Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff are happy to be part of this caring community. Leaders find ways to develop pupils' interest in learning by delivering a range of activities and events.

Indeed, this is a school that provides a wide range of learning opportunities for all pupils.

Most pupils achieve well. Many learn to read and develop a secure understanding of mathematics at an early age.

Those pupils who fall behind receive timely support to help them keep up with their peers.

There exists an inclusive culture, with pupils feeling that 'differences are... to be celebrated'.Staff model how to behave, and they help pupils to understand the importance of building positive relationships.

Many pupils arrive at this school at different points during the year. Some are new to the country and are well supported to settle and feel part of the community.

The school promotes 'purple powers' as a way to teach pupils the importance of positive learning behaviours and to be good citizens.

Pupils feel that representing the school in the local area is a good thing to do.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed its curriculum well since the last inspection. In most subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge and skills it wants pupils to learn.

Staff have received training to help them deliver this curriculum effectively. In a few subjects, however, the school has not ensured that learning sequences build on pupils' prior knowledge or develop subject-specific skills. Where this is the case, pupils do not achieve as well as they might.

A love of reading is something that all pupils feel is important. Leaders have designed a reading curriculum that teaches pupils to read widely, and pupils enjoy 'getting lost' in a book. There are a wide range of books for pupils to enjoy from different cultures and time periods.

The school makes sure that pupils read frequently and promotes reading at home. Staff and pupils regularly share book recommendations. The school has delivered training to support the teaching of phonics, and this is being delivered well by all staff.

The school ensures that pupils read fluently before they develop a deeper understanding of what they are reading.

Children in the early years are provided with high-quality learning experiences, delivered by well-trained staff. Children show that they are ready for formal learning and demonstrate that they can concentrate for long periods.

They also learn how to play together and care for each other. Children with additional needs are well supported to access the same learning as their peers. They enjoy the relationships they form with the adults who support them.

Staff know the children well and make sure that they are well prepared for the next stages in their education.

Staff use assessment well. They spot when pupils do not understand something and seek to address this with them as it occurs.

Pupils understand the importance of trying to work things out for themselves but know when to seek help from staff. Some leaders have a good understanding of how well their subjects are improving what pupils know and can do. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not identified that the aims of the national curriculum are not being fully met and how this has an impact on pupils' learning.

All pupils are expected to learn the full curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school, parents and outside agencies work well to identify what might prevent a pupil from being able to learn. High-quality support plans are in place to help these pupils to achieve.

Some pupils with a high-level of need receive highly personalised support to enable them to access learning. Staff who support these pupils are well trained to do so and develop supportive relationships with them and their families.

Most pupils behave well.

Many pupils say that they can learn without disruption. When pupils need additional help to manage their behaviour, it is offered in a clear and supportive way. Most pupils attend school regularly, with the school continuing work to make sure that the attendance of a small number of pupils improves over time.

The school provides an impressive wider offer that is matched to the interests of pupils. Some pupils are active members of the 'Mini Vinnies' team and enjoy sending cards to people in the community. This is done to develop pupils' sense of civic responsibility.

Being a representative of the pupils' parliament is a source of pride to those who are selected.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school is not clear about the specific knowledge and skills it wants pupils to learn.

This means that what pupils learn are a series of disconnected facts that are not revisited or built on over time. The school must ensure that all sequences of learning progressively develop the skills and knowledge that pupils have learned previously. ? The school has not ensured that all leaders understand how to design, deliver and assess the impact of the curriculum in every subject.

As a result, teachers do not receive the necessary guidance to plan learning that matches the requirements of the national curriculum. The school should seek to support subject leaders to design, and assess the impact of, an effective sequence of learning.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2014.

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