St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve teaching, particularly in writing and mathematics and across key stage 2, so that pupils make consistently good progress and reach higher standards by:
  • providing work that is closely matched to pupils’ varying abilities and that effectively challenges and extends learning, particularly for the most able
  • providing further opportunities to develop pupils’ mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills
  • extending further pupils’ writing skills so they are able to demonstrate more securely their understanding of different degrees of formality
  • making sure that pupils routinely review their written work.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and staff have successfully tackled most of the shortcomings identified at the last inspection. As a consequence, early years is now a strength, pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are good, and the teaching of phonics and reading ensures that pupils make good progress. Staff, pupils and parents all recognise that the school has improved over the last two years. This reflects the good quality of leadership, management and governance.
• Senior leaders have an accurate view of the school and its strengths and weaknesses. They accurately pinpoint where improvements have been secured and where further improvements are needed. Well-targeted developments have resulted in some improvements in teaching and learning, such as in reading. However, despite their best endeavours, the many changes in staff have limited the impact of efforts to improve teaching across the whole of key stage 2. Leaders recognise that there is more to be done to improve the teaching of mathematics and writing and achievement of the most able.
• Staff training and well-targeted support from external partners have helped teachers to improve the effectiveness of their teaching. Leaders use lesson observations and the scrutiny of work to check the impact of planned developments and to provide targeted advice and guidance. The performance of staff is monitored by school leaders effectively. Any underperformance is challenged.
• The curriculum is well planned so that it is broad and balanced. Pupils enjoy learning about many exciting topics. The curriculum is contributing effectively to pupils’ achievement in a wide range of subjects. However, sometimes, limited work is recorded in some pupils’ books and reflects the variances in the quality of teaching.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effectively promoted through the curriculum, in whole-school assemblies and the through the partnership with the parish and the parish priest. Pupils are taught explicitly about British values so they are well prepared for living in modern Britain. For example, they are taught about other world faiths, and about democracy through elections for school councillors.
• Curriculum provision is enhanced by a range of activities beyond the classroom. For example, older pupils had an enjoyable residential visit to an outdoors and education centre.
• Leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is used effectively. It is improving the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils at a good rate.
• Additional funding for school sports is similarly used effectively. As a consequence, pupils enthusiastically take part in a wide range of sports.
• Leaders use funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. The additional support, both for academic and personal development, is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and social skills.
• Leaders and staff have engaged enthusiastically with St Anthony’s Teaching School Alliance and this has contributed effectively to improvements across the school.

Governance of the school

• Governance has improved and is effective. Governors are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They make regular visits to the school and so see first hand the impact of developments to improve teaching and learning. As a consequence, they are very knowledgeable about what is going well and what still needs improvement.
• Governors have a range of skills that are used to benefit the school. Some are very knowledgeable about the school’s data and information from assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. They discuss school achievement information regularly. They know that there is more to be done to improve the achievement of pupils, particularly the most able and in writing and mathematics.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders take great care to ensure that every pupil at St Joseph’s Primary School is kept safe. Leaders make sure that the school’s physical environment is safe and well cared for. During the current work to replace water pipes crossing the school site, appropriate measures have been put in place to keep pupils and staff safe. Every adults’ identity is checked at reception as they enter the school. The site manager takes good care of the grounds to ensure that the site is kept secure.
• Leaders make sure that checks on the suitability of staff to work with children are carried out and recorded carefully. Leaders ensure that staff receive up-to-date training in all aspects of safeguarding. Consequently, they are knowledgeable about the signs to look for that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. Pupils’ records show that leaders are rigorous in following up any concerns with external agencies where necessary.
• Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils understand the dangers associated with using the internet. Similarly, pupils know about ‘stranger danger’ and the importance of being sensible near roads.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching is not consistently good. Teachers do not always ensure that pupils are effectively challenged. Sometimes, pupils do not produce work to the standard of which they are capable.
• Although teachers have identified where there are gaps in pupils’ mathematical skills and knowledge, there are inconsistencies in the teaching of mathematics. There are too few opportunities for pupils to learn how to use reasoning and develop their problem-solving skills.
• The teaching of writing ensures that pupils generally develop a legible handwriting style by the time they are in Year 6. Pupils are proud of their written work and mostly present their work in English books well. However, across key stage 2, pupils’ written work in their other books is not presented to the same standard. Teaching does not ensure that pupils are familiar with different styles of writing and degrees of formality within a range of writing genres. Opportunities for the most able pupils to demonstrate writing skills at the highest standards are underdeveloped as a result. Pupils are given too few opportunities to review and amend their written work.
• Reading is taught effectively. The good teaching of phonics and early reading has securely improved the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the national phonics check. Pupils use their secure skills to work out unknown words when reading new texts.
• Teachers’ good subject knowledge adds confidence to their explanations and instructions. Questioning is used well to check on pupils’ understanding and to extend learning.
• Teachers and pupils enjoy positive relationships. Pupils are keen to learn and want to please their teachers.
• Additional adults are used well and make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly when working with pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for. They enjoy coming to school and show this through their polite and cheerful natures. They can explain how the school has improved and they particularly value the outdoor areas.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning have improved. They develop confidence and understand the need to do their best if they want to benefit from their time at school. As a consequence, the quality of work in books has improved and most pupils are proud of their work.
• Pupils gain a good understanding of healthy lifestyles through their physical education and science lessons. For example, older pupils talked about the importance of a balanced diet and the need for regular exercise. Pupils talk with confidence about some of the potential dangers of using the internet.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. They are polite and courteous to one another and to visitors. New pupils say that they settle quickly because everyone is friendly. As a consequence, breaktimes and lunchtimes are pleasant and enjoyable times for pupils.
• Staff supervision is good, including at the before-school breakfast club, and, as a consequence, pupils say that they feel safe and well looked after. Good systems are in place to ensure that the start and end of day are calm and orderly.
• Pupils acknowledge that there have been issues with bullying in the past, but they say that this is rare and they are confident that staff deal with all of their concerns. Risk assessments are in place for the school site and to help staff supervise pupils who have particular special educational needs. To their credit, if any other pupil misbehaves, most pupils are undeterred and maintain their positive attitudes and get on with their work.
• Attendance is above average and most pupils arrive on time and ready to begin learning.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The small numbers of pupils in the 2017 national tests mean that comparisons with the national average are difficult.
• Pupils do not make consistently good progress from their starting points, especially in key stage 2. This reflects variances in the quality of teaching. Outcomes in mathematics and in writing require improvement. Too few pupils reach the levels of attainment of which they are capable, particularly the most able pupils.
• As a result of strong leadership and improvements to provision since the previous inspection, children’s achievement in early years has improved and is now good. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development has increased year on year.
• Pupils make steady gains in key stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ good progress in early reading reflects the above-average proportion of pupils that reach the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics screening check. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are working in line with what is expected for their age, particularly in reading.
• In key stage 2, changes in staffing have impacted on pupils’ achievement over time. Pupils have not reached the levels of attainment of which they are capable. However, teaching in key stage 2 is now improving and, as a result, progress is accelerating. Even so, progress is not yet consistently good in writing and mathematics.
• Pupils’ progress in mathematics is hampered because pupils do not have enough opportunities to learn how to use reasoning and to develop their problem-solving skills. Pupils’ written work is of variable quality; it is better in their English books than in their work in other subjects. The range of recorded work has suffered where there have been changes in staff.
• The very small number of pupils in some year groups means that caution is needed when comparing the results from national tests and assessments of different groups of pupils, such as disadvantaged pupils, with other pupils nationally. However, school data and inspection evidence show that the progress of both disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is now starting to speed up across the school. More effective use of government funding to support these pupils is paying dividends. Pupils who speak English as an additional language tend to make good gains in the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics. However, there is some variability. Pupils’ more limited comprehension skills hamper their ability to tackle mathematical problems, even where their mathematical skills are good.

Early years provision Good

• The highly effective leadership of early years has led to secure and sustained improvements in the provision, teaching and outcomes since the previous inspection. Adults are aware of children’s different starting points and provide learning activities which help children to develop their skills and knowledge at a good rate. The teaching of reading, writing and number skills is particularly effective.
• The classroom provides a bright, vibrant and exciting learning environment, with well-thought-out activities for children to undertake by themselves or under staff direction. The outdoor area has been very well enhanced with a range of fixed apparatus to develop children’s physical skills. This area is used particularly well as an extension of the indoors. Consequently, both indoors and outdoors are used well to develop children’s speaking and listening as well as reading, writing and number skills.
• Children settle quickly into the routines. Children are happy, safe and well cared for. Teachers and other adults are attentive to their needs and draw upon a range of techniques to monitor children’s learning. Children get on well together and their ability to concentrate and take turns develops well.
• Children usually enter early years with skills below those typical for their age and make strong progress. By the end of the Reception Year, children are well prepared for their move into Year 1. Adults’ observations and assessments are used to inform the type and nature of learning activities. As a result, children make good progress in a range of areas.
• Parents have overwhelmingly positive views of the early years. They particularly value the opportunities they have for reading and writing in the classroom with their children at the start of the day.

School details

Unique reference number 118045 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10036556 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 107 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Catherine Murphy Tina Connell 01405 762607 www.stjosephscatholicprimarygoole.co.uk admin@stjosephs.eriding.net Date of previous inspection 20–21 October 2015

Information about this school

• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school, is voluntary aided by the Catholic Diocese of Leeds and maintained by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
• Owing to the small number of pupils on roll and therefore the very small number of different groups of pupils, comparisons with pupils’ outcomes in other schools have been used with due caution.
• With the exception of the early years class, which has only Reception-aged children, each of the classes comprises two year groups: one class in key stage 1 and two classes in key stage 2.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly in line with that of other schools.
• The large majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, predominantly Eastern European, and who speak English as an additional language, is above average.
• There has been a significant number of teaching staff changes in the last 18 months.
• The school provides a daily breakfast club for pupils.
• Leaders have worked with St Anthony’s Teaching School Alliance.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector visited each of the four classes on several occasions for varying lengths of time; most visits were undertaken jointly with the headteacher.
• Pupils’ arrival at school and breaktimes was observed. Informal discussions with pupils at breaktimes took place, along with a meeting with key stage 2 pupils.
• The inspector considered 16 responses to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents), including written responses, and the inspector met with parents at the start and end of the school day. The 12 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff were considered.
• The inspector met with the chair of the governing body and three other governors, a representative of the local authority and three teachers with leadership responsibility.
• The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work in books and assessment samples as well as a wide range of information provided by the school about pupils’ progress and attainment.
• The inspector reviewed documents provided by the school, including minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour and attendance records and records of work to keep pupils safe.
• The inspector held regular meetings with the headteacher throughout the course of the inspection.

Inspection team

Amraz Ali, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector