St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning and further raise achievement across key stages 1 and 2 by:
  • consistently helping the most able pupils to achieve to the very best of their ability and making sure that work is always set at the correct level of challenge
  • enhancing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science.
• Improve and strengthen the early years provision further by ensuring that indoor learning and play areas stimulate and challenge children, especially the most able writers, to achieve their very best.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has been resolute and successful in her determination to bring about positive change. Together with senior leaders and governors she has galvanised the support of staff, parents and pupils, to secure strong improvements since the previous inspection. This is a transformed school, where pupils enjoy learning, parents celebrate their children’s achievement and staff morale is high.
• Senior leaders are highly ambitious. They have great expectations of teachers and teaching assistants and set them rigorous targets, as part of an effective system of performance management. Regular meetings to assess pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics give senior leaders an accurate view of how well pupils are performing. This enables leaders to put into place additional support where it is needed.
• Subject leaders for English and mathematics have clear plans in place for raising achievement in their respective areas. Their focus is on areas such as improving spelling, developing pupils’ appreciation of poetry and deepening pupils’ mathematical understanding. Other subject leaders have clear remits too, focusing on ensuring good- quality coaching in physical education, encouraging conversational French throughout the school and auditing art and design technology provision.
• Senior leaders and governors have made it a priority to ensure that extra funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils of all abilities. As a result, all such pupils are currently making at least good progress in a wide range of subjects in all classes. Their progress in reading is outstanding in some year groups.
• Pupils benefit from a curriculum that they find interesting. It promotes their reading, writing, grammar, punctuation, spelling and mathematical skills well. Pupils are particularly skilful in interpreting different texts in English and working together to solve problems in mathematics.
• The school’s work to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is good. Pupils live and breathe the school’s aim of ‘developing forgiveness, tolerance, mercy and peace’. They care deeply about those less fortunate than themselves and raise money for various charities, at home and abroad. Pupils learn about the major world religions, and appreciate music, the theatre and poetry. They also enjoy playing brass instruments and singing in the school choir.
• British values are written into the school motto, which emphasises responsibilities as well as rights. Pupils put democratic principles into practice through expressing their views and making decisions, including about spending. Recently, they decided that school funds would be spent on new play equipment, garden improvements and to pay for prizes for good attendance.
• As an increasing number of pupils from minority ethnic groups join the school, more celebrations of various traditions and festivals from other countries take place. This is helping to enhance pupils’ understanding of the culturally diverse nature of British society.
• The additional government funding to promote sports and physical education is spent effectively. It is used to provide professional development and training for staff, increase pupils’ participation in competitive sports and encourage positive attitudes towards fitness and healthy eating. Funding also extends the range of sporting activities on offer to include cricket, dance, judo, hockey and cross-country training.
• Leaders and staff fully implement all aspects of the school motto, including the aim of ‘celebrating our achievements with the local and wider community’. This is evident in the large number of parents who regularly attend celebration assemblies. Parents’ satisfaction with the school is shown in surveys and inspection evidence, which indicate that parents are happy that their children are safe, well looked after and making good progress.
• Because of the school’s excellent capacity to improve, it requires little external support. However, senior leaders are keen to share and learn from good practice. To this end, various members of staff regularly attend local school cluster group meetings.
• A local headteacher from an outstanding school continues to provide an informal ‘listening ear’ to senior leaders, as does a representative from the archdiocese of Liverpool. A recent review of teaching and learning, commissioned by the local authority, provided a useful summary of the school’s strengths and what senior leaders need to do to raise standards further.

Governance of the school

• Governance is strong. Many of the school’s governors are long-standing, including the chair of the governing body. They have been highly successful in helping the school negotiate a successful course through its inadequate and requiring improvement judgements to good overall effectiveness. However, governors are highly ambitious and not satisfied with standing still. All members of the governing body met with inspectors and all agreed that ‘this school cannot fail’, and ‘we will continue to move forward’.
• Governors take a keen interest in the school. They meet regularly with school council members, check on safeguarding, listen to pupils read and tour the school, looking at pupils’ work and talking with teachers.
• Governors have an accurate view of the quality of teaching, which they acquire from their school visits, headteacher’s reports and scrutinising achievement data. Their secure knowledge of the school puts them in a good position to make decisions relating to promotions and pay awards, which they base on teachers’ performance.
• Governors know how the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent. They are fully aware that it is helping to raise standards for eligible pupils in reading, writing and mathematics across key stages 1 and 2.
• Governors’ effective training on safer recruitment, pupil premium funding and data analysis, as well as their membership of various governor associations, puts them in a strong position to challenge and support the school in equal measure.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All staff, including lunchtime supervisors, are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. They are vigilant in identifying potential child neglect and abuse, and confident that pupils will talk to them if they have any concerns or worries.
• Staff know how to report issues relating to pupils’ welfare and safety to the school’s nominated safeguarding leaders and the local authority’s designated lead officers. Staff are trained well and regularly update their safeguarding knowledge. Recently they completed online ‘Prevent’ training.
• All checks to ensure that adults are suitable to work with children have been undertaken and are recorded in the single central register. Risk assessments for off-site visits are kept up to date.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Inconsistencies identified in the quality of teaching at the time of the previous inspection no longer exist. Actions taken to eradicate ineffective teaching and provide focused training and development for staff have helped to ensure that teaching is now consistently good.
• Pupils make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress. This is because teachers use precise assessment information on pupils’ performance to plan different activities for their various ability levels. In addition, the highly effective working practice between teachers and teaching assistants ensures that lessons are purposeful and move forward with a sense of urgency.
• Teachers provide useful feedback to pupils on how they can improve their learning. This is in line with school’s feedback and assessment policy. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they find their teachers’ comments useful. Work in pupils’ books indicates that they are regularly given time to check and improve their calculations and written work.
• Teachers’ work to help pupils become confident, resilient learners is paying off. For example, in English, pupils are regularly asked to share their ideas, summarise extracts from texts and explain how grammar and punctuation can be used to dramatic effect.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils and make no excuse for using complex language and difficult words. All pupils have access to dictionaries and enjoy competing to find new and exciting words to include in their writing.
• Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support pupils’ learning. They use the same good questioning as teachers and have the same high expectations of pupils. Teaching assistants know what is expected of them because of their close partnership with teachers, good training and access to information on pupils’ prior performance.
• Teaching assistants’ work to support the good progress of various groups of pupils, including the most able and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is very effective.
• Pupils work well together, listen to each other respectfully and follow instructions carefully. This was shown in a religious education lesson where pupils were learning about the content and structure of the Bible. Pupils thought hard when asked in what genre the Bible is written. They agreed that it contains historical information, letters and poetry, before engaging in a lively discussion around from whose perspective the Bible was written.
• Teachers’ good subject knowledge in mathematics motivates pupils well and generates a sense of excitement. This was evident in observations of teaching across the school, including in a key stage 1 class. Here, the class teacher and teaching assistants provided a wide range of mathematical challenges to pupils. Pupils were fully engaged because they wanted to improve their ability to calculate their spending. While some pupils worked out ‘remainders’, after various deductions from £5.00, others used coins to work out various deductions from 20p. Excellent support was provided to pupils still developing their simple addition and multiplication skills, while the class teacher responded immediately with challenging work for any pupils who finished their calculations early.
• Pupils are conscientious and take pride in their work. English books are well presented with excellent examples of well-written, extended and illustrated stories. Mathematics books show that pupils make at least good progress, with many examples of accurate problem solving, requiring a deep understanding of mathematical principles.
• Science books show a broad and balanced curriculum which allows pupils to explore topics such as the life cycles of plants and animals, the structure of the eye, habitats and the characteristics of light. However, work books show that opportunities to boost pupils’ progress and deepen their understanding of science through practical activities are sometimes missed.
• While work in pupils’ books indicates that different groups of pupils routinely engage in different tasks and activities during lessons, the most able pupils are not always fully challenged in all year groups. Senior leaders have made this a priority area for development and are increasing opportunities for teachers to learn from best practice within the school and further afield.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are studious and conscientious. They have highly positive attitudes to learning, enjoy helping each other and work well together. Pupils are increasingly resilient, regularly demonstrating their confidence to share ideas and learn from their mistakes. This supports their good progress across the school.
• Pupils take pride in their appearance and in the presentation of their work. Pupils’ books are neatly presented and clearly laid out. The quality of much of the work in pupils’ special writing books in upper key stage 2 is exemplary.
• Pupils’ attendance has improved since the previous inspection and is broadly average. The school’s intensive work with the small minority of pupils who are persistently absent is paying off, as are various incentives to encourage good attendance.
• The school’s Christian ethos helps to ensure that all aspects of school life are calm and purposeful. Pupils are charitable, kind and considerate, and enjoy excellent relationships with each other and their teachers.
• Pupils are prepared to go the extra mile with their school work. They enjoy attending the breakfast club and participating in a wide range of after-school activities. These include computing, gardening, fitness, singing and gymnastics. Pupils think nothing of giving up their time to attend extra spelling and writing sessions during lunchtimes and have the maturity to understand why these are necessary.
• Pupils who spoke with inspectors said they always feel safe and cared for well. They know they can talk to any adult if they have a concern and any worries will be dealt with swiftly and sensitively.
• Pupils have a good understanding of internet safety. They know how to stay safe online and when using various electronic forms of communication, such as tablets and mobile phones. Pupils know never to give personal information out over the internet and say that friend requests from strangers should not be accepted. Pupils know they should always talk to an adult if they are unsure about the safety of a website.
• Pupils have regular visits from the local community police safety officers, who help them to understand safe and unsafe situations. For example, pupils know to be careful on the roads, especially if weather conditions are poor, wear bright clothing when it is dark and to never go into a stranger’s house. These messages are reinforced by the school through regular assemblies on road safety and discussion about dangers and risks.
• Pupils enjoy taking on various responsibilities and are rightly proud that senior leaders recently acted on their idea to spend school funds on a ‘tyre pit’, climbing frame and gazebo. Such decision-making skills prepare older pupils well for the next stage of their learning in Year 7 and beyond.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils fully understand the school’s behaviour policy and are familiar with its rewards and sanctions. Pupils aim to gain as many team points as they can for good behaviour, strive to be the best they can be and aspire to be ‘star of the week’.
• Pupils are very proud of their achievements and enjoy talking about their work. They are considerate and courteous and like welcoming visitors into the school.
• Pupils usually behave sensibly. This includes during lunchtime, when playing outside with their friends and when moving around the school. Pupils behave exceptionally well during assembly. This was exemplified during the inspection when pupils entered the school hall in silence, in anticipation of their celebration assembly. Pupils enthusiastically applauded their peers for gaining their pen licence and various awards for being ‘mathmagicians’, regular readers, good writers and having the best attendance.
• Pupils say that behaviour is usually good and bullying rare. All teachers and parents who spoke with inspectors are of the view that behaviour is good. A small minority of parents who completed the online survey, Parent View, were less positive about pupils’ behaviour. The school’s own records of pupils’ behaviour indicate that behaviour is typically good over time.
• Pupils have a good understanding of most forms of discriminatory behaviour. They know what racism is and why it is wrong. All pupils who spoke with inspectors said that if anyone used bad language they would miss playtime, and think about their actions. Their knowledge and understanding of other forms of prejudice, such as homophobic bullying, are less well developed.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are studious and conscientious. They have highly positive attitudes to learning
• Historic data indicates that pupils’ achievement has gone from strength to strength in and enjoy helping each other and working together. Pupils are increasingly resilient, recent years. After weak progress and significantly below-average attainment at the regularly demonstrating their confidence to share their ideas and learn from their end of key stage 1 in all subjects up until 2014, pupils’ attainment was significantly mistakes. This supports their good progress across the school. above average overall in 2015.
• Pupils take pride in their appearance and in the presentation of their work. Pupils’ books are neatly presented and clearly laid out. The quality of much of the work in pupils’ special writing books in upper key stage two is exemplary.
• Pupils’ attendance has improved since the previous inspection and is broadly average.
• A similar pattern emerges in key stage 2. After several years of below-average or significantly below-average attainment, outcomes were significantly above average overall in 2015 and well above average in reading, writing, mathematics, grammar, punctuation and spelling. From their starting points at the end of Year 2, most pupils made outstanding progress in each subject.
• In some areas, outcomes for pupils were not quite as good in 2016 as they were in 2015, especially in reading and for the most able pupils. However, senior leaders are aware of this and are taking effective action to ensure that pupils currently on roll are making accelerated progress in a wide range of subjects.
• All pupils made at least expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 in 2016. An average proportion of pupils met the new national higher measure of learning at greater depth.
• The outstanding teaching of phonics has helped to ensure that over the last two years almost all pupils have been secure in their phonic skills and knowledge in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. In 2016, all pupils met the required standards in the Year 2 phonics check. This sets solid foundations for early reading and literacy by the time pupils start key stage 2.
• Rightly, this year senior leaders have focused on developing pupils’ appreciation of poetry and love of books. Pupils who read to inspectors used various strategies for reading unfamiliar words. They were eager to talk about writers who had recently visited the school and were proud to show the clever riddles they had written, displayed in the poetry corner.
• A school-wide programme to improve pupils’ reading skills is rapidly raising standards for pupils of all abilities. Pupils who need to catch up with their peers are making outstanding progress because they read and engage in comprehension activities daily, and are encouraged to read regularly at home.
• Leaders ensure that the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used to good effect in English and mathematics. For example, booster sessions are available for disadvantaged pupils of all abilities, including those who are most able, as well as lunchtime classes and after-school homework clubs. In addition, high-quality support is available in class. School assessment information and pupils’ work indicate that the skills of these pupils are improving faster than for other pupils nationally.
• Differences between the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other pupils nationally, are rapidly diminishing. Senior leaders have set ambitious half-termly targets for improving the progress of these pupils. Leaders are confident that targets will be met, because the tailored support programmes available are already pushing pupils beyond age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Most pupils made good progress and attained the expected standards in writing at the end of Years 2 and 6 in the 2016 assessments and national tests. Classroom observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work indicate that the progress of current pupils in writing is strong across both key stages 1 and 2.
• All pupils met the expected standard in grammar and punctuation at the end of Year 6 in 2016. However, few pupils exceeded expectations. Senior leaders are aware of the need to step up initiatives to accelerate the progress of the most able pupils and have made this a priority area of development across several year groups.
• The average spelling score of some groups of pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2016 was not as high as for similar groups nationally. Work in current pupils’ books shows that this is not a typical picture. Nonetheless, improving spelling is given a high priority, with spelling time activities delivered across the school on most days. In addition, key stage 2 pupils’ spelling books show that they are regularly given challenging words to learn. Their constant use of dictionaries is helping to extend their comprehension skills and improve their spelling.

Early years provision Good

• In recent years, the leadership and management of the early years provision have been highly effective. Standards have improved year on year. For example, in 2014 less than half of the children attained a good level of development, but in 2016 more than three quarters of the children attained a good level of development, including in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents at least good progress, given that children’s skills are typically below those expected for their age on entry to the Reception class, and ensures that children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning in key stage 1.
• Leaders keep comprehensive information on children’s attainment on entry to the Reception class and constantly monitor their progress in a wide range of learning areas. Staff use this information to plan different activities for the most able, those who need to catch up and children in receipt of additional funding. As a result, progress for all groups of pupils is at least good.
• Leaders’ recent focus on developing children’s self-confidence, and listening and attention skills, is reaping rewards. This was shown when Reception children led a whole-school assembly. Much to the delight of parents and pupils from Years 1 to 6, children took centre stage. They all played their part in telling the story of the turtle who would not hibernate, before enthusiastically singing a counting song.
• The quality of teaching is good. Adults have very strong bonds with children and have high expectations of what children can achieve. This was evident when children were observed honing their phonics skills and knowledge. Pupils settled into their different groups quickly and were soon practising their ‘funky phonics’ moves and sounding out various letters. All children were alert and on task. They took great delight in choosing various words from a treasure chest, including ‘red’, ‘irr’, ‘rat’ and ‘rop’, deciding which were ‘alien’, to go into the dustbin, and which were real.
• Children’s behaviour is good, they are sensible and play safely. They are considerate and curious learners who respond well to routines. Although the weather was exceptionally windy during the inspection, children were encouraged to play outside. Both indoor and outdoor learning and play areas are clearly linked to the various areas of early years learning.
• The curriculum is well planned to include a wide variety of indoor and outdoor learning activities, allowing children to engage in role play, enhance their coordination skills, appreciate healthy living and develop their understanding of shapes and measurements. Children are encouraged to be creative, read, cooperate with each other and share.
• Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported by caring staff who are specifically trained to diagnose children’s needs and deliver tailored one-to-one and small-group teaching activities.
• Some aspects of indoor provision are not quite as stimulating as they could be, particularly for the most able writers, who have too few opportunities to engage in independent writing activities.
• All parents who spoke with inspectors said that they are happy with the progress their children are making and with opportunities to get involved with their children’s learning. Parents are of the view that their children are safe and looked after well.
• Parents are encouraged to share information with staff about their children’s activities at home. Staff regularly share information on children’s progress with parents, as shown in children’s exceptionally well-presented books and ‘wow’ achievement cards.
• Leaders work effectively with several pre-school providers to ensure that children make a smooth transition into the Reception class. The same effective safeguarding procedures which are in operation in key stages 1 and 2 are evident in the early years provision.

School details

Unique reference number 106498 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 10024118 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 161 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Catherine Price Headteacher Dawn Nulty Telephone number 01942 882 980 Website www.saintrichards.wigan.sch.uk/ Email address enquiries@admin.saintrichards.wigan.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 January 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. Since the previous inspection, several teachers have been appointed, including a newly qualified teacher. The governing body has been re-organised to include a new parent governor.
• The school is smaller than the average primary school, with a well above average proportion of disadvantaged pupils in receipt of the pupil premium funding.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average, as is the proportion who have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs.
• Children in the early years are taught on a full-time basis in the Reception class.
• The school runs before- and after-school clubs. These are managed by the governing body and were evaluated as part of this inspection.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage; a below-average proportion are from minority ethnic groups. A small, but increasing, minority speak English as an additional language.
• Since the previous inspection, the school has received pastoral support from a representative of the Liverpool archdiocese. Senior leaders benefit from informal mentoring support from the headteacher of St Michael’s Howebridge school.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of lessons in all year groups, as well as the teaching for small groups of pupils and sessions aimed at helping pupils to learn to read. A joint observation was carried out with the headteacher.
• 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 19 text responses submitted by parents during the inspection and met informally with parents at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors scrutinised the school’s own surveys of parents’ views as well as 22 responses from parents to the online survey, Parent View. Responses to the inspection questionnaires completed by 13 members of staff were also considered, as were questionnaires completed by 11 pupils.
• A meeting was held with eight governors, including the chair of the governing body. Meetings were held with various leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics, art, religious education and physical education. Meetings were also held with leaders responsible for assessing pupils’ learning and progress, the early years provision and provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• A meeting was held with a representative from the local authority and a representative from Liverpool archdiocese.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included the school’s checks on the quality of teaching and reviews of its own performance, development plans, information about pupils’ progress, safeguarding documentation and various records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Tina Cleugh Ofsted Inspector