St Martin De Porres Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • developing leaders’ new roles and clarifying responsibilities
  • ensuring that the impact of additional funding is more clearly measured and that those responsible for checking this are confident to do so.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning by:
  • ensuring that the most able pupils receive learning opportunities that enable them to make the progress of which they are capable
  • developing the activities available through the day in the early years to make better use of children’s time in the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the inspection in June 2018, the previous deputy headteacher has become headteacher and an entirely new leadership team is in place. However, most of the leaders have been teaching within the school for a number of years; staff, parents and carers have confidence in their leadership. The transition has been well managed.
• Leaders have high expectations of both pupils and staff. There is a very strong ethos of tolerance and respect for others that is felt throughout the school. This has resulted in pupils working hard in lessons, supporting the good progress that they make.
• Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning. Leaders provide suitable coaching and mentoring for teachers to continue to develop their teaching practice. Both new and established teachers feel well supported by leaders and welcome the positive challenge received.
• Leaders and staff work with colleagues from other schools in the multi-academy trust, planning and moderating work together. Middle leaders are clear that this has strengthened their subject leadership. They also link with schools as part of a local partnership, accessing training and peer support.
• The pupil premium grant is used effectively. The school’s assessment information indicates that disadvantaged pupils are now making similar progress to other pupils. However, there is still a gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and the whole cohort. The impact of the pupil premium grant spending is not measured as systematically as it could be; governors are confident in how it has been spent, but do not know which actions had the greatest effect to inform future best use of resources.
• Funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is appropriately used to enable these pupils to have equal access to the learning of the class. Leaders focus resources on providing inclusive whole-class teaching, with pre-teaching or timely follow-up activities where needed. Leaders do not yet fully analyse the impact of the support given to pupils who have SEND to assess what is effective and what is not. Leaders work closely with external agencies and specialists, sourcing additional support for pupils who have SEND.
• The physical education and sport premium is used effectively. Pupils benefit from specialist coaching and take part in inter-school and extra-curricular activities. Leaders monitor that the funding is used well, but have not yet considered the impact of the different activities on pupils’ overall health and physical well-being.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well provided for by leaders. The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain, with high emphasis on tolerance and respect.
• Several subject leaders are new to their roles. Teachers work together in subject teams to lead curriculum subjects. Senior leaders include a wide range of staff in their subject teams so that many staff have experience of leadership and support school improvement. Leaders have successfully developed staff over the last few years and provided many opportunities for further professional development. Consequently, many staff continue to work at the school, often in leadership roles. However, currently the impact of subject leadership actions is not as accurately measured as it should be. Subject leaders do not use the information they hold well enough to inform future plans.

Governance of the school

• Trustees of the school delegate much of the governance of the school to the local governing body. The governing body is enthusiastic and keen both to support and to challenge school leaders. They have ensured that the school’s resources are prioritised appropriately.
• The governing body reviews its own practice effectively. Governors have recently changed the way they operate and the responsibilities that they hold. This has provided governors with a better awareness of the big picture of the school’s work. However, governors do not systematically challenge leaders on the impact of the additional funding that the school receives.
• The multi-academy trust provides challenge to school leaders about data collected in the school. They undertake peer reviews with other leaders within the trust, focusing on key areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff have all received appropriate training. They use the school’s systems and procedures to ensure that all concerns about pupils are recorded and followed up in a timely and efficient way. Leaders take appropriate action to identify pupils at risk and follow this up with children’s services to make sure that families receive the help they need.
• Pupils feel safe in the school. There are many adults that they can go to for help and support when needed. The pastoral support provided has enabled pupils to gain self-esteem and improve their behaviour.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Subjects such as religious education, science, history and geography have as prominent a place in the curriculum as English and mathematics. Across the school and subjects, there is a highly consistent approach to the quality of teaching, with an emphasis on teacher questioning, explanation and modelling. The teaching of science has a clear investigative focus; pupils write detailed accounts of their procedures and findings.
• Pupils presentation of work is of a very good standard. Teachers have high expectations of the quantity and quality of work produced by pupils across all areas of the curriculum.
• In all subjects, pupils who might be at risk of falling behind are suitably supported to understand what they are learning. For example, teachers provide additional and structured support to help with aspects of writing. As pupils become older and more skilled, they produce increasing quantities of work and work independently. Teaching assistants provide valuable support to pupils who are struggling with their work, when they are directed well by class teachers.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Pupils across the school use their phonics skills to sound out unfamiliar words and most read with good fluency and comprehension for their age. Pupils enjoy reading and select from a wide choice of books within the school.
• In mathematics, lower-attaining pupils also access the core learning, with support from the use of practical equipment or a member of staff. There is a clear emphasis on reasoning and using correct vocabulary to describe findings. Activities are planned for higher attainers to extend this reasoning to a greater depth.
• Pupils are keen to work hard and find out more about their learning. They demonstrate this through strong writing across subjects. However, the most able pupils are not always challenged to the extent that they could be. Time is not always used most effectively. Some pupils have the ability to develop greater depth and understanding but waste time waiting for an adult or by completing routine tasks when they are already confident.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils feel extremely safe, and parents agree that their children are safe. Pupils are very confident about how to keep themselves safe when using the internet and are able to communicate with great ease what they would do if they were concerned.
• The school’s Catholic faith and ethos emphasise the promotion of values of tolerance, respect, faith and togetherness. Pupils talk with great pride about how they respect each other and look out for each other’s well-being around the school. Parents value this successful aspect of the school.
• The values are taught through study of both the Catholic faith and other religions. In pupils’ work they are regularly encouraged to consider others, as seen in a recent whole-school study on remembrance.
• Many older pupils have additional responsibilities, such as running lunchtime clubs or being ‘junior road safety officers.’ They undertake these with a great sense of duty. Pupils across the school willingly act as ‘faith ambassadors’, regularly leading acts of collective worship for their classes. Pupils in all these groups receive high-quality coaching and mentoring from a learning mentor, resulting in increased confidence for the pupils.
• Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare. Inspection evidence confirms this and that the rare incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively. Pupils know who to speak with, and are highly confident that adults will deal well with any concerns they may have.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are well behaved in lessons. They listen to teachers attentively and answer their questions politely.
• At less-structured times, pupils move around the school site sensibly and calmly. They play together happily at breaktimes.
• Some pupils raised concerns about the behaviour of others in discussions with the inspection team. School records of behaviour incidents show that leaders have dealt with any incidents of poor behaviour effectively. There was no behaviour to cause any concern seen during the inspection.
• Attendance is in line with the national average. The persistent absence of a small group of pupils has risen in the last year, but leaders are working closely with their families to reduce this.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils make good progress from their own starting points between key stage 1 and key stage 2. In 2018, this was in line with national averages for each of reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils made less progress (and had lower overall attainment) than other pupils. However, school assessments show that these pupils are now making progress in line with other children across the school.
• Pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 was in line with national averages in 2018 and slightly above in reading. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher standard in mathematics was above the national average. Pupils are well prepared for the next stages in their education.
• Attainment at the end of key stage 1 over time is broadly in line with national averages. However, pupils’ attainment was lower than the national average in writing in 2018. For this reason, leaders and teachers have made developing writing skills in the early years of key stage 2 a priority. School assessments show that, where disadvantaged pupils were writing at a standard below that of the rest of this cohort, they have made progress in the last term towards catching up with their peers.
• The percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics check in Year 1 was above the national average in 2018. Pupils across the school have strong decoding skills, and most read with fluency and good comprehension.
• Pupils who have SEND receive planned support in class. Parents are positive about this provision. However, not all pupils who have SEND are making the progress of which they are capable from their own starting points.

Early years provision Good

• Children make good progress during their time in the early years. Some children enter with speech and language skills that are below those expected for their age. However, attainment by the end of the early years is in line with national averages and children are well prepared for Year 1.
• The interim early years leader is new to post. She is highly enthusiastic and has a good idea of what effective provision in the early years should look like. Along with other members of the leadership team, she is developing her leadership skills.
• The environment is welcoming and a safe place to be. Safeguarding is of the same effective standard as in the rest of the school.
• Parents regularly attend events in the classrooms. They are appreciative of these opportunities to find out what their children are learning, and how they can best support their child at home.
• Staff plan learning activities well that often follow children’s interests and also extend their understanding of the world around them. Children go on regular trips out from school. Adults use these experiences effectively to inspire the children’s creative and written work.
• Early reading and writing are developed well through the daily phonics sessions and regular adult-led activities. Some pupils also choose to complete additional writing, supported and challenged by the adults.
• Pupils have a good grasp of early number. They independently make and solve calculations. Many children enjoy ordering numbers around the classroom.
• Adults provide activities around the classroom and outside that are well matched to children’s interests and needs. However, adults do not always ensure that all children participate and learn from the activities as well as they might. Some children do not choose to access the full variety of activities on offer. Consequently, some children do not gain as much as others and miss out on valuable early learning across the curriculum.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142264 Luton 10067134 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 441 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Board of trustees Madge Chenery Nicola Morgan 01582 617600 www.stmartindeporresluton.co.uk admin@smdpluton.co.uk Date of previous inspection 20 June 2018

Information about this school

• St Martin De Porres Catholic Primary School is a larger-than-average primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.
• The school is part of the St Albans Catholic Academies’ Trust.
• The school works closely with the West Area Partnership in Luton.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team observed learning in every class. Some of these observations were undertaken alongside members of the senior leadership team.
• A wide range of pupils’ workbooks were looked at by the inspection team.
• The inspection team met with representatives from the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. They met with senior leaders, subject leaders and new teachers. The responses to the staff survey were considered.
• A group of children met with an inspector. Inspectors also spoke to pupils informally in lessons and at playtimes. The responses to the Ofsted pupil survey were considered.
• The inspection team scrutinised the school’s website and a range of documents, including assessment information, the improvement plan and the school’s self-evaluation.
• Pupils read to inspectors and talked about their reading preferences.
• The 45 total responses in this academic year and the 23 free-text responses made by parents to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, were considered. The inspection team also spoke to some parents before school.

Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, lead inspector Fiona Webb Brenda Watson

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector