Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the most able pupils are consistently challenged so that they achieve their full potential.
• Replicate the strong practice of Reception in the Nursery, so that children achieve greater progress across early years.
• Develop pupils’ attitudes to their learning so that determined attitudes have a consistently good impact on the progress they make.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• From 2015, the school has improved greatly. The executive headteacher is skilled and clear thinking. Her vision for the school is clear: the interests and needs of the pupils come first. This is well understood by staff and governors. One parent commented, ‘School leaders have worked so hard. My child loves school now.’
• When times of difficulty have occurred, such as the school closure, the executive headteacher has taken a positive approach, and ensured that the school opened on another site the following day. This ‘can-do’ approach to leadership highlights the determination that the executive headteacher and her team place on ensuring that pupils’ learning remains the priority.
• The senior leadership team is highly effective and clear about its roles and responsibilities. These staff model strong teaching practice for others. Teaching is developing systematically, and teachers receive valuable and bespoke support to improve their skills through coaching and additional training, when required.
• Leaders evaluate school effectiveness accurately. They know where the school’s strengths are and keep checks on them. They are aware of which areas to develop further, and create appropriate actions to ensure that improvement happens.
• English and mathematics are very well led. There is a constant drive to ensure that provision in these subjects continues to improve and, therefore, that pupil outcomes reach the highest standards.
• The broad curriculum and enrichment opportunities promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Pupils have many opportunities to think and reflect as part of their religious worship.
• The majority of parents are understandably delighted with the school. Communication has significantly improved so that parents receive clear, detailed information on their children’s progress and a range of other information.
• Provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is managed excellently. Parents are typically very impressed with the care and dedication of the staff.
• The school spends its pupil premium funding effectively and with notable success for its disadvantaged pupils. Staff analyse the effectiveness of the spending thoroughly, and adapt it accordingly to meet the needs of individual pupils.
• The sport funding is well spent. As a result, more pupils participate in local competitive events. There are a greater number of pupils participating in sports clubs. More pupils than previously are given the opportunity to experience a range of sporting options during ‘Sports week’ to encourage them to pursue a healthier lifestyle beyond school.

Governance of the school

• Governance has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Governors have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and the needs of the community. They are unstinting in their commitment to both.
• Governors share the vision and ambition of the executive headteacher and senior leaders to ensure the best provision for pupils. It is the high-quality and well-informed nature of governors’ debates and thinking that allow them to challenge the school leadership to improve further.
• Governors use their varied skill set effectively to ask appropriate questions of the senior leaders and to ensure that additional funding, such as pupil premium funding, sport funding and funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, is spent wisely and effectively.
• Governors observe the school’s policies and procedures in action through visits to the school. This first-hand knowledge informs their understanding further.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of care and safeguarding at the school. All members of the senior leadership team are designated safeguarding leads. This ensures that there is always someone in school for staff to approach, should they have any concerns.
• Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders ensure that appropriate action is taken, including making and following up any referrals to external agencies. This ensures that pupils receive timely and effective support.
• Record-keeping is of a high quality, well organised and efficient. Leaders diligently carry out all required checks on the suitability of those who work or volunteer in the school. Staff and governors receive regular child protection training.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is typically good. Current pupils progress well across a range of subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to structure learning appropriately; they ask pupils probing questions and provide clear explanations that tackle any misconceptions.
• Teachers make careful use of assessment information to identify next steps for each pupil. All pupils receive helpful feedback from their teachers on how to improve their work. Pupils are given the time needed to improve their work further, in line with school policy.
• Teaching is adapted well for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. There are planned opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their skills. These provide a clear framework to support pupils’ learning. As a result, these pupils achieve well.
• The wider curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn a range of subjects. For instance, specialist teaching in music enables pupils to learn how to play musical instruments. In one lesson, pupils demonstrated the ability to maintain a complex rhythmic pattern, while playing the ukulele and singing.
• Additional adults lead well-targeted interventions to ensure that pupils who need to catch up and those who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. This is as a result of the effective support that pupils receive.
• Leaders recognise that teaching does not always provide enough challenge for the most able pupils. As a result, these pupils do not achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.
• The majority of parents who were spoken to, or who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, believe that they get valuable information from the school about their children’s progress. A similar proportion of parents think that their children receive appropriate homework for their age.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Leaders demonstrate an exceptional commitment to pupils’ personal development. This can be seen in leaders’ resolute dedication and determination to ensure that pupils receive the emotional support they require. There are very close working relationships with external agencies to ensure that correct support is provided for pupils and families.
• Pupils feel safe and know how to stay safe, including using the internet. They know that there is someone to speak to if they are worried about anything. They value and trust their teachers.
• Pupils are not concerned about bullying and said that it rarely happens. They also said that teachers resolve any arguments very quickly, if they do arise.
• Pupils are extremely proud of their uniform and of their school. They enjoy learning about other customs and practices in religious education (RE) lessons and from the diverse additional experiences that the school provides as part of their learning. For example, last year, most pupils in key stage 2 had the opportunity to act in a Shakespeare play and performed in a theatre.
• Pupils have a deep understanding of healthy lifestyles. Opportunities to participate in sporting events have increased, and pupils talk enthusiastically about the competitive opportunities that the school organises.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Poor behaviour rarely happens at St Francis of Assisi. Most staff have high expectations of pupils and apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently.
• Pupils behave well in the playground and around the school. They line up quickly at the end of playtime and enter the school building ready to start their work.
• Pupils enjoy learning. However, there are a few occasions when pupils do not listen attentively to their teachers. Sometimes, pupils find it difficult to concentrate fully and persevere with their learning.
• Pupils attend well. Leaders work diligently to support and challenge pupils and parents to attend punctually and regularly. There are effective strategies to encourage pupils not to miss school. As a result of leaders’ actions, rates of attendance have improved.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Leaders’ successful actions over the last two years have led to a significant rise in pupils’ outcomes. Across the school, current pupils achieve well in a range of subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics.
• Children make good progress in the early years. Many children join the school with low starting points. However, successful teaching in the Reception class ensures that most children catch up quickly. The majority of children, including those who are disadvantaged, reach a good level of development.
• Pupils achieve well in phonics. The proportion of pupils who met the standard expected for their age in the Year 1 phonics screening check was similar to that seen nationally. Successful phonics teaching across the early years and key stage 1 results in pupils being confident readers and writers.
• By the end of Year 6, in 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard and at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics was well above that found nationally. This was a significant improvement on previous years.
• Leaders’ rigorously track pupils’ progress from their starting points. They use the information effectively to identify strengths, weaknesses and the next steps to improve outcomes for individual pupils and for different groups.
• Most disadvantaged pupils across the school are making at least the progress expected of them by the school, and many are making stronger progress. High expectations and appropriate interventions ensure that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities catch up.
• Across the wider curriculum, pupils enjoy the work and make good progress in, for example, history and music. Pupils spoke confidently about their learning in history, for example, about World War One and Ancient Egypt.
• An increasing proportion of the most able pupils achieve at greater depth in their skills, knowledge and understanding. Leaders have correctly identified, however, that expectations should be even higher to ensure that more pupils achieve higher standards across more subjects.

Early years provision Good

• Many children start in the early years with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. Children currently in Reception are making good progress and catching up quickly.
• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development has risen over the past two years and, in 2017, it was above that found nationally. Children achieved well in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Adults know the children very well. In the current Reception class, there is an effective tracking system to ensure that activities, both indoors and outdoors, address the specific needs of the children. As a result, their progress is good.
• Leaders know that there is further work to do to ensure that learning activities in the Nursery are planned to be engaging and to meet more of the children’s needs.
• Children learn to concentrate and listen attentively to their teachers. They participate in whole-class discussions, such as how they would walk safely on their visit to church. They take turns to speak and understand that they have to listen to each other’s views.
• The early years provision is well led and managed. There is an accurate view of the strengths of the provision and areas for further development. Children’s safety and well-being are priorities, and children are well cared for. All necessary actions are taken to support children whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.
• There are good procedures to get to know children and their families before they start at school. Adults and teachers build effective ongoing relationships with parents to support learning at home and school.

School details

Unique reference number 100494 Local authority Kensington and Chelsea Inspection number 10041958 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 Number of pupils on the school roll Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Asgian Executive Headteacher Kathleen Williams Telephone number 0207 727 8523 Website Email address www.stfrancisofassisi.org.uk info@franassisi.rbkc.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12─ 13 January 2016

Information about this school

• The school is part of an informal collaboration with two other schools. The executive headteacher leads the three schools and was appointed in September 2015.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have support for SEN and/or disabilities is average.
• The proportion of pupils who have a statement of SEN or an education, health and care plan is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for achievement in Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in every class. On most occasions, they were accompanied by senior leaders. Inspectors also made short visits to lessons.
• Inspectors reviewed a sample of pupils’ current books.
• Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school, senior leaders, governors, middle leaders and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors observed pupils at playtime and at lunchtime. Inspectors listened to pupils read.
• A range of documentation was scrutinised, including information about pupils’ attainment and progress, records of the work of governors, plans to improve the school and safeguarding records and the record of recruitment checks.
• Inspectors took account of 20 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and free-text responses. Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the first day of the inspection.

Inspection team

Neil Harvey, lead inspector Lisa Farrow Meena Walia

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector