive school community which fully supports their statement of, 'We Care' by very effectively underpinning pupils' outstanding personal development. Good teaching engages all pupils in learning. However, not all teachers provide appropriate challenge for all pupils, resulting in the progress of some pupils, including those of higher ability, being slowed. The school's commitment to the needs of local families is considerable. Parents are extremely pleased with what the school has to offer and the support their children receive. One comment typical of those received notes, 'Genuine care and interest in all aspects of my

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Grade: 2

children's well-being have always been shown. An exceptionally dedicated team and a very happy environment.' The headteacher, very well supported by staff, is determined to improve all aspects of pupils' academic achievement. From a starting point well below expected levels pupils achieve broadly average standards by the end of Year 6, representing good progress overall. The school successfully addresses the issues surrounding pupils who enter the school at different times and those learning English as an additional language. These pupils receive good support and many of them demonstrate good progress. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make outstanding progress because of the very effective support they receive. Pupils are very happy and display huge enthusiasm for school. Their attendance is good. Behaviour and relationships are outstanding and, as a result, pupils apply themselves very well

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Grade: 2

to learning. Outstanding curriculum opportunities match pupils' needs very well and provide high levels of engagement and enjoyment because of the varied and exciting experiences. The celebration of the rich cultural diversity within the school community contributes greatly to the understanding pupils have for each other. Care, guidance and support are outstanding as the school quickly recognises and addresses the individual needs of pupils and their families. The needs of vulnerable pupils are extremely well met and, as a result, they feel secure and make good progress. Leadership and management are outstanding. The strategies put in place by a dedicated and effective team are now impacting successfully in the acceleration of pupils' progress and rising standards. The considerable strengths of community cohesion serve to really enhance pupils' personal development and the wider curriculum. Governors are experienced and work well to

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Grade: 2

support the school towards continual improvement. Value for money is outstanding because the school does extraordinarily well considering the wide and diverse backgrounds the pupils come from.

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Grade: 2

From exceptionally low starting points when they enter Nursery, children make good progress overall reaching levels that are below average by the time they leave Reception. Children settle quickly from a wide range of different backgrounds and cultures because of the good quality induction procedures in place. Children behave exceptionally well as they take turns and share in their play together. They happily access well structured and stimulating play opportunities 5 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009 both in the classrooms and the imaginative well resourced outdoor area. Children enjoy their learning, which benefits from the sensitive, skilful support and the encouragement they receive from practitioners. There is a good balance between explorative play and adult-led tasks to successfully develop all aspects of learning. The leadership and management of the Early Years

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Grade: 2

Foundation Stage is good and has successfully enhanced outdoor provision and improved assessment including taking into account what parents say. Assessments are based on careful observations of children at play and progress is very carefully tracked. Teachers provide appropriate activities but planning for the next steps in learning is less effective and slows the development of children, particularly of those able to succeed at higher levels. Key workers manage how children learn well and provide a knowledgeable point of contact for parents. Effective and rapid additional support is provided for those children who need it. Children are extremely well cared for in this safe and secure environment.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that work challenges pupils of all abilities giving clear directions on how to improve and meet individual targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enter Year 1 with standards that are below average. There is some variation from year-to-year because of the differing proportions of pupils who are learning English as an additional language and the mobility of pupils. Current assessments for Year 2 in 2009 indicate that the decline in standards over previous years has been reversed and standards in all subjects have risen to be broadly average. Reading demonstrates the greatest improvement. The impact of focused interventions with pupils of particular need helps to raise their achievement. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make good progress overall. Present standards for Year 6 are broadly average with reading, where all pupils make only satisfactory progress, being lower. Many pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities or who are learning English as an additional language meet standards expected for their age by the end of Year 6.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. Pupils really enjoy school where they feel happy, safe and secure. Pupils are polite and friendly. They are very positive and helpful toward each other and their teachers. For example, pupils who have a better understanding of English than their friends from abroad, take time to help translate. They have extremely good relationships and this contributes significantly towards their attitudes and the respect they have for each other and for adults. Behaviour is outstanding and pupils take great pride in welcoming visitors to their school. Pupils really understand the benefits of a healthy diet through their, 'Grow it, Cook it, Ask it, Film it' project. They grow their own produce, which they cook, and take recipes home to share with friends and family. The excellent links pupils make with the wider ethnically diverse community,

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Grade: 1

contribute considerably to their knowledge and understanding of different cultures and beliefs. Pupils gain further understanding of others through their links with a rural Yorkshire school and one in Sri Lanka. They have a strong and active involvement in their local church. Pupils enthusiastically take on responsibilities such as helping run the school bank, working on the school council and acting as play leaders. Doing this they learn to increase their own life skills 6 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009 and help improve the lives of others. They thrive on expressing their views and ideas, as in the recent development of their woodland garden, and take every opportunity to use a variety of media to inform the wider community of their successes.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching, together with excellent relationships, allows pupils to enjoy their learning and helps them to progress well. Classes are well organised and managed, helping provide pupils with a sense of belonging and consistency. Excellent behaviour and positive attitudes increase pupils' access to learning opportunities. Lively approaches, combined with a variety of activities, promote learning well. The developing use of targets in writing and mathematics, and of pupils' engagement in the assessment of their work, is leading to an improved understanding by pupils of their progress and their next steps in learning. However, tasks set for pupils do not always reflect their differing abilities. As a result the pace of learning for individual pupils can slow. The skills of teaching assistants are a real strength as they support the learning needs of pupils who need additional help. They have good knowledge and work effectively with teachers to

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Grade: 2

support the needs of different groups of pupils. The needs of low attainers and those with specific needs are very well met and, as a result, these pupils make good progress.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is hugely varied with many different opportunities to engage pupils' interest and creativity. Much has been achieved to develop links across the curriculum and to increase the opportunities for practical and problem-solving activities. This vibrant and imaginative approach to learning involves all pupils and makes their learning purposeful. Pupils develop their life skills through gardening, cooking, playing in a highly successful steel band and using a range of information and communication technology to inform others of their achievements. A good number of exciting visits for all year groups stimulate pupils' interest and expand their social and cultural horizons and help bring learning to life. Year 6 pupils speak enthusiastically of the exciting activities they were challenged with on their recent residential visit to a nearby farm. The strong personal and social development programmes, which permeate the curriculum,

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Grade: 1

enhance all aspects of pupils understanding of how to interact within the wider world. Opportunities to extend pupils' skills further are supported by a wide range of well attended clubs that appeal to pupils with different interests and provide real challenge to those with particular gifts or talents, including knitting and art. All these are in addition to a good range of sports provision. This outstanding curriculum supports local needs extremely well, for example, by actively supporting community classes for parents and children and involvement in local art projects.

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Grade: 1

The school provides outstanding care, guidance and support for pupils and their families. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust and meet government requirements. All staff work unceasingly to ensure that pupils are safe, secure and happy in school. Actions to improve attendance have had impressive results over recent years. This successfully contributes to the 7 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009 good progress most pupils make and to their outstanding personal development. Vulnerable pupils are quickly identified by staff and excellent practice ensures that play support encourages these pupils, who are experiencing huge life changes, to understand and deal with their feelings. Outstanding induction arrangements support newcomers to school, particularly those from abroad. As a result pupils settle quickly and get off to a flying start with their learning. Well

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Grade: 1

embedded systems provide rapid and effective support for parents through, for example, community groups and translators. Regular assessments, rigorous tracking and detailed analysis and evaluation of assessment information are very well embedded and enable staff to quickly identify pupils who are underachieving. For those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who are learning English is an additional language, excellent provision is made. Wide-ranging interventions meet the diverse needs of such pupils, which are delivered by well trained and qualified staff. Most of these pupils make outstanding progress because their learning is closely monitored.

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Grade: 1

The headteacher has established strong and purposeful leadership. She is well supported by a senior leadership team that has an excellent knowledge of the school and a commitment to providing the best start for every child. They are very good role models for other leaders, being high quality teachers and managers of their responsibilities. As a result staff support each other extremely well and form an exemplary team. Self-evaluation is outstanding. Senior and middle leaders provide very clear direction for the school through their rigorous review of current practice, taking into account the views of staff, pupils, parents and governors. Challenging targets are set using the detailed and effective tracking system; reflect the changing nature of cohorts. The progress made in this area since the last inspection has contributed considerably to the rigorous assessment of learning and the monitoring of progress across year groups.

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Grade: 1

School leaders have been extremely successful in identifying and addressing the impact on overall achievement and standards of high pupil mobility and the high numbers of pupils coming to the school who are learning English as an additional language. There is now rapid identification and effective support for those at risk of underachieving. However, the monitoring of lesson planning and progress of pupils' learning has not yet addressed the inconsistency when setting work to match the full range of pupils' abilities. The governing body represents the diversity of the school community. It is well informed and uses information to support, monitor and challenge the school. Governors are deeply committed and use their different expertise gained within the community for the benefit of all pupils. As a result they fulfil their statutory duties well. Because of the very nature of the diverse community the school serves, all leaders have

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Grade: 1

worked unceasingly and very successfully to celebrate cultural differences to create a school where there is real respect and appreciation of others. The school demonstrates an excellent capacity to improve further because of the steep upward curve of improvement seen in the pupils' personal development, supported by the outstanding curriculum and the care, guidance and support provided. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 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? 1 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? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 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 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for the lovely welcome you gave the inspection team when we came to inspect your school. It was wonderful to hear about what you thought of your school, your work and the people who teach you. We know that you really enjoy coming to school to learn about many different and exciting things. The staff take excellent care of you. You feel very safe in school and you are happy because you know that your different needs are understood. Any difficulties you meet are quickly picked up by your teachers and they work very hard to help you. Your behaviour is outstanding and you are really polite, friendly and well mannered. It was great to see how well you look after each other and help those who do not understand English. You really do 'Care'. Your relationship with your teachers is excellent and this helps you to learn well. We also know that you especially enjoy all of the extra activities your school provides, especially working in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school garden and learning how to cook the produce you have grown. Many of you work hard to help improve your school by taking on responsibilities, for example, by running the school bank, working on the school council and acting as play leaders. You also help lots of people, locally and around the world, because you really understand that others need help to live and learn. Well done! Your school provides you with a good education. Many of you reach the standards expected for your age. You make good progress in your learning, but some of you could do even better if you were able to be more involved about what you need to learn. This is what we have asked your teachers to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that the work all teachers give each of you is set at the right level so that you can meet your individual targets and progress more quickly. 12 of 12 Inspection Report: St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Leeds, 30 June –1 July 2009

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