Faith Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management, including governance, by:
  • making sure that governors hold senior leaders fully to account for their performance and effectiveness
  • listening to parents’ views and acknowledging, and swiftly dealing with, their concerns
  • ensuring that all improvement plans, and the school’s evaluations of its own performance, accurately indicate what the school needs to do to improve
  • setting teachers challenging performance targets and developing effective systems for monitoring the quality of teaching
  • formulating precise plans for allocating additional funding to raise standards for disadvantaged pupils, and making sure that such plans are available on the school’s website
  • devising a broad and balanced curriculum which allocates appropriate time to developing pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills
  • ensuring that new systems to monitor pupils’ achievement and behaviour are fully implemented and adhered to by all staff
  • working with families to improve attendance
  • further developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding and their appreciation of British values.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning and raise levels of achievement across the school in reading, writing and mathematics by:
  • ensuring that teachers recognise pupils’ potential and have the highest possible expectations of them
  • developing pupils’ ability to apply their mathematical skills to practical problem- solving activities
  • making sure that teaching assistants are well deployed to boost pupils’ progress
  • providing as many opportunities as possible for pupils to practise and refine their writing skills across the curriculum
  • ensuring that tasks and activities in class are tailored to the academic needs of pupils of different abilities, including disadvantaged pupils and the most able
  • developing pupils’ appreciation of books and introducing them to different authors and writing styles
  • ensuring that additional activities, aiming to boost pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills, are properly monitored and fully evaluated.
• Improve pupils’ behaviour, personal development and welfare by:
  • encouraging pupils to take pride in the presentation of their work
  • fully addressing pupils’ personal development and welfare needs, including their emotional well-being and resilience, as a matter of priority
  • developing pupils’ respect and understanding of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds
  • enhancing pupils’ confidence, so they are assured that they can report concerns and have them dealt with swiftly.
• Improve the effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision by:
  • ensuring that robust assessment procedures are in place and adhered to by all staff
  • fully utilising the outdoor learning and playing areas to enhance children’s experiences and boost their performance
  • making sure that all adults interact effectively with children to ensure children’s good progress. An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Until recently, the leadership and management of the school, including governance, were inadequate. Leaders did not have the capacity to move the school forward following a decline in standards since the previous inspection.
• The school’s decline culminated in standards which were significantly below average, and in the lowest 10% of schools, for almost all pupils, in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2016.
• The new executive headteacher, governors and senior leaders are beginning to make the required changes and improve the school’s fortunes. However, there is still much to do. The school requires improvement in many areas and there are serious weaknesses still to be tackled.
• There were mixed responses from staff to the inspection questionnaire. For example, some said that training has helped to improve their practice. Others are of the view that the school has declined since the previous inspection. However, most recognise that the school is in a period of rapid change. They know it is too early to assess the impact of new initiatives, or the effectiveness of the new senior leadership team. Inspection evidence indicates that senior leaders have charted a clear course of action which is already having a positive effect.
• Currently the school does not have robust improvement plans in place. Plans that do exist, including for reading, writing and mathematics, are not precise and do not link clearly enough to raising standards. No plans outline clear measures of success. Middle leaders with subject responsibilities have not been effective in raising standards or improving the quality of teaching and learning in their respective areas. Senior leaders are now fully evaluating middle leaders’ performance and establishing what needs to be done to accelerate pupils’ progress.
• Performance management is weak. Historically, teachers have not been set realistic targets and have not been held accountable for pupils’ performance. Similarly, systems for monitoring the quality of teaching are ineffective and do not support teachers in improving their practice.
• Plans for allocating additional funding to raise standards for disadvantaged pupils are not sufficiently detailed. They do not meet statutory expectations, which require leaders to indicate exactly how funding is spent and the extent to which it is diminishing differences between the performance of eligible pupils and other pupils nationally.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding, and their appreciation of the culturally diverse nature of British society, are not as well developed as they should be. Pupils visit local museums, play various string, percussion and brass instruments, learn Spanish in key stage 2, engage in dance and drama activities and appreciate various faiths. However, occasions for them to celebrate the culturally diverse nature of British society and their school are restricted. In addition, few opportunities are available for pupils to engage in fundraising activities, or to take on responsibilities.
• Current leaders have recognised that the curriculum is not fit for purpose. It is neither broad nor balanced. While there is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ skills and knowledge in music and the performing arts, and showcasing these talents in concerts, the time pupils spend covering other subjects is not helping them to become successful learners. This means that pupils do not gain a good enough grasp of the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Poor phonics, grammar, punctuation and spelling skills hinder pupils’ ability to write well enough in all subjects. . .
• Additional funding for sports in primary schools is effectively spent to provide training and development opportunities for staff and increase pupils’ participation in various sports, including gymnastics, dance, basketball and lunchtime football.
• Funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is not used effectively. For example, arrangements for provision have been disjointed and the impact of various teaching activities to support pupils’ skills development has not been systematically evaluated. Work with specialist partners is effective, including for pupils who are dual-registered and spend time in two specialist schools.
• Senior leaders recently enlisted the support of a specialist teacher to evaluate the school’s inclusion provision. The evaluation focused on work with pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, families and the community and initiatives aiming to improve attendance. An action plan was produced to help leaders improve this aspect of the school’s work.
• New systems to monitor pupils’ behaviour are now in place where previously there were none. Senior leaders aim to ensure that such systems are fully implemented and adhered to by all staff. Similarly, leaders are working to make sure that all staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour and anti-bullying policies.
• The new executive headteacher knows exactly what to do to turn Faith Primary School around. She has an in-depth knowledge of the community and of how to improve schools.
• The new executive headteacher has a steely determination. With the support of governors, she is fully committed to ensuring that pupils are not disadvantaged by inadequate provision. Significant changes in staffing, school organisation and the structure of the building are being made. The long-term support of a highly skilled head of school, an experienced senior leadership team and various specialists is hastening these necessary changes.
• Much of the support currently being provided to the school has been brokered through the local authority. This is long term and will be sustained while senior leaders develop staff skills, make new appointments and tackle underperformance. In addition, local authority support has been available to improve English and mathematics and the quality of the early years provision.
• The school’s website is not up to date and does not contain all necessary statutory information. Senor leaders are in the process of developing and launching a new website.

Governance of the school

• Governors bring a wealth of experience and much-needed skills to their role. There is no question about their dedication to the school, or about their desire to ensure that pupils find their school experience fulfilling and productive. However, historically governors have not held senior leaders closely enough to account. For example, though governors had concerns about falling standards and questioned the quality of teaching, they did not press hard enough to reveal the full extent of the school’s declining standards, particularly in key stage 2.
• Governors now have a comprehensive understanding of exactly how the school is functioning. They know that there is a long journey ahead and are committed to working closely with the new senior leadership team to bring about the rapid change necessary to reverse the school’s fortunes.
• Governors know that standards are not good enough, especially for disadvantaged pupils. They are spending more time in school and stringently monitoring pupils’ performance. Governors have made, and continue to make, difficult decisions in relation to staffing, to ensure that pupils have every chance to become confident and successful learners.
• Governors are trained well. They are familiar with school data and are fully conversant with safeguarding matters.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are now effective.
• Until recently safeguarding arrangements were not effective. For example, the school site was not secure and procedures for recording and monitoring safeguarding concerns were not kept up to date. However, senior leaders have taken swift action to make sure that all safeguarding requirements are now met, ensuring that pupils, staff and parents are safe when in school.
• Staff are trained well and have a good understanding of the government’s latest guidance on safeguarding children. All staff who spoke with inspectors demonstrated a sound knowledge of the procedures that they should follow if a pupil presents an issue or concern.
• All appropriate checks are made on the suitability of staff to work with children. The school’s single central record is up to date and contains all necessary statutory information.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

• Senior leaders have made changes in staffing recently and provide ongoing support and guidance to teachers. They are reviewing the quality of teaching and further changes are being made to overcome weaknesses. However, these changes have not yet resulted in strong enough teaching to ensure that pupils make the accelerated progress needed to make up for lost learning. Teaching results in poor progress and attainment which is inadequate over time.
• In this school, too many opportunities are missed to celebrate and exhibit pupils’ work. Classrooms lack vibrancy. Generously sized, modern indoor and outdoor learning areas are not utilised to make learning interesting and bring the curriculum to life. Too few resources are available to stimulate pupils’ interests. In classes, dictionaries and thesauruses are rarely seen. Few materials are available to help pupils with their calculations, measurements and fractions. In addition, little is available to fire pupils’ imaginations and add depth and detail to their writing.
• Teachers do not always recognise the great potential that pupils have, neither do they have the highest possible expectations of pupils. In almost all observations made during the inspection, learning tasks and activities for pupils were similar, or the same, despite differences in age and prior attainment. The most able pupils are rarely challenged.
• Teachers do not consistently implement the school’s assessment and feedback policy. This hampers pupils’ progress as they do not have clear guidance on how to develop their skills.
• Too often, pupils who finish their work early, including the most able and disadvantaged pupils, wait for their teacher to tell them what to do next. Such practice prevents pupils from making the accelerated progress necessary to improve standards.
• Pupils’ books reveal the same lack of challenge observed in the classroom. For example, teachers fail to deepen pupils’ understanding in mathematics. While some calculations are more difficult than others, the methods pupils are required to use are the same. In addition, because problem-solving activities are limited, pupils’ ability to apply their mathematical skills is weak.
• The deployment of teaching assistants is not as effective as it needs to be to enhance pupils’ learning. Too often, teaching assistants help low-ability pupils, and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, with similar or the same work as their peers. As with their peers, these pupils are over-reliant on the support they receive and are not encouraged to think their ideas through and find things out for themselves.
• Phonics teaching does not ensure that pupils develop the secure foundations necessary for them to become confident and competent readers. Those pupils who read for inspectors did so with little or no intonation. Some had weak comprehension skills and summarised their books poorly.
• There are glimmers of hope and some effective teaching. Pupils clearly want to learn, are mostly on task and are eager to answer questions and talk about their learning. Pupils get on with their peers and enjoy sharing their ideas. Some have the confidence to read their written work out in class.
• Relationships between teachers and pupils are mostly good. On occasion, some staff do not fully engage with pupils, leaving them to their own devices. This sometimes results in errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation going unchecked.
• Pupils made good progress in a key stage 1 English lesson. Pupils were asked to look at two paragraphs and identify verbs, nouns and adjectives and indicate the tense of various parts of the text. The teacher checked pupils’ learning throughout the lesson and praised pupils highly for their good work. At the end of the lesson, pupils were eager to answer questions and demonstrate what they had learned.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Pupils lack emotional well-being and resilience. They are equally not as confident as they should be. This is because there are too few opportunities for them to try out new things, learn from their mistakes and take the lead in their learning. During the inspection, few pupils were observed working on their own and many were too reliant on adults’ help and support.
• Pupils generally take pride in their appearance. However, they are not always encouraged to take pride in their work. As a result, some is poorly presented and incomplete.
• Very few opportunities are available for pupils to show that they are caring, capable citizens. For example, although there is a school council, members have not met for some time. Pupils are not as prepared for the next stage of their education as they need to be. This is because they have not been involved in decision-making and have been denied chances to show their resourcefulness.
• Though there have been recent developments, pupils’ knowledge of the world beyond the school and local community is not as comprehensive as it should be. Despite increasing diversity within the school, pupils do not have a full appreciation of the culturally diverse nature of British society. Senior leaders understand this as an important aspect of pupils’ development and are taking action to promote and celebrate diversity.
• Given the opportunity, pupils demonstrate their highly effective team-working skills. This was exemplified when pupils from Years 3 and 4, under the instruction of ‘Army Andy’, balanced across an obstacle course and worked collaboratively to make waterproof shelters. They showed their ability to solve problems, exhibited excellent leadership qualities and demonstrated their determination to succeed.
• During a discussion with pupils, several indicated that they have not always felt safe and said that they could not rely on staff to follow up their concerns.
• From a survey carried out by the school prior to this inspection, pupils indicated that, ‘things have changed’. They are much clearer about what to do if they have a worry or concern and their confidence is growing. Pupils say that new locks, gates and the ‘fob-entry’ system make them feel safe.
• A significant core of parents who spoke with inspectors, sent text messages during the inspection and completed Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, had concerns about their children’s safety. Senior leaders are fully aware of such concerns and are making it a priority to reassure parents that their children are now safe.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils are of the view that some of their addition, they say that some pupils shout out, answer back and make inappropriate sounds in lessons.
• Pupils say that bullying happens sometimes and is not always dealt with effectively or at all. Some staff are of the view that pupils’ behaviour is not always good and not dealt with consistently well.
• A recent survey of behaviour management revealed that teachers used different systems to address behaviour issues across the school. Pupils are confused and do not know exactly what school rules apply. However, they acknowledge that the school is getting better under the leadership of the new executive headteacher.
• Previously no systems were in place to monitor pupils’ behaviour. As a result, it is not clear how good pupils’ behaviour has been over time. However, comments from pupils, parents, staff and inspection evidence indicate that behaviour requires improvement.
• A comprehensive system for monitoring behaviour is now in place. Senior leaders considered pupils’ and other stakeholders’ views when developing it. Exclusions have had to be made where behaviour has been unacceptable. This corresponds with a ‘spike’ in entries in the new school log, now levelling off, as senior leaders make sure that new rules are implemented and enforced.
• Pupils know what racism and homophobic bullying are and say that both have happened in the school. Senior leaders have a zero tolerance to any form of discrimination. They are committed to carrying out their responsibilities under the 2010 Equality Act, including those relating challenging prejudice and discrimination.
• There have been improvements in pupils’ attendance this year. Most pupils attend school regularly. However, overall attendance is below average. The school is working closely with a small group of families to get across the message that good attendance is essential for their children to achieve well.
• Pupils know about internet safety. All of them agree that ‘you should not respond to nasty text messages’ and should always have social networking accounts on the highest privacy settings. Senior leaders are planning a programme to further emphasise internet safety for pupils, to be rolled out to parents.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• Standards attained by pupils in 2016, at the end of both key stages 1 and 2, were significantly below average in reading, writing and mathematics. In addition, standards were poor in grammar, punctuation, spelling and science at the end of key stage 2.
• Hardly any pupils attained the higher levels, or greater depth, in any subject at the end of either key stage 1 or 2. A very small proportion of pupils attained the higher levels in mathematics. Most pupils at the end of key stage 1, and almost all pupils at the end of key stage 2, were disadvantaged. In 2016, their attainment and progress was inadequate.
• Pupils’ poor performance in national tests represents a three-year decline in standards since the previous inspection. The school’s most recent assessment information, March 2017, indicates that in all classes between 20% and 66% of pupils are making slower progress than they should be making in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ progress in Years 2 and 6 is especially weak.
• Current pupils continue to underachieve in relation to their abilities because of wide gaps in their learning. In addition, the quality of teaching is variable and not strong enough to provide the boost necessary to accelerate standards. As a result, outcomes for pupils remain inadequate.
• There has been a three-year decline in the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. The proportion of boys and disadvantaged pupils secure at the check was especially low. An average proportion of girls was secure at the end of Year 2.
• At the end of key stage 2 in 2016, progress in writing was significantly below average, and in the lowest 10% of all schools, overall and for the middle-ability pupils. Currently progress in writing is poor across the school, with between 33% and 66% of pupils making less progress than they are capable of in this subject. Pupils’ books reveal very few examples of extended writing, or of writing for different purposes. In addition, too few opportunities are available for pupils to practise and refine their writing skills across the curriculum.
• At the end of key stage 2 in 2016, progress in mathematics was significantly below average. During the inspection, some effective mathematics teaching was observed. However, pupils are rarely challenged in their work, or given opportunities to apply their skills. Fewer than half of all pupils in the current Year 6 are making the progress they are capable of in mathematics.
• At the end of Year 6 in 2016, disadvantaged pupils made inadequate progress in all subjects. Their attainment in spelling and science was below average. Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment in grammar and punctuation was below average. None attained the higher levels. Currently, the attainment of these pupils is inadequate in some year groups. Pupils are not reaching the standards expected for their age and differences between their progress and that of other pupils nationally are diminishing too slowly.
• Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is not supporting them well enough to ensure that they make the progress of which they are capable. The standards pupils attained in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2016 were not good enough.
• In some classes pupils’ progress is improving. However, very few are making the progress of which they are capable. In national tests in 2016, at the end of both key stages 1 and 2, very few pupils reached the higher levels, and this remains the case. This is because, too often, teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils and do not provide them with challenging activities to extend their learning and enhance their understanding in reading, writing and mathematics.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The proportion of pupils attaining a good level of development has improved each year for the last three years, 2016 seeing the highest proportion. However, a well below average proportion of boys, most of the cohort, attained a good level of development. Almost all girls attained a good level of development. Just over half of all children entered Year 1 with the skills and abilities necessary for the next phase of their learning.
• The leadership and management of the early years provision requires improvement because the quality of teaching and adult interactions with children is variable and procedures for assessing how well pupils are performing are not as well developed as they should be. In addition, outdoor learning and play provision is not utilised effectively enough to ensure that children make good progress in all areas of learning. As a result, not all children are making the good progress of which they are capable.
• The school’s tracking system shows that around a third of children are already meeting the early learning goals. Senior leaders expect this proportion to rise and for a similar proportion to that in 2016 to attain a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year.
• The early years leader is fully aware of what needs to be done for provision to be good. She is starting to evaluate outdoor provision and acknowledges that some staff need support to improve. The leader welcomes guidance from the local authority to improve techniques to observe children’s learning and assess the progress they are making.
• In the last 12 months, children’s attainment on entry has improved. Parents’ expectations of their children are high, including the increasing number of parents with children who speak English as an additional language. However, most children enter the Nursery class with skills and abilities below those expected for their age in most areas of learning.
• Staff are caring and develop strong bonds with children. Sometimes opportunities to capitalise on children’s interests are missed and children are not always encouraged to pursue activities that they find engaging.
• Children’s behaviour is generally good. Children work together cooperatively and spontaneously, especially the most able and those of middle ability. Children enjoy learning independently while outdoors and they work well together to order numbers and keep score while playing ball games.
• Indoors, children are familiar with the snack routine and help themselves to milk and fruit while enjoying socialising with friends and joining in with singing. Children like reading stories, dressing up as different characters and engaging in role-play activities.
• Interactions between staff and children are most effective when children’s interests are stimulated. This was the case in the Reception class when children were encouraged to alter the direction of a chute and describe what happened to the speed of the ball as it travelled at different angles.
• Nursery children’s learning journeys (workbooks) contain sufficient records of children’s achievements. However, not all the skills that children secure, which they demonstrated during the inspection, are captured and recorded by staff. In the Reception class children’s writing, topic and phonics books, there is clearer evidence of children’s progress, especially in writing.
• Staff are trained well in areas such as paediatric first aid and safeguarding. The much-improved safeguarding procedures applied in key stages 1 and 2 are adhered to in the early years. All risk assessments are in place, helping to ensure that children are safe. Children’s attendance is exceptionally high.
• Parents of children in both the Nursery and Reception classes are very positive about their children’s learning experience. They are of the view that their children are safe and progressing well. Inspection evidence indicates that children’s progress would be better with consistently good teaching and stronger adult–child interactions.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 134723 Liverpool 10024303 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Erica Hedley Nadine Carroll 0151 233 5092 www.faithprimary.co.uk ao@faithprimaryschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 July 2013

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. For example, the website does not clearly indicate how the pupil premium funding will be used to remove barriers to learning for eligible pupils and no information is available on governors’ business interests or work with other schools. At the time of the inspection, the new senior leadership team was in the process of closing the school’s current website down and developing a new one.
• An executive headteacher is currently leading the school. This is a long-term arrangement, made by the local authority. An interim head of school, sourced by the local authority, will take up her position, and work alongside the executive headteacher and colleagues from the local authority at the start of the summer term.
• Since the previous inspection, there have been many staffing changes. Several teachers have been employed, including recently qualified teachers and two newly qualified teachers. The governing body has been reorganised to include five new governors, including parent and foundation governors.
• The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school. More than half of all pupils are disadvantaged and in receipt of support paid for by the pupil premium funding.
• A below-average, but rapidly increasing, proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Few speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average. The proportion of pupils who have education, health and care plans or a statement of special educational needs is below average.
• Children in the early years are taught on a part-time and full-time basis in the Nursery class. Children are taught full time in the Reception class.
• The school runs a breakfast club. This is managed by the governing body and was evaluated as part of this inspection.
• During the inspection, most pupils from Years 4 and 5 were on a residential visit, as were some pupils from Year 6.
• A small number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are dual registered at two specialist schools, Abbots Lea and Hope Primary Schools. The special educational needs coordinator regularly visits these schools. Daily checks are made on attendance.
• The government’s floor standards do not apply to this school because of the small number of pupils that were assessed at the end of key stage 2 in 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils’ work in books was scrutinised in class and separately with senior leaders.
• Inspectors read nine free-text responses submitted by parents and met parents informally at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors also considered 10 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as 10 questionnaires completed by staff during the inspection. Inspectors considered 64 questionnaires completed by pupils, as well as the school’s own surveys of the views of pupils, parents and staff.
• A meeting was held with seven governors, including the chair of the governing body. Meetings were held with senior leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics and the early years provision. Meetings were also held with the executive headteacher and interim head of school.
• Meetings were also held with staff responsible for English, those managing provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, the early years leader and the learning mentor.
• Discussions took place with two representatives from School Improvement Liverpool, the local authority, one of whom is seconded to the school. Additional meetings were held with the deputy headteacher from the supporting school and the inclusion manager from Phoenix Primary School.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included development plans for English and mathematics, staff performance reviews, reports from external bodies, such as the local authority, recent records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour, recent information about pupils’ progress and safeguarding documentation.

Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Margot D’Arcy Tina Cleugh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector