Larmenier & Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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134009 Unique Reference Number Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority 328798 Inspection number 11 February 2009 Inspection date Olson Davis 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 446 School (total) 25 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 Mrs Yvonne Ahern Chair Sister Hannah Maria Dwyer Headteacher 12 December 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection 41a Brook Green School address Hammersmith London W6 7BL 020 8748 9444 Telephone number

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3–11 Age group 11 February 2009 Inspection date 328798 Inspection number 020 8237 0959 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 11 February 2009 Inspection date 328798 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: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ the strengths in pupils' personal development and well-being

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Introduction

■ the progress pupils make in mathematics and science and how this relates to the quality of teaching and learning and the curriculum ■ the impact that the leaders and governors are having on provision and achievement

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Introduction

■ the quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

■ observations of lessons, break and lunchtime

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Introduction

■ discussions with staff, chair of the governing body and pupils

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Introduction

■ the school's records of pupil progress and samples of pupils' work

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Introduction

Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own judgements, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified. These are included in the report where appropriate.

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Description of the school

This large primary school serves a diverse community. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and for whom English is not their home language are higher than in the majority of schools. The largest minority ethnic groups are of East European and Irish backgrounds, Black Caribbean and Black African backgrounds and mixed backgrounds. The school has a number of national awards including the Artsmark for its sports provision and the Healthy School Award. There is Early Years Foundation Stage provision for children in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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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: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009

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Grade: 1

This deservedly popular school provides an outstanding quality of education. The headteacher gives excellent direction to the work of the school, ensuring that all adults work closely as a team to do their best for the pupils. All pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, those newly arrived and those of different abilities, feel welcomed and want to learn. As a result, the school is an inclusive community where children achieve extremely well. Parents rightly hold the school in high regard. One parent, reflecting the views of many, wrote, 'Caring and challenging with a tremendous community ethos. I am delighted to have my child in the school.' The school works very effectively to ensure that the variety of cultures represented in the school are valued and celebrated. This strongly supports pupils' excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and contributes towards excellent racial harmony and community

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Grade: 1

cohesion. A particular strength of the school is the excellent care, guidance and support it provides for its pupils. As a result, pupils feel safe and they are clear about how to improve their work. Pupils' great enjoyment and appreciation of the school is reflected in high attendance and excellent behaviour. They follow the adults' lead and treat each other with consideration and respect. Pupils feel strongly that their views are listened to. Through the head girl and boy, and school councillors, pupils are able to contribute very positively to improving the school. Other pupils are equally keen to take on responsibility, for example, as prefects. Pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles and their own safety. They participate very eagerly in physical activities. This is supported by a strong programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education. Children get off to a flying start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of excellent

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Grade: 1

provision. Pupils' standards in reading, writing and mathematics, by the end of Year 2, are well above the national average. During Years 3 to 6, pupils continue to achieve very well. Standards at the end of Year 6 are well above average, sometimes exceptionally so, with high proportions of pupils exceeding the levels expected of 11-year-olds in the national tests. This represents outstanding achievement, given the below and broadly average starting points of pupils when they start in the Nursery and Reception classes. Pupils achieve very well in mathematics and science because of the strong emphasis on problem-solving and investigative work together with strong links between English and other subjects. Close partnerships with parents ensure that pupils' literacy skills are reinforced very well at home. Those pupils who find learning difficult and those pupils learning English benefit greatly from careful tracking of their progress

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Grade: 1

and early and very effective additional support, including that of skilled teaching assistants. Pupils' excellent achievement reflects high standards of teaching and learning. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can do and give them interesting work which is very well matched to their capabilities. Pupils settle quickly to their work and are enthusiastic learners because teachers make the purpose of the lesson clear and give very clear explanations, making skilled use of technology to support pupils' learning. They make excellent use of assessment information to pitch the work at the right level for all groups of learners and to provide challenging targets. As a result, pupils make rapid progress in lessons and are very well aware of how they can improve. Regular and rigorous monitoring of lessons and helpful feedback by school leaders contribute to the consistently high level of teaching. School leaders have found

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Grade: 1

that although teachers make excellent use of targeted questions to check pupils' understanding, 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009 there is some scope for them to draw out pupils' thinking even further by requiring them to give extended answers. Challenging activities such as the music technology workshops provide excellent opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively, imaginatively and creatively. Pupils benefit greatly from highly skilled specialist teaching in art, music and French, which leads to their quick acquisition of skills. Provision to meet the particular needs of gifted and talented pupils in school is outstanding, particularly in music and in art. There are exemplary enrichment opportunities within the curriculum and in the after school clubs, such as football, netball and Latin, which add greatly to pupils' enjoyment of school. Maximum use is made of the attractive school

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Grade: 1

environment. Pupils' ecological awareness is stimulated well through their conservation activities and talks given by expert visiting speakers. Pupils work very well independently and with others. They have excellent basic skills that prepare them extremely well for the next stage of their education and future lives. The school's impressive outcomes are the result of outstanding leadership and management that promotes very high achievement. The strong leadership of the headteacher ensures that all staff are fully involved in developing the school. She is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Subject leaders play their full part in improving standards and provide excellent support for staff. School self-evaluation is excellent, accurate, and leads to appropriate development. Governors know the school very well through the high-quality information provided by the school and their own very effective monitoring. School leaders analyse

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Grade: 1

assessment data very effectively to set challenging targets for the school and for pupils. This information is used to check that different groups of pupils are making rapid progress and swift action is taken to remedy dips in performance. The sustained level of pupils' outstanding achievement demonstrates the school's excellent capacity to improve.

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Grade: 1

Highly effective leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage contributes to the excellent start made by the youngest children. Starting points for children vary from year to year but are broadly below those expected for their age. The excellent quality of teaching and highly skilled support ensures that children achieve well in all areas of learning. By the end of Reception children make very good progress. This is because teachers make excellent use of assessment information and consider the unique talents of every child when planning activities to stimulate and motivate them. The curriculum is imaginative and well considered. A common theme, for example journeys, is developed differently in the Nursery and Reception classes. Nursery children took great delight in making rockets and developed numeracy by putting them in order on the interactive whiteboard. In Reception, a floating and sinking activity developed the theme of a

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Grade: 1

boat journey and helped develop children's independence and ability to predict the outcome for objects they found themselves. The children are enthusiastic learners, full of curiosity which is stimulated by the rich environment. Children are very well cared for and happy. There is a strong partnership with parents and close liaison with pre-school providers to ensure that children settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception classes. The Year 1 teachers work closely with the Early Years Foundation Stage staff to ensure a smooth transition for children, which builds excellently on their achievements. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Sharpen teachers' questioning so that they provide more opportunities for pupils to deepen their thinking by giving extended answers. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 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: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 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? 2 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: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 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 1 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: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School,London,W6 7BL Thank you for the friendly way you welcomed us when we inspected your school. We enjoyed talking to you and took careful note of what you and your parents had to say about the school. You go to an outstanding school. Here are a few of the many excellent things about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The Foundation Stage is outstanding and gives the youngest children an excellent start in your school. ■ You make excellent progress in your lessons because the teaching is of high quality and you want to do your best. ■ You greatly enjoy school and behave extremely well in lessons and around the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are very well cared for by the adults in school and this helps you to feel safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You all benefit greatly from the many interesting activities and experiences that the school provides for you, not least the visitors who come to talk to you. ■ The headteacher, senior staff and governors run the school excellently. They are extremely clear about what needs to be done to improve the school. We have asked the staff to make sure that they always ask you the kind of questions in lessons that make you explain yourself more thoroughly and increase your understanding. You can help by always trying your best. Good luck for the future and thank you for being so friendly and helpful to us. Yours faithfully Olson Davis Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Larmenier and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 11 February 2009

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