Saint Bede's Catholic VA Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good by:
  • ensuring that in mathematics, teachers’ planning accurately meets pupils’ current learning needs, including when developing pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills
  • ensuring that all teachers use assessment effectively during lessons to identify where pupils have gaps in learning or where they show that their learning is secure and can be built on more promptly
  • deploying teaching assistants to support pupils’ learning effectively
  • continuing to draw on the expertise in the trust and through working with the partner trust school to improve the accuracy of assessments and plan work which is well matched to pupils’ needs and interests
  • ensuring that teachers who are at an early point in their careers receive good support to help them develop their teaching practice.
• Improve the quality of the early years provision by:
  • developing leaders’ skills to create, deliver and check plans to drive improvement
  • supporting children’s learning effectively, particularly when children are choosing activities for themselves, both within the classroom and in the outdoor learning areas.
• Strengthen the capacity of leadership so that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ progress improve by:
  • clarifying lines of accountability through sharply focused improvement plans that identify responsibilities, milestones and resources
  • developing the skills of senior and middle leaders, including those new to their leadership roles
  • ensuring that additional pupil premium funding is well targeted to improve disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes and attendance and that leaders check regularly on its impact
  • continuing with planned support from the trust to drive improvements.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Over recent times, changes to leadership, combined with some interim leadership arrangements, have resulted in a reduction in leadership capacity. Consequently, some of the previously high standards, in relation to the quality of teaching, pupils’ outcomes and their behaviour, have slipped. This has been identified by the trust, who have recently provided appropriate support to increase leadership capacity.
• The headteacher, the chair of the governing body and the trust’s school support officer have identified the school’s strengths and priorities accurately. The school development plan links effectively to school evaluation priorities. However, the plan lacks detail about which staff are responsible for completing actions and agreed milestones against which success can be evaluated.
• The subject leader for English took on the role in September 2018. She has promptly begun to check where improvements are needed and put in place a suitable plan to improve the quality of teaching in reading and writing. Some actions have been completed and are beginning to show improvements in the teaching and assessment of writing.
• There are currently interim leadership arrangements for mathematics. Some staff training has been provided to develop the quality of teaching in this subject. However, this has had a variable effect and there remain inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in this subject.
• Recent support from the trust and partnership working with a local school within the trust is now providing teachers, including those new to their careers, with appropriate support to develop the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. While there are early signs that this is having a positive effect, the quality of teaching remains variable.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has ensured that suitable EHC plans are in place for pupils with SEND, where these are required. Provision in school is well matched to the outcomes intended in these plans. Analysis of the progress of pupils with SEND other than those with an EHC plan is less well developed and these pupils make variable progress in a range of subjects.
• Leaders review the curriculum regularly and have ensured that the school’s long-term plans identify appropriate coverage of the national curriculum. These plans are generally reflected in the work found in pupils’ curriculum books. Leaders are currently reviewing the recording of pupils’ work in this way to confirm that there is effective development of key knowledge in subjects such as history and geography. A range of extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum. Pupils benefit from attending a range of clubs outside of the school day.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well developed, particularly by the positive ethos of the school and some aspects of the curriculum. Pupils develop a secure understanding of British values. For example, members of the school’s council recently met with the local member of parliament, which helped them to understand democracy in practice.
• Pupil premium funding has been used to variable effect in supporting the learning and personal development of disadvantaged pupils. The progress of these pupils across the school is variable and their attendance lags behind that of other pupils in school. However, the current strategy is well focused on relevant priorities. Leaders are developing staff awareness of this group of pupils so that their learning needs are considered more effectively. More detailed systems to review barriers to learning faced by these pupils and the progress they make have recently been introduced. It is too early to determine the effectiveness of these changes.
• The current primary physical education (PE) and sport premium funding plan is well matched to pupils’ needs. It provides opportunities to help pupils develop healthy lifestyles and engage in competitive sports.

Governance of the school

• The recently restructured local governing body has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The introduction of link governors who are beginning to visit the school and meet with school leaders is further improving governors’ knowledge of the school. This enables governors to support and challenge leaders effectively.
• The multi-academy trust leaders have an accurate view of the school. They provide well-targeted support and check carefully that this is making a positive impact. The level of support that the trust provides has increased as the school’s level of need has been identified. Support by one of the trust’s school standards officers, who is a headteacher within the trust, has added leadership capacity. Opportunities for teachers to plan, assess and sometimes teach alongside staff from one of the trust’s schools aim to improve the quality of teaching. There is some early evidence that this support is developing leadership capacity and skills, as well as the quality of teaching. Further support from a specialist leader in education has been planned by the trust for next term. This aims to develop the quality of teaching further, including in the early years.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and there is a positive culture of safeguarding across the school. Leaders have completed relevant safeguarding checks for all staff, governors and volunteers to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff receive regular and appropriate training so they know the school’s procedures about how to keep pupils safe. Links with other agencies are well managed where required. Detailed records regarding pupils’ safety, behaviour and bullying are now maintained in the school’s online system. This recently introduced approach is not fully utilised by leaders to analyse patterns of behaviour across the school. This limits the effectiveness of this approach. The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, believe that their child feels happy and safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable and this results in pupils making inconsistent progress, particularly in mathematics. Leaders have recently established appropriate support from the trust which is beginning to address this variability.
• In mathematics, teachers are more successful when teaching number and fluency work. However, the teaching of reasoning and problem-solving is less effective. Sometimes lower-attaining pupils and middle-attaining pupils are not provided with the support or time to complete tasks successfully. Equally, sometimes higher-attaining pupils are working through tasks where they have already demonstrated secure understanding rather than being given more challenging work.
• In the early years and key stage 1, phonics teaching is structured and systematic. This enables almost all pupils to develop good phonics knowledge by the end of Year 2. Pupils use these skills effectively when tackling unknown words as they are reading.
• Pupils read widely and develop their interest in reading. Teachers are benefiting by working alongside teachers from a local school in the trust. This is supporting them to deliver effective reading lessons which develop pupils’ vocabulary knowledge and comprehension skills.
• The subject leader for English has recently focused on developing the teaching of writing. This has included staff development. As a result, teachers’ skills and confidence have improved. Opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their writing in a range of contexts and teachers have high expectations of pupils’ handwriting and presentation. Consequently, pupils’ work in books and on display is often of a good quality. Nevertheless, opportunities for pupils to further improve their work through editing and redrafting are less evident.
• Teaching assistants are present in most lessons to support pupils’ learning. However, they are not always deployed effectively. They have a positive effect when supporting pupils with EHC plans and they enable these pupils to access their learning well. However, at times their skills are not fully utilised to support the learning needs of other groups of pupils.
• During lessons, teachers do not identify and address pupils’ misconceptions promptly. Consequently, pupils sometimes do not have gaps in their learning addressed.
• Work with other schools within the trust is helping teachers to check the accuracy of their assessments of pupils’ work in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers have also recently received training in how to use the school’s assessment recording system effectively. Even so, this aspect of the school’s work is not fully embedded.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Aspects of the school’s curriculum and the school’s positive ethos promote pupils’ personal development well. Teachers take every opportunity to nurture pupils’ personal qualities such as tolerance and the understanding of others.
• Opportunities such as the school council and teaching about global issues develop pupils’ understanding of how to be a good citizen and to make positive contributions to society.
• Pupils’ physical and emotional needs are met well. There is a range of after-school clubs which enable pupils to lead active lifestyles. Pupils are confident that their emotional needs will be met. Additional support is also provided to any pupils who are encountering anxiety in their lives.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms that bullying can take, including online bullying. This is because they receive lessons and assemblies on how to stay safe. They are confident that staff will address incidents of bullying and will support them with any concerns they may have.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and courteous.
• In the main, pupils behave well in lessons. They cooperate well when working with their peers and they work diligently on independent tasks. Occasionally where the teaching does not fully engage them or provide sufficient challenge their interest wanes.
• During playtimes and lunchtimes pupils play games sensibly and socialise well with their friends. There is a wide range of equipment available to pupils which they enjoy playing with. Appropriate supervision by adults ensures that pupils are safe and pupils know that they have adults to turn to if they have any concerns.
• Pupils’ overall attendance compares well to the national average. However, disadvantaged pupils’ attendance lags behind that of others and some of these pupils’ absence rates are too high. Leaders have recently introduced actions to provide support for families where this is the case and they have increased the regularity of monitoring pupils’ attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because current pupils do not make good progress in mathematics. Furthermore, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make variable progress across a range of subjects.
• In 2018, pupils’ progress in mathematics by the end of key stage 2 was below the national average. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in this subject was significantly below that found nationally.
• The inspectors’ scrutiny of current pupils’ work in books over time in mathematics shows they are making variable progress. This is particularly the case in relation to pupils’ understanding of problem-solving and reasoning.
• Although the numbers are often small within any particular year group, when considered across the school, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are making variable progress. This is because previously their needs have not been clearly identified and catered for in lessons. Recently leaders have developed their approaches to focus on the provision and progress of these pupils. It is too early to determine the effect of their actions.
• A review of pupils’ work in science shows that pupils are generally developing their knowledge and experimental skills well. Similarly, in history and geography pupils develop their knowledge and understanding effectively in these subjects. For example, pupils demonstrate strong use of historical narrative writing. However, the work in pupils’ curriculum books does not fully reflect the intended coverage in the school’s plans. Leaders are aware of this and are currently reviewing the school’s approaches to curriculum implementation.
• Pupils’ progress in reading and writing is good overall from their starting points. By the end of key stages 1 and 2, pupils’ attainment in reading and writing compares very well to the national averages for these subjects. A review of current pupils’ work shows that they generally reach a high standard in these subjects.
• In 2018, pupils leaving Year 6 to start at secondary school were well prepared in English, but not in mathematics, where too many had not met the expected standard.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The quality of provision in the early years requires improvement because the quality of teaching is variable, approaches to assessment are unclear and leaders do not have specific plans to develop what is provided for children in this key stage.
• Generally, children start in the early years with skills which are typical for their age. In 2018, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year was above the national average. Consequently, the majority of children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.
• Recent actions have developed the organisation of learning areas in the Nursery class. Here, children benefit from effective adult-led teaching. This is linked to well-planned learning in the classroom and outdoors where children choose from activities deliberately provided by staff to extend children’s learning. In the Reception class children do not have similar opportunities. Additionally, there is an imbalance in the time spent on managing children and reinforcing clear guidance on the behaviour expected of them, and the time spent on teaching and learning.
• Teaching assistants are deployed to variable effect. Sometimes they are well managed and so they effectively support the learning of groups of children. Some use questioning well to deepen children’s learning. However, this quality is not consistent across the early years.
• The school gathers only limited evidence of children’s learning. Approaches to assessment and recording of children’s progress are also unclear.
• Checking by leaders for strengths and areas for improvement in the early years is not well established. Plans for improvement of the outdoor learning area, which leaders identify as a priority, are not fully developed.
• Parents and children are welcomed by staff when they arrive at school. Meetings to help parents understand how to support their child’s learning, for example with early reading, are provided. However, parents have a limited role in sharing information about their child’s development to support the school’s own assessments.
• Appropriate links with other agencies are in place to provide additional support for children where needed.
• Children work cooperatively together. They have a good understanding of the routines in early years. They feel safe and secure. Safeguarding is effective, and all welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number 141458 Local authority Redcar and Cleveland Inspection number 10057886 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 Academy 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 243 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Colleen Short Joanna Wilson 01642 485 217 www.stbedesmarske.co.uk jwilson@stbedes.rac.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The vast majority of the pupils are White British.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is below that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is similar to that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils with an EHC plan is above that found nationally.
• The headteacher was appointed in September 2018.
• The school has been an academy since October 2014. It has been part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT) since September 2018.
• NPCAT is providing support to develop leadership expertise and capacity and to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The trust’s lead primary school support officer checks for the impact of this support.
• This Catholic voluntary-aided primary school’s last section 48 inspection was in December 2013 and was completed prior to academisation. An interim review visit was completed in May 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons and part-lessons across the school. The headteacher joined the lead inspector for all his observations in lessons.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, the SENCo, the subject leader for mathematics and the leader of the early years.
• The lead inspector met with the chair of the local governing body, and reviewed documents relating to the work of the governing body.
• Inspectors reviewed the school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in the playground and around school.
• Six pupils in total, from Year 2 and Year 6, read their reading books to inspectors and discussed how the school supports their reading development.
• A representative group of pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 discussed their opinions about the school and their learning with the inspectors.
• Inspectors took account of the 58 responses to Ofsted’s online parent survey, Parent View. An inspector met with a number of parents at the beginning of the school day.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including information about pupils’ achievement, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and its development plans. They reviewed records of behaviour and attendance, and information relating to safeguarding. The inspectors scrutinised samples of pupils’ work in their books across a wide range of curriculum areas.

Inspection team

Michael Reeves, lead inspector Gill Wild

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector