Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that tasks in mathematics extend and challenge all pupils, particularly the most able, so that they make more than expected progress.
• Identify more accurately the rates of progress of all pupil groups, so that effective support can quickly be put in place where needed to enable pupils to make more than expected progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have high expectations of all staff and pupils. They ensure that pupils are well supported to do their best. As a result, pupils understand, share and meet leaders’ high expectations for their learning and behaviour.
• Rigorous performance management and high-quality training and guidance for staff, including teaching assistants, have ensured that teaching remains good despite significant changes in staffing. Those who are new to the school and at the early stages of their teaching career receive good support from experienced staff. As a result, they are quickly developing the skills they need to maintain standards and high levels of pupil engagement.
• The additional funds for primary physical education (PE) and sport have been used successfully to enhance the school’s sporting provision, building on the legacy of the British Olympics. Since the last inspection, the school has increased pupils’ participation in competitive sport. Pupils value the opportunities that further encourage their physical development. It is clear that they are inspired through events like their annual sports day. This takes place in a state-of-the-art athletics centre that trained gold medallists for the London 2012 Olympics. Pupils excitedly talked about the many competitive events, including javelin and long-jump, and the opportunity to stand on the podium to be awarded either gold, silver or bronze medals.
• Leaders ensure that learning is enhanced by the many visits and visitors to the school and through the use of specialists to lead teaching or to provide professional development for staff. The curriculum is well considered, with many opportunities for pupils to develop their artistic and linguistic skills, from learning how to speak Italian to playing the cello, tin whistle, recorder or drums. In addition to this, parents can opt to purchase on-site individual instrumental tuition for their child in a range of instruments.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is threaded well throughout the curriculum and is reflected in all the pupils do to prepare them well for life in modern Britain. There are many opportunities for pupils to reflect on key school values, such as hope, joy, justice, peace and forgiveness and to practically promote these. The democratically elected members of the school council take their responsibilities seriously and represent other pupils in the school effectively. The school actively contributes to a variety of local and national charities.
• Parents are highly positive about the work of the school, commenting on the good curriculum, caring and inclusive ethos and supportive staff. They value the strong communication between home and school and feel that the school is run by an effective team.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have implemented a new system to track pupils’ progress. This is giving leaders a greater overview of the progress of individuals and different groups of pupils, ensuring that additional support is provided to pupils who are at risk of falling behind. However, although leaders have a good grasp of achievement, greater focus needs to be placed on accelerating rates of pupil progress for outstanding achievement and in ensuring that interventions result in more than expected progress for all pupils.

Governance of the school

• Governors are closely involved in the life of the school and have been instrumental in setting its ethos and vision. They have a broad range of skills and are extremely supportive of school leaders, while still challenging them. Governors monitor initiatives, like the implementation of the revised marking policy. They visit the school and scrutinise leaders’ reports and school achievement information thoroughly to enable them to hold school leaders to account.
• Governors know how the pupil premium funding is spent. They recognise the school’s success in ensuring that the small numbers of disadvantaged pupils attain age-related expectations and make as good progress as others nationally. However, they have not focused sharply enough on the impact of initiatives to ensure accelerated progress for the few most able disadvantaged pupils. At the time of the inspection, the new requirements for publishing the more detailed pupil premium strategy on the school’s website were not met. Governors have plans in place to address this imminently.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff undertake regular and updated safeguarding training. As a result, they know how to identify risk and promote the safety of all pupils. Leaders work effectively with other agencies to ensure that pupils’ welfare is given the highest priority. All staff are quick to identify potential issues and flag these with relevant professionals, such as the designated safeguarding lead, social care or the local authority, so that access to early help and support is put in place.
• Safeguarding records held by the school are clear and appropriately stored. Governors are aware of the latest statutory requirements from ‘Keeping children safe in education’. They have made sure the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since the last inspection, teaching has remained good and pupils have continued to make good progress. This was confirmed by the work seen in pupils’ books and scrutiny of the school’s own checks on the quality of teaching. Pupils’ achievement is assessed accurately and regularly. Teachers typically use information about pupils’ progress from the tracking system to support well-targeted planning. As a result, pupils learn well.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to support pupils. Close attention is paid to setting tasks at the right level for each year group in line with the national curriculum. Well-trained teaching assistants provide effective support for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are at risk of falling behind.
• Teachers show that they value the views, opinions and efforts of pupils and this develops pupils’ confidence and readiness to learn. Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to talk about their learning. This successfully helps pupils who speak English as an additional language to develop their English skills and provides opportunities for the most able to express their ideas and new learning. From the moment pupils start school, they work hard and want to do well.
• There is an appropriate emphasis on developing pupils’ knowledge and skills in reading, writing and communication across the wider school curriculum. This ensures strong progress in all subjects but particularly in reading.
• Teaching staff teach phonics extremely well. This enables pupils to learn effectively from their various starting points and is contributing to the increasing proportions of pupils who meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Staff successfully encourage pupils to read for enjoyment and carry out research both at home and at school. Parents appreciate the guidance provided by the school to encourage pupils’ reading for pleasure.
• Due attention has been given to the quality and quantity of writing produced and pupils value the new target prompts placed at the front of their literacy books. These provide additional support for pupils when they write at greater length, encouraging them to use sophisticated prose and to write with good attention to grammar and punctuation.
• Across the curriculum, teachers provide a wide range of learning experiences to extend pupils’ knowledge and skills effectively. Teaching staff expect pupils to use technical vocabulary correctly. They encourage pupils to consider richer, more detailed vocabulary choices when writing or sharing ideas, further challenging the most able pupils. This contributes to high-quality learning across the curriculum and good progress, particularly for the most able pupils.
• The school’s assessment policy is applied well across the school and pupils are very clear about the criteria used. However, there is some inconsistency in the quality of teacher feedback, particularly in mathematics books. On occasions, therefore, the impact of feedback to further challenge the most able pupils’ mathematical understanding is variable. Visits to classrooms and scrutiny of pupils’ mathematics books highlight that levels of challenge are not always sufficient for the most able. They are not always moved on in their learning when they demonstrate that they already know and can do the activities set.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are confident communicators, approaching inspectors to ask politely how we were enjoying the visit to their school. Pupils are provided with opportunities to explain what they would like to be improved. For example, rather than the special badge to wear as a reward for great behaviour in the dining hall, pupils now have a goblet to drink out of and a special trophy as they suggested. Their views are taken seriously, considered and often acted on by the school.
• Leaders’ commitment to keeping pupils safe and secure permeates throughout the school. Consequently, pupils have an excellent awareness of safety and know how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, pupils noticed that nettles had regrown in the playground, and reported this so that swift action was taken by the adults on duty to cut them back.
• Teaching about safety is embedded within the curriculum. Pupils’ understanding of how to stay safe when using the internet and technology is strong. They learn how to be safe when out and about, through cycling proficiency courses and focused learning weeks like ‘life safety’.
• Pupils have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves healthy through exercise and their dietary choices. Pupils have opportunities through their lessons to explore healthy eating and are able to explain what foods are healthy or unhealthy and why, and the importance of a balanced diet.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are very welcoming, polite and courteous. Pupils frequently commented to inspectors how happy they are at school and how much they enjoy their learning. They value the systems in place to welcome those new to the school, having a buddy and the ‘friendship stop’ in the playground so that ‘no one gets lonely’. In the playground, boys and girls play well together, as do those from different backgrounds.
• Pupils are extremely attentive and listen very carefully in lessons so that classrooms are very orderly and studious environments. Around the school, including at breaktimes, pupils’ conduct is impeccable. Pupils move around the school extremely swiftly and calmly. They show due care and consideration for others, for example taking turns fairly and when queuing sensibly for the water fountain in the playground during an especially hot day.
• The school building is bright, very well maintained, and graffiti and litter free. Pupils are proud of the roles they have in making sure the school is a well ordered and pleasant environment to be in. As one pupil said, ‘I like watering the plants, it helps them to grow and keeps our school looking nice’. Pupils make a point of clearing their trays when they finish their lunch and packing equipment away when they finish their activities, both in class and outside at breaktimes.
• Attendance is above average and has remained so since the last inspection. This is because pupils enjoy their school. Strong partnerships exist between the school and its community, and both parents and pupils spoken to were wholly appreciative of everything the school offers.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Since the last inspection, outcomes for pupils at the end of each key stage remain high. In 2015, the proportions of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 securely reaching the expected levels for their age were above national figures. Work in current pupils’ books and unvalidated 2016 assessment information for Years 2 and 6 show that pupils are continuing to achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• The proportion of pupils in Year 1 meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check remained above the national average in 2015 and 2016. This is a result of a consistent, whole school approach to the teaching of phonics which ensures that the youngest pupils make secure gains in their reading. Pupils across the school use their phonics skills effectively when they read.
• At key stage 1, around four out of five pupils achieved the new expected standard in 2016 for reading and mathematics when being taught and assessed against the higher standards expected under the new curriculum. Just under three out of four pupils achieved the new expected standard in writing. These results exceed the provisional national averages, except in writing where they match the national average.
• At key stage 2, in reading, writing and mathematics, around nine out of 10 pupils achieved the new expected standard in 2016 when being taught and assessed against the higher standards expected under the new curriculum. These results exceed the provisional national averages.
• Leaders are aware that, in 2015, outcomes at the end of key stage 1 for the small number of disadvantaged pupils remained below those of other pupils nationally in mathematics. However, work in pupils’ books demonstrates that the few disadvantaged pupils currently at the school make good progress. Leaders know that, for the 2015 cohort, many of the disadvantaged pupils had additional needs, especially special educational needs. Leaders met with class teachers at pupil progress meetings to plan tailored support, using the pupil premium funding, to ensure that disadvantaged pupils made the same good progress from their starting points as their peers. No comparisons are available as yet for disadvantaged pupils against other pupils nationally for 2016.
• The most able pupils currently in school make good progress across the curriculum, particularly in reading and writing. As a result, the proportions of pupils attaining the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 were significantly above the national averages in 2015. The provisional proportions of pupils achieving a high standard at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 remain strong. However, leaders are aware that, occasionally, the most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in mathematics. They have identified the need to extend and deepen learning as a priority in the school’s latest improvement plan. Whole staff mathematics training was delivered at the start of the term, but it is too early to judge the impact of this recent training.

Early years provision Good

• The deputy headteacher, who has led the early years, is ensuring a smooth handover with the recently appointed early years leader. She has a very clear understanding of the effectiveness of the teaching in the Reception Year and oversees the learning of each individual child with the new early years leader. This strong leadership ensures that children’s reading, writing and calculation skills develop well across the curriculum. Children in the Reception Year continue to make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their move into Year 1.
• Teaching remains typically good. As a result, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year remains above average. Children make good progress, particularly the very few disadvantaged pupils, so that the proportion of these pupils achieving a good level of development rose to above the national average in 2015. In 2016, children continued to make good progress. The school’s own information indicates that an above-average proportion of children achieved a good level of development this year.
• Children settle very quickly into the Reception Year because of highly effective communication with parents, carers and pre-school providers. Links with parents are strong. Before the children start school, visits to nurseries, childminders, and each child’s home encourage the sharing of information. As a result, children who had just started in the school were seen enjoying playing and learning together, confidently making new friends.
• Provision in the early years is good. The outdoor area is set up and used well for effective learning. Children take pleasure in learning and playing in the space provided, and the range of stimulating activities. For example, they persevere at the water play area, pouring carefully and exploring the flow of water through different equipment. Children respond enthusiastically to the range of activities on offer that cover a good range of learning areas. Work scrutiny from the previous year shows the good progress made as children have moved from simple mark-making to legible, well-structured sentences. The most able children’s writing shows them using their phonics knowledge well in attempts to write words of increasing complexity. Moreover, children develop the skills to structure stories well with the aid of picture prompts.
• The children are happy learners; they take turns appropriately in a safe environment and talk eagerly about their ideas. Their behaviour is very good.
• The early years leader, along with other staff, continually looks for opportunities to plan activities that capture children’s interests. However, leaders are aware that, occasionally, these planned activities need to be more sharply focused on the specific needs of children, such as developing their fine motor skills, to enhance individuals’ learning further.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102040 Enfield 10003422 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 209 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mrs Mary Sutton Mr Declan Meehan Telephone number 020 8361 0767 Website Email address www.ololschool.enfield.sch.uk office@ololschool.enfield.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 30–31 January 2012

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about its pupil premium strategy on its website.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The early years comprises one full-time Reception class.
• Just over two thirds of pupils are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group are from ‘Any other White background’, with White British pupils forming the next sizeable ethnic group.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language has risen since the last inspection but remains below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding that schools receive to support those known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.
• The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times is below average.
• The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school provision.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited 18 lessons or parts of lessons. Some of these were joint observations with a senior leader. Inspectors also observed pupils at the breakfast club provision, at the start of the school day and at lunchtime. During the inspection, five new pupils joined the Reception Year class, adding to the five children who were already on roll, in this class, at the time.
• Inspectors spoke with a group of pupils. They observed pupils during lunchtime and spoke with pupils informally during the inspection. They listened to pupils read and looked at work in pupils’ books, from the current and the past academic year.
• Meetings were held with senior staff, subject leaders and a teacher in the early stages of his/her teaching career. Inspectors met briefly with administrative staff. Meetings were also held with members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority. A telephone discussion was held with a representative from the diocese.
• The inspection team reviewed a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, documents relating to safeguarding, and performance management, behaviour and attendance logs, and information about pupils’ attainment and progress. The school’s website was also reviewed.
• The 60 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) were taken into account, as were the two replies to the staff survey. The views of parents were also collected at the beginning of the day, and from comments received electronically or by letter from 34 parents.

Inspection team

Jean Thwaites, Lead inspector James Hollinsley Rebekah Iiyambo Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector