St Paul's and St Timothy's Catholic Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that leaders’ and governors’ monitoring and evaluation activities focus keenly on pupils’ achievement
  • further developing the curriculum so that pupils can reach the standards of which they are capable
  • supporting subject leaders to develop an effective approach to assessing pupils’ progress across a wide range of subjects
  • sharing the approaches to teaching that have proved most effective with all staff in the school.
• Improve the quality of teaching by:
  • supporting teachers to develop their own subject knowledge in English and mathematics
  • making sure that teachers have high expectations for all pupils
  • ensuring that teachers give pupils guidance on how to improve their work, as required by the school’s teaching and learning policy.
• Improve pupils’ outcomes so that they are consistently good or better by:
  • developing a clear approach to writing across school which allows pupils to practise and consolidate their learning
  • ensuring that teachers place sufficient focus on the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in all classes
  • ensuring that the most able pupils are challenged to reach the highest standards.
• Improve outcomes in the early years by:
  • improving the accuracy of assessments so that they can be used to better match learning to prior attainment
  • ensuring that adults interact with children to move learning on in continuous provision
  • ensuring a clear focus on basic skills so that children are better prepared for the demands of Year 1.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• This school’s effectiveness has declined since the previous inspection because leaders have not responded quickly enough to national changes to both curriculum and assessments. As a result, outcomes in key stage 1 in 2016 were well below the national averages, particularly in writing and mathematics.
• Leaders’ and teachers’ expectations of what pupils can and should achieve are not high enough. Consequently, in 2016, no pupils reached greater depth in any subject. Teachers have not embedded the increased demands of the new key stage 1 curriculum into classroom practice.
• Leaders and governors have an overgenerous view of the school. Monitoring does not have a clear enough focus on pupils’ outcomes. Leaders have only more recently taken account of the higher expectations in the curriculum. As a result, the results in 2016 were not as high as hoped by leaders and governors. There is now a stronger emphasis on improving pupils’ outcomes, and current outcomes show some improvement.
• The changes introduced by the leadership team this year are beginning to arrest the decline in standards, but there is still considerable room for improvement before outcomes are good.
• Procedures are in place to track and review teachers’ performance. However, leaders’ feedback to teachers is overly positive. It does not go far enough in helping teachers know what they must do in order to improve. Consequently, the quality of teaching is too variable between different classes. This hampers pupils from making stronger progress as they move through the school.
• Subject leaders have too little impact on the quality of teaching. These leaders pay too little attention to the progress pupils make. They do not check closely enough on the quality of teaching to assess its influence on pupils’ progress.
• Parents are supportive of the school. They feel that the school gives pupils a solid grounding in manners and politeness. Parents particularly appreciate the way in which they can talk to the headteacher about any concerns they might have.
• Teachers work closely with parents to make sure that individual children’s needs are met when they first start school. Leaders also plan the transition to junior school carefully. They have built close relationships with the junior school to improve further on this. The leadership team has established joint approaches to handwriting and mathematical calculations across the two schools. However, it is too early to see the impact of this.
• The school works well with parents and outside agencies to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. One parent said, ‘I can’t fault the transition from nursery. It was as though my child was their only priority.’ The school provides good social and emotional support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders use the additional funding the school receives to effectively support these pupils. As a result, these pupils make good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils receive homework that is appropriate for their age. Parents value the termly topic homework, which they say their children enjoy.
• Teachers plan the curriculum to ensure that pupils get a wide variety of opportunities. Adults work well as a team to make these learning experiences meaningful for the pupils. For example, adults recently turned the hall into a shopping street so pupils could use their mathematical skills in a real-life context. Leaders have ensured that these wide-ranging opportunities extend beyond the school day. Pupils take part in a variety of after-school events, including judo, fencing and street dance. There is a clear commitment to equality and ensuring that there is no discrimination. All pupils, whatever their ability, background or beliefs, have the opportunity to take part in the school’s activities. However, the curriculum is planned at too low a level and does not take sufficient account of pupils’ prior learning. This is because teachers do not know what pupils understand and can do in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and the close links with the local church play an important role in ensuring this. Pupils are encouraged to respect others and appreciate diversity. For example, the school takes positive steps to widen pupils’ understanding of different religions and cultures. This helps to prepare them appropriately for life in modern Britain.

Governance of the school

• Governors have allowed the school to decline, and their actions have not been swift or incisive enough to halt this downturn. However, governors recognise the decline in standards and they have developed an action plan to address this. They have recently undertaken a review of the governing body, alongside additional training to ensure that they have the skills necessary to support and challenge school leaders. There is some evidence of the impact of this in the improvement in current pupils’ achievements.
• The representatives of the diocese and the local authority have provided support for the governors and senior leaders following the unexpected drop in standards.
• Governors have a good understanding of the use of the pupil premium funding and the impact this has had on diminishing the difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. They recognise that although outcomes for disadvantaged pupils have improved in 2017, they do not match those of other pupils nationally.
• The governors have ensured that the school makes appropriate use of the physical education and sports funding to increase the confidence and expertise of staff, as well as to extend the range of activities available to the pupils. .

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is part of all that the school does. Governors ensure that all policies and procedures are in place, including checks on teachers and governors.
• Training for staff is comprehensive and up to date.
• The safeguarding lead works closely with other agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive the support they need. She is tenacious in her approach. Leaders demonstrate a great determination to ensure that pupils are kept safe and any unknown absences are followed up swiftly.
• All safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of a high quality.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement because they are not consistently good in all classes or for all groups of pupils. As a result, pupils’ progress is inconsistent and not good enough overall.
• Too many children are inaccurately identified when they join the Reception Year as having skills below those typical for their age. This gives a skewed picture of what children are capable of and restricts their learning and development as they move through the school. This accounts for the low expectations some teachers hold. Consequently, teaching is pitched too low for many pupils and, as a result, pupils’ outcomes have declined.
• Leaders have set up systems to check and improve pupils’ progress. However, some teachers do not use this information to focus sufficiently well on pupils’ individual learning needs. In some classes, teachers have low expectations of what pupils can achieve and pupils do not make the progress they are capable of making. As a result, pupils, particularly the most able and those with low prior attainment, do not achieve well enough to reach the standards expected for their age.
• The quality of teachers’ questioning is variable. Some teachers structure and sequence questions carefully to enable pupils to extend their thinking. For example, in a mathematics lesson, pupils were using apparatus to work out what happens when you add two odd numbers together. The teacher listened carefully to the pupils’ responses and made timely interventions to move the pupils on to thinking about what would happen if you added an odd and an even number. In contrast, some staff do not have secure subject knowledge and, as a result, questions lack clarity. As a result, pupils become confused.
• Teachers do not challenge the most able pupils well enough. The expectations teachers have of these pupils are too low. When teachers set work that is too easy, these pupils become restless, lose concentration and their progress slows.
• The most able pupils are held back by teachers not making best use of these pupils’ existing knowledge. For example, in a writing lesson, the most able pupils were asked to sequence a story using pictures before beginning to write. Many took too long to do this sequencing and, consequently, had little time in which to write. The work in books showed that some pupils were repeating the same type of task without any improvement in the quality of their work.
• The school’s teaching and learning policy is not consistently applied. Some teachers do not give pupils opportunities to improve their work. Feedback is overgenerous and, as a result, pupils do not build on prior learning. Adults do not routinely correct basic mistakes, such as number and letter reversal, so pupils repeat the same mistakes over again.
• Pupils use their knowledge of phonics to help them when reading. However, pupils do not apply this knowledge in their own writing. Spelling is weak and teachers do not show pupils how to improve this aspect of their work.
• Teachers do not plan sequences of work well in writing. Teachers give pupils insufficient opportunities to practise and reinforce new writing skills. Consequently, pupils, including the most able, make too little progress.
• School leaders deploy additional adults effectively in many classes to support lower-ability pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and to identify misconceptions.
• Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to write in subjects other than English, particularly in religious education. The quality of this writing is similar to that seen in work in English.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are happy in this caring school, in which their emotional well-being is paramount.
• Adults develop warm and caring relationships and pupils work hard for their teachers. Adults reinforce expectations for good conduct. Where pupils drift off task, adults quickly bring their focus back.
• Pupils understand the actions that constitute poor behaviour. They are not as aware of the actions that constitute bullying, although when reminded could describe the rare occasions on which it had occurred in school.
• Pupils enjoy taking on roles of responsibility. All pupils have the opportunity to take on one of these roles. Pupils talked excitedly about representing the school in competitions, including winning a recent enterprise competition against much older pupils. Pupils in Year 2 conduct a sensible debate because they have been taught the precise vocabulary needed to do so.
• The school’s faith characteristics are evident across school. Pupils talk about giving to charity and being a good neighbour.
• Pupils know how to stay safe from harm. They are knowledgeable about fire, road and water safety.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Staff have high expectations of behaviour, which ensures that during both structured and unstructured times throughout the day, the behaviour is very good. Pupils are courteous and display excellent manners. They show respect for others and have positive attitudes.
• Pupils are keen to do well, and understand that good behaviour helps them in their learning. They eagerly help others when they are in need and praise each other positively, which strengthens each other’s self-esteem.
• Staff work successfully with families to improve the attendance of pupils who are regularly absent. This has proven successful, and attendance is now similar to the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2016, Year 2 pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics was not as good as that of other pupils nationally. The results continued a declining trend in pupils’ outcomes since the previous inspection. Pupils were not well prepared for the higher demands of the new national curriculum. Too few pupils gained greater depth in their learning in 2016, due to leaders’ and teachers’ overcautiousness with assessment.
• Provisional data for 2017 suggests there has been an improvement in pupils’ outcomes, but it is not back to the high standards the school has enjoyed in the past.
• In 2017, a significant number of pupils who achieved well at the end of Year 1 did not successfully make the transition to Year 2 and did not reach expected standards. There has been an improvement in outcomes in reading at the end of key stage 1 from last year but leaders’ predictions in writing and mathematics were missed.
• Current outcomes in phonics at the end of Year 1 are the lowest for four years and below the national average. Leaders have evaluated this and have increased the pace of phonics teaching in the Reception Year. Leaders will introduce a new approach in September because of identified shortcomings in their current approach.
• Appropriate interventions are in place for those pupils who missed the expected standard in phonics at the end of Year 1. Consequently, most pupils reach the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• In writing, few of the most able pupils reach the higher standards of which they are capable. This is because teachers do not plan work that is sufficiently challenging. As a result, the most able pupils make too little progress in writing and few pupils are working at greater depth. Leaders have an overgenerous view of the quality of pupils’ writing.
• Pupils’ progress in mathematics is variable across the school. Progress is good in Year 2, but too variable in Year 1. Pupils do not cover the full breadth of the mathematics curriculum in Year 1 in sufficient depth. Where progress is stronger, there is a growing emphasis on pupils’ deepening their thinking through investigations and problem solving. While a greater proportion of pupils than in 2016 are working at greater depth in mathematics, this proportion is still low.
• The majority of pupils are making good progress in reading. This is because of the focus leaders place on this and teachers’ good subject knowledge. Pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, read fluently and with expression. They have access to good-quality reading material at an appropriate level. Teachers hear pupils read regularly and encourage them to read at home. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to ask pupils questions to help them to understand what they are reading.
• There is evidence of the positive impact of the spending of the pupil premium funding for some disadvantaged pupils. Currently, the difference in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils is diminishing in some classes. However, in some year groups, too few of the most able disadvantaged pupils are on track to achieve the standards of which they are capable by the end of the year.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics in 2016. Effective support and guidance are enabling current pupils to make similarly good progress.
• Leaders’ tracking of pupils’ achievements in areas of the curriculum other than English and mathematics are at an early stage. Evidence in books shows that pupils achieve well in science and in religious education. There is less evidence in books to support evaluations of pupils’ progress in other subjects.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of what children know and can do when they enter the Reception Year. They do not take account of previous assessments made. As a result, adults have an overgenerous view of the progress children make in this year.
• Leaders do not have a clear picture of the progress children make throughout the year. Systems to track and monitor children’s progress are not developed. Teachers do not use assessments well enough to plan for future learning. As a result, some children are not ready for the demands of Year 1, and the teachers do not stretch the most able children.
• There has been an increase in the proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year, following a period of decline. However, in 2016, this proportion remained below the national average. Provisional data for 2017 suggests that only half the current disadvantaged children have reached a good level of development.
• The setting is well resourced and staffed. The children are provided with bright and well-organised learning areas inside and have access to a wide range of activities outside. Adults work together well to plan engaging activities.
• Adults support children in the activities they choose to do. In turn, the children respond with enthusiasm and talk readily about what they are doing. For example, children who were making pretend food for a birthday party talked to inspectors about what they were making. They spoke about whose birthday it was and how old they were. They were adding and counting candles on their cakes.
• Sometimes, adults do not interact with the children quickly enough to move learning on. They do not utilise opportunities to build and develop basic skills consistently. Consequently, some children lack basic skills when they move into Year 1.
• Children’s progress in writing is slow. Teachers are addressing perceived weaknesses in children’s fine motor skills. However, not enough emphasis is placed on modelling the correct letter formation and giving children opportunities to practise. As a result, writing development is limited. The way in which the children practise their writing does not ensure that they produce well-formed letters. They wipe their boards clean at the end of each activity, so there is no means of keeping a record of the progress made by individual children.
• Children come into school with enthusiasm and excitement. They behave well because of the warm relationships and well-established routines.
• Adults use their good subject knowledge to develop children’s thinking and language skills, good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Children sustain play for long periods and work well together with minimal intervention. For example, children walked through trays containing a variety of different textures. They clearly enjoyed this activity and adults’ precise questioning helped to develop their vocabulary. However, there were no opportunities for the most able children to develop this activity further. Adults did not provide any opportunities for children to devise their own activity or to record what they had found in any way.
• Teachers work closely with parents before children start school. There are effective systems of communication. However, teachers do not utilise parents’ wealth of understanding about their children sufficiently.
• Safeguarding is effective and all welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104673 Liverpool 10032796 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 Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 4 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 361 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mark Thompson Joanne Starkey 0151 228 2114 www.stpaulandsttimothys.com paultimothy-ht@st-pauls-st-timothys.liverpool.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27 September 2007

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• St Paul’s and St Timothy’s is a larger than average-sized infant school.
• The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and pupils who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language are lower than average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than average.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed a range of lessons or parts of lessons. Some of these observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils reading and talked with pupils about their lessons and school life.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, representatives of the governing body and representatives from the local authority.
• The inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised documentation relating to pupils’ progress and to the school’s management, including the arrangements to ensure that pupils are kept safe.
• Inspectors considered parents’ responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day.

Inspection team

Tanya Hughes, lead inspector Ann Gill Barbara Harrold Liz Kelly

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector