St James' Catholic Primary School

St James' Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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112351 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 325586 Inspection number 11 November 2008 Inspection date Dave Byrne 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 202 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 Father Mark Houston Chair Mrs Nerissa Nicholas Headteacher 1 January 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Lonsdale Road School address Millom Cumbria LA18 4AS 01229 772731 Telephone number 01229 770237 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 11 November 2008 Inspection date 325586 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. 2 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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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 quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Introduction

■ whether the recently improved results at the end of Key Stage 2 represent real and sustained improvement ■ the quality of the school’s contribution to community cohesion.

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Introduction

Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found that the school’s own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were in almost all cases, justified. These have been included where appropriate. Evidence was gathered from observation of lessons, scrutiny of documentation, discussions with senior leaders, teachers and support staff, pupils and governors. Parents’ views as reflected in the Ofsted questionnaire were also considered.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school which includes Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision. The vast majority of pupils are White British. The percentage eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school has gained the Investors in People Award and achieved the Healthy Schools status. It has an Activemark in recognition of its sporting provision.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which provides pupils with outstanding levels of personal care to ensure that pupils are safe and secure at all times. Safeguarding procedures are rigorous. A strong family atmosphere, with excellent relationships, encourages good learning. Pupils’ achievement is good, not only in terms of their personal development but also in their academic knowledge and understanding. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education. The school is held in very high regard by parents and it makes a very good contribution to the local community. One parent’s comment typified the views of virtually all who returned questionnaires: ‘The school is a warm and happy place that nurtures pupils in every way’. Achievement is good and standards are above average. After starting Year 1 with standards that are in line with national expectations, pupils make good progress. Most reach average

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Grade: 2

standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1, with a good and increasing proportion exceeding expectations. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen rapidly since the last inspection. This is because of the swift and decisive action taken by the headteacher, supported by a dedicated staff team and the governing body. In 2007, national assessment results for Year 6 were above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in writing in particular have improved and most pupils write well by the end of Year 6. In 2008, challenging targets were met and data for all classes shows that progress is increasing across the school. Good ways of assessing pupils’ progress enable staff and pupils to have a clear picture of what needs to be done to improve standards. Teaching assistants make valuable contributions to learning. They intervene as required to support pupils who are falling behind

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Grade: 2

or not doing as well as they could. This is a key reason why pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress. Pupils love learning. They benefit from good and, at times, outstanding teaching. The very best teaching adapts the curriculum imaginatively to make lessons not only fun, but also relevant to pupils’ lives. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils were engrossed in a mathematics lesson which combined calculations with money with designing a theme park. Year 2 pupils were immersed in acting out scenes from ‘A Quiet Night In’ by Jill Murphy, whilst at the same time developing a good understanding of the features of a story. In both examples, pupils were very clear about what they were doing and understood their next step in learning. Whilst teaching is satisfactory or better, pupils’ work is not always as challenging as it could be. At times lessons lack creativity, often relying too much on commercial and published schemes of work. Pupils’

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Grade: 2

progress therefore, whilst good overall, is not at a consistently good rate in all classes. Pupils’ attitudes to school are excellent and their behaviour is impeccable. They are polite, caring and thoughtful. As they mature, they develop a good capacity to take on responsibility. By participating as school councillors and taking on roles such as play leaders they develop a good understanding of how to be good citizens. Pupils always try their best and take great pride in all that they do. Even when pupils struggle with some aspects of learning, they still strive to present their work with care. Pupils benefit from an increasingly exciting and adventurous curriculum which is good in raising the standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Pupils commented that they like what they learn and this is one important reason why attendance is better than the national average. Excellent links with the local community and a wisely selected choice of

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Grade: 2

educational visits contribute much to pupils developing a good knowledge and understanding 4 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008 of local and regional culture. Although satisfactory, more could be done to extend pupils’ knowledge of the cultural richness and diversity of modern society: their understanding of this is comparatively weak. Lessons and activities within the school give pupils a good understanding of how to live safe and healthy lives. Leadership and management, including governance, are good. The headteacher works tirelessly to provide the best possible education for all pupils and to support and encourage staff and parents. Together with an increasingly skilled senior team, expectations for staff and pupils have been lifted. The roles of key staff have been clarified so that everyone knows their part in improving the school. Stemming from good procedures for accurately evaluating the school’s

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Grade: 2

strengths and weaknesses, effective strategies are in place that have raised standards and improved the quality of teaching. Rigorous ways of assessing and monitoring the progress of pupils are established. As a result, pupils who were not doing as well as they could are identified and action taken to boost their achievement. Governors have played their part in the school’s improvement since the last inspection. They are well informed, and keep a close eye on the school’s performance. Despite the very tight budget, all funds are carefully prioritised to benefit the quality of pupils’ education. Given the current circumstances and determination by all involved in the school to continue to move the school forward, the school has a good capacity to improve in future.

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Grade: 2

The provision in the EYFS is good. Strong leadership and effective management overcome limitations in the accommodation to enable children to make good progress and achieve well. Children start school in Reception with skills that are broadly typical for their age although their early skills of reading and writing are low. Well planned, imaginative and very well organised activities result in children rapidly settling in to school life. The quality of support from all staff ensures that children develop good social skills, become emotionally secure and develop good relationships with others. Children make particularly good progress in recognising simple sounds and letters, and using phonic skills to read captions and short pieces of text. Many make good attempts at writing; good progress occurs in problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. The accommodation is safe and secure and the children’s welfare is given the highest priority.

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Grade: 2

Parents are encouraged to become involved in their children’s education and every effort is made to keep parents involved. Good teaching successfully balances the need for children to receive direct adult guidance whilst also enabling them to make their own choices. By the time the children move on to Year 1, the large majority reach the expected level in each area of their learning. Outdoor learning is much valued by staff, and everything possible is done to access this important element of EYFS provision. The outdoor accommodation is, however, far from ideal and holds back some elements of children’s learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that pupils’ progress is consistent across the school. ■ Improve the quality of the provision for outdoor learning in the EYFS.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the strategies for developing community cohesion so that pupils have a better understanding of the cultural richness and diversity of modern society. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008 .

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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. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 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? 2 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 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? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 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 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of St James' Catholic Primary School, Cumbria, LA18 4AS My colleague and I enjoyed our day with you. We appreciated the way you chatted with us and shared aspects of your school day. As a result of the visit, we know that you attend a good school. The children in the Reception class are given a good start to their school life but the provision for learning outdoors is relatively limited. We have asked the school to seek ways of improving this. The most important things your school does for you are to give you all the chance to learn to read, write, understand mathematics and develop a knowledge of mathematics. It also gives you good values for life by encouraging you to behave, treat others with respect and to always try your best. When you leave Year 6, most of you are doing well in English, mathematics and science and all of you seem secure and confident in what you do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

One of the reasons for your success is the good quality of teaching. Generally, you are given lessons that are good and this is one reason why you like school. Some lessons, however, are not as good as others and we have asked that the school works to lift all lessons to the same standard. Another reason for your success is the way that your staff are very caring at all times which makes you feel safe. A third reason is the way you are made aware of your next steps for learning. We were impressed by your excellent behaviour and the high levels of care you show for others. You have a good knowledge and understanding of how to live healthily and the importance of taking exercise. This should help you to live happy lives. Whilst you have a good understanding of Millom, your knowledge and understanding of cultures in the wider world beyond are not as advanced as they might be. The school has been asked to find ways of helping your broaden

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your knowledge. You are well prepared for your educational future. We feel the school has a good headteacher and all staff are dedicated to doing the best for you all, and are determined to make the school even better. Good luck to you all for a happy future. Yours sincerely David Byrne Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: St James' Catholic Primary School, 11 November 2008

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