Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol Inspection report

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109251 Unique Reference Number Bristol, City of Local Authority 324931 Inspection number 24 June 2009 Inspection date Colin Lee 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 201 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 Vince Savin Chair G Kloska Headteacher 27 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Tide Grove School address Lawrence Weston Bristol BS11 0PA 01179 030025 Telephone number

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4–11 Age group 24 June 2009 Inspection date 324931 Inspection number 01179 030026 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 24 June 2009 Inspection date 324931 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 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ the impact of strategies to improve pupils' speaking and listening skills

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Introduction

■ the use of assessment procedures to check pupils' progress.

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Introduction

Evidence was gathered from discussions with the headteacher, other staff, pupils and governors, and from the parental questionnaires. Lessons were observed, school self-evaluation and other documentation and samples of pupils' current and previous work were analysed. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in the report.

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Description of the school

The school is slightly smaller than average. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The percentage from minority ethnic groups is currently 23%. Half of these pupils have English as an additional language, with Polish and Portuguese being their main first languages. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average but there is a significant number with speech, language and communication problems. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the Reception class. An after school club is based in the school's accommodation. The headteacher was appointed in February 2009, having served as acting headteacher since May 2008.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. It has successfully retained this status by working hard since the previous inspection to improve still further the curriculum and aspects of teaching, leadership and management. These developments have led to an excellent quality of learning and impressive progress by all pupils. The success with which the school has moved forward since the last inspection illustrates that it has an excellent capacity for improvement in the future. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities generally below those expected for their age, particularly in their language and personal and social development. They make exceptional progress, with most achieving the expected goals in all areas of learning by the end of Reception. This rapid progress continues, resulting in above average standards by the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. This is an improvement on previous

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Grade: 1

years, when standards have generally been lower. This year, standards by the end of Year 6 are not as high as those achieved in national tests for the past few years. This is due to the significant proportion of pupils with learning difficulties. Nevertheless, although very challenging targets were set for these pupils, they are on track to exceed them. From being below average when they were in Year 2, their work is now well above average in reading, mathematics and science and average in writing. The school's current focus on improving pupils' speaking and listening skills is proving highly successful. Many pupils express themselves confidently and articulately. The good vocabulary they use in speech has a direct effect on both reading and writing, which are real strengths in their work. Many pupils say that writing is one of their favourite activities. They love the fact that so much writing, in many subjects, is attractively displayed. As they walk round the school,

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Grade: 1

they enjoy stopping to look at what different classes have been doing and talk with great pride not only about their own work but with equal enthusiasm about work done by others. Pupils' outstanding achievement is due to very effective teaching, the high quality of learning and the stimulating activities that are provided across the curriculum. Pupils know their targets well and they are encouraged to assess their own progress towards achieving these. From an early age, pupils are skilled at identifying the strengths and weaknesses in their own work and that of their classmates. Teachers use formal assessment very constructively to check pupils' progress over time and react promptly if a pupil should be falling behind by providing additional support. These excellent procedures for checking progress in English and mathematics have recently been extended to all other subjects. This ensures that there is a complete picture of

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Grade: 1

pupils' achievement and standards in every aspect of the pupils' work Teachers plan work that is carefully matched to the needs of pupils of different abilities and the pupils thrive on just the right level of challenge set for them. Pupils with specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive excellent support from the school's superb learning support assistants. The intervention programmes introduced to meet specific needs are highly successful. This helps them to make as much progress as their peers. The school provides an excellent curriculum that is enriched by an exciting programme of events during the year such as educational visits and input from visiting specialists. Pupils' work in the creative arts is particularly enhanced by these experiences and many prominent displays around the school celebrate the impressively high standard of artwork of pupils of all ages. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn Spanish, a language that is immediately useful in developing the

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Grade: 1

school's links with a Peruvian school. More able pupils in these year groups also learn Latin 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009 and the whole school enjoyed an assembly when these pupils told the story of Little Red Riding Hood in Latin. At the same time as providing a broad, vibrant curriculum, there remains a strong emphasis on ensuring that all pupils acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills. The often high levels of these skills, alongside pupils' social maturity and experience of enterprise-related activities, mean that pupils are prepared well for the next stage in their education and for their future lives. The excellent broad range of activities provided outside the school day is greatly enjoyed and high numbers of pupils participate in them. Pupils' tremendous enjoyment of school is reflected in their excellent behaviour, their good

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Grade: 1

attendance and their enthusiasm for learning. Their personal development and well-being are outstanding. This is one of the school's most significant achievements as many pupils' social skills are often poorly developed when they start school. The school has excellent impact on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The quality of relationships is exceptional and is exemplified by the way that pupils care for one another. Staff work tirelessly at developing a partnership between home and school. For example, the regular workshops for parents and carers of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage provide excellent guidance on helping children's development. Pupils have developed an excellent appreciation of healthy lifestyles and work hard to achieve their individual health targets. They have a mature understanding of how to keep safe in school and at home. Beyond the school,

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Grade: 1

pupils appreciate that they are seen as an important part of the local community, working in close partnership with the church and other local organisations and raising funds for local and national charities. There are good links with other schools that widen pupils' horizons. This reflects the school's very strong commitment to developing community cohesion. The school maintains the highest standards of pastoral care and all procedures to safeguard pupils are securely in place. There are very high expectations of pupils in their academic and personal development and they receive outstanding guidance to help them reach those expectations. Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has quickly influenced school improvement. In addition to creating a highly effective senior leadership team, his purposeful leadership has developed a strong sense of teamwork among all members of the school

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Grade: 1

community. He has successfully promoted a collective responsibility for school improvement that has involved all staff in ongoing evaluation of the school's work. He has encouraged a greater involvement of the governing body in monitoring the school's work. Governors do this rigorously and it has led to them being well informed as well as strengthening the partnership with staff. The school knows itself well and its self-evaluation judgements, while cautious, are accurate. Information from assessment enables all subject leaders to have a detailed picture of pupils' achievements and standards. There is inconsistency in subject leaders' planning for the future as they are not all producing action plans to show how priorities for their subject's development are to be addressed. This gap in strategic planning is recognised by the headteacher as it is needed to coordinate and make more effective the programme created for monitoring

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Grade: 1

and evaluating the school's performance.

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Grade: 1

Children settle quickly into school life as a result of the good liaison with pre-school providers and parents and carers. Staff are committed to ensuring that the children's welfare is their uppermost concern. Children's learning is of a high quality as a result of outstanding teaching and the creation of a well organised, richly stimulating environment both indoors and outdoors. Their progress is checked constantly in all areas of learning and all staff are fully involved in 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009 the regular recording and evaluation of the children's achievements. There is a strong focus on children's language development and opportunities for speaking, reading and writing are exploited in many aspects of the children's learning activities. The children love solving problems and developing their own ideas and there is a constant buzz of busy children working and

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Grade: 1

playing harmoniously. This results in excellent achievement by all children. Leadership and management of the EYFS are outstanding and the local authority is ensuring that staff in other schools have opportunities to learn from the leader's exemplary practice and the provision that has been developed.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Subject leaders should produce annual plans that state the priorities for development of provision in their subjects that will improve pupils' achievement and standards, and the actions to be taken to address those priorities. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 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?

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

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 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 1 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 June 2009 Dear Children Inspection of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol BS11 0PA Thank you for making us welcome in your school and for talking to us so willingly. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing you at work. You told us how much you enjoy going to school and you are obviously very proud of your school. This is not surprising because you have an outstanding school that is successful in helping you to learn. These are what it does particularly well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are making excellent progress in your work and often reach high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. ■ You behave exceptionally well and are always willing to help one another at work and play and this makes your school a friendly, pleasant place where everyone feels safe and happy. ■ You have an excellent understanding of the importance of eating healthily and taking regular physical exercise. ■ Teaching is excellent and your teachers work hard to plan interesting things for you to do in your lessons. This is helping you to learn very well. ■ All the adults look after you very carefully and make sure that you are safe and get help whenever you need it. ■ The headteacher leads the school superbly and all the adults, including the governors, work very well together to improve it.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We have made one main recommendation to help your school get even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teachers who lead each subject are to write a plan showing improvements that will help you learn even more in the subject. We hope you will carry on enjoying learning and helping your teachers to make Our Lady of the Rosary to be an even better school. Yours faithfully Colin Lee Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Bristol, 24 June 2009

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