St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They are polite and well mannered.

They behave well in lessons because they want to learn. 'Proud cloud' and 'golden time' also provide good incentives for good behaviour. Pupils listen to each other.

They show respect for other people's views and opinions. One pupil summarised this saying, 'Our school celebrates diversity and seeks to help others.' Pupils in Year 6 help to teach English to children in Reception who have limited English language skills.

Pupils are proud of their school. 'Mini-Vinnies' carry out important charitabl...e work in the local community. The school council has improved the school environment and raised funds for equipment.

Pupils told me that they always want to try their best. They have high aspirations. One described a recent school visit to Leeds University, where he was inspired to think about a career in engineering.

Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school. They say bullying is rare but that, if it did happen, teachers would deal with it immediately. Leaders have provided pupils with skills to ensure that they remain safe.

An adult is always available for pupils to talk to, if they have a problem.

Leaders have high expectations and aspirations for every child.

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

The acting headteacher and consultant headteacher have done much to improve the quality of education in a short time.

They want all pupils to do as well as they can. Leaders of English and mathematics have a clear vision of where improvements are needed and have taken appropriate action.

The school is working hard to create a culture where pupils love reading.

The school library has been upgraded and pupils enjoy using it. Each classroom has its own reading area. A new reading scheme has been introduced.

The leader for English has provided training for all staff in the early years with the result that pupils' phonics skills are now developing at a faster pace. Pupils who read to me were able to use their phonics skills to sound out words and to read accurately. Staff who teach early reading demonstrate strong subject knowledge.

Pupils in Year 2 read well, although sometimes they do not read books that are at the right level for their reading skills. Pupils who do not reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check are well supported.

In the school's last inspection mathematics was identified as an area for improvement.

Pupils in key stage 2 demonstrate strong mathematics skills and achieve well. Observation of learning and scrutiny of work in pupils books confirms this. In Year 6 pupils were able to tell me how to find the percentage of any number.

The leader for mathematics appreciates that further work needs to be done to improve achievement in key stage 1. She now needs to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of the most able. In the early years there has been a focus on improving basic number skills and new resources have been purchased to support teaching and learning.

Areas of learning in Reception show that mathematics is now being linked to other areas of the curriculum. During my visit, pupils were exploring numbers through play activities. Pupils enjoy the challenges and take pride in their work.

The curriculum plan for geography is logical and it covers the national curriculum. Pupils in Year 6 were able to use their knowledge of the earth's structure to answer questions like 'Why do earthquakes occur?' while in Year 2 pupils were developing valuable practical map-work skills. However, sometimes pupils' knowledge in geography and other subjects is superficial and it does not build on previous learning.

The leader for geography has clear plans to improve provision across the whole school. Visits are well used to enhance geography work. Pupils say they enjoy geography, particularly learning about different cultures.

A considerable proportion of pupils have communication and language needs. The leader for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ensures that extra support is given to these pupils. This ensures that the pupils' needs are met and that they participate in all aspects of school life.

There have been many changes in the last year and most staff acknowledge that the current leadership is working hard to improve the education for all pupils. Those staff with whom I spoke feel well-supported.

There have also been recent changes to the governing body.

A new chair of governors has been appointed. Governors need to increase their knowledge of the new curriculum to further support the headteacher and staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make detailed checks on staff who join the school. They are recorded centrally and are meticulously maintained.

Leaders have a good understanding of the potential risks in the local area.

Regular safeguarding training is provided for all staff. The school's information-sharing system is used well. This keeps the designated safeguarding leader aware of the needs of any vulnerable pupils.

The acting headteacher works closely with external agencies to target support where it is most needed.

Visits have been arranged from the community police and the fire brigade. Pupils learn about internet safety, knife crime, drugs, fire safety and the danger of talking to strangers.

Parents are highly complimentary about the care their children receive.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's leadership, including the governing body, has changed considerably in the past year. Governors need to ensure that they have the knowledge to challenge and support leaders to continue in their goal to provide high-quality education to all pupils.

. In some subject areas, such as history and geography, learning is not sequenced well enough. This means that some pupils do not make as much progress as they could.

Senior leaders should work with subject leaders to ensure that curriculum plans, in these subjects and the broader curriculum, effectively sequence the teaching of knowledge and skills. . The school has done much during the past year to improve the teaching of phonics and establish a culture of reading.

Consequently, pupils are reading well. However, leaders need to ensure that books are closely matched to the reading skills of all pupils.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 16–17 June 2011.