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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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St Edward’s Junior School, Cheltenham |
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The senior school was inspected at the same time and a separate
report published. |
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Full Name of the School |
St Edward’s Junior School,
Cheltenham |
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DfES Number |
916/6077 |
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Registered Charity Number |
293360 |
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Address |
London
Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52
6NR |
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Telephone Number |
01242
538900 |
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Fax Number |
01242
538901 |
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Email Address |
mainoffice@stedwardsjunior.co.uk |
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Headteacher |
Mr
T J Mooney |
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Chairman of Governors |
Mr
P Walsh |
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Age Range |
2.5
- 11 |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
March
6th – 9th 2006 |
This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1 St Edward’s School was founded in 1987 by a merger of two Catholic schools. In 1995 St Edward’s Junior School took over the site of the original boys’ school and St Edward’s Senior School occupied the girls’ school about half a mile away. Since the last inspection in 1999 the two schools have been reorganised with separate heads and separate DfES numbers, although they continue to be governed by a joint Board of Trustees and Governors. The present head has been in the post since 2003. The school remains a Roman Catholic foundation.
1.2 The impressive school buildings stand on a hill, amidst 40 acres of parkland, in the area of Charlton Kings, just outside Cheltenham. The nursery department has its own spacious building and the infant and junior areas are separate. The 390 pupils are almost equally divided between boys and girls and about one-third of these are Catholic. The catchment area is wide and pupils come from a variety of backgrounds. An increasing proportion of families are new to independent education, and these include a number of parents from the United States of America and other countries, who work in Cheltenham.
1.3 At present about 90 children are in the Foundation department with 50 of these being in the nursery which is open throughout the year. From Years 1 to 6, groups increase in size with 60 pupils in Year 6. One pupil has English as an additional language (EAL) although this can vary from term to term. 35 pupils have been identified by the school as having some form of special educational need (SEN) which can be from either end of the learning spectrum.
1.4 The average ability of pupils on entry is above the national average for all maintained primary schools. However the school admits pupils at any age and all years have a wide ability spread. Entry to the school is not competitive although an informal assessment is given to prospective pupils to ensure that they can benefit from the education provided. If pupils perform in line with their abilities, their results will be above the average for all maintained primary schools. At the age of 11, about half transfer to St Edward’s Senior School, and the majority of the remainder are successful in entering local grammar and other independent schools.
1.5 The mission statement of the school states ‘the school strives to provide an environment in which each individual pupil can enjoy the opportunity to develop talents and interests to the full within a caring Christian community built upon a firm Roman Catholic foundation so that he/she is well prepared to embark upon a satisfying and purposeful adult life. Thus we aim for all pupils to develop their maximum potential, academically, personally and spiritually.’
1.6 To this end, the school aims to provide its pupils with a very good all round education within a warm, friendly, caring Christian community. Commitment to the values of the Gospel through service to others, and high standards of manners, behaviour and appearance are encouraged and seen as important. Pupils are expected to develop their talents, learning and interests through a respect for knowledge. The school aims to monitor their progress to ensure they reach their full potential, not only in academic work but also in the wide range of activities available. Personal and vocational guidance helps pupils to make sound relationships and informed decisions.
1.7 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The school uses the name Kindergarten instead of Nursery.
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 St Edward’s Junior School provides a high quality, broad and varied educational experience for its pupils and prepares them very well for their journey through school, their next school and into adult life. The school’s aim to offer a very good, all-round education for its pupils is well-fulfilled with considerable extra-curricular provision and a well-planned and balanced curriculum. The intellectual, personal, physical and aesthetic needs of the pupils of all ages are very well catered for. Since the last inspection, personal, social and health education (PSHE) has become a strength of the school and additionally, all children in the nursery now have access to the full curriculum.
2.2 Pupils are encouraged to work independently and creatively. They are keen to learn, very well-behaved and courteous whether in the classroom or around the school. Their behaviour reflects the school’s aim of the caring, Christian community in which they learn.
2.3 In the nursery, the children experience a broad range of subjects with due emphasis on each. The spacious, well equipped nursery building and low child:teacher ratio enable the children to make a very good start on achieving the nationally specified Early Learning Goals. These are achieved often before the end of the Reception year, with considerable enrichment particularly creatively and physically. The infant and junior school curriculum is built around the National Curriculum with the addition of French (from nursery age), PSHE, drama, library skills, and Latin in Year 6. The standard of art within the curriculum is outstanding and the cross-curricular displays around the school add considerably to the learning environment.
2.4 In physical education, swimming is taught from Year 1 and all pupils experience a full and varied sporting curriculum suited to their ages. Pupils can play a variety of sports and are particularly successful at swimming, netball, cross-country and football. However whilst girls are well catered for, with a variety of teams across ages and sports, boys’ teams are more exclusive and fewer boys have a chance to represent their school. Circle time throughout the school, PSHE and the Pupil Council are valuable educational experiences for all pupils, who commented on this.
2.5 Pupils have a very good grounding in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. They are articulate, can listen well, and when talking to inspectors were able to express their views succinctly. The well-equipped information and communication technology (ICT) facilities aid learning and strong evidence was seen of cross-curricular links using ICT. The school has a good number of interactive whiteboards and these are used well in some departments but are not yet fully used in all teaching.
2.6 Extra-curricular activities in both infant and junior departments make an effective contribution to the pupils’ all-round education. Junior clubs include a variety of sports, music, computing, art and craft and chess. Infants enjoy dance, as well as the after-school care club ‘Teddies’. Various high quality opportunities for enrichment are provided particularly through residential trips for older pupils from Year 4 upwards, including a French trip for Year 5, an activity trip for Year 6 and a school ski holiday. All pupils, including the youngest, benefit from visitors to the school such as chaplains, charity workers, artists and musicians. These include parents and staff who talk of their work or hobbies. The spacious grounds are well used within the curriculum, as are visits to places locally and further afield. Clear evidence was found of pupils showing good understanding of the local area through geographical studies. Reception children used leaves brought back from their ‘wellie walk’ in their painting and observation. Pupils’ personal development is aided by the acquisition of new skills and experiences which all these activities provide.
2.7 Within the school, schemes of work and policy documents are well-organised and reviewed regularly. Links between the content of different subjects are well established. Teachers use their own method of short-term planning and medium term planning is very effectively evaluated to aid development. Daily planning includes appropriate work for pupils of different abilities. Provision for those with SEN is mostly good but the school policy is in the process of being rewritten with the intention of extending resources in this area and improving communication and in-class support. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) help pupils on the special needs register to maintain their progress.
2.8 Arrangements for pupil transition from the nursery to Reception, and from Year 2 to Year 3 are carefully planned and very effective. Parents appreciate the time taken to ensure that both they and their children can visit and experience the ‘next stage on’. Teachers discuss and exchange academic and social information enabling pupils to settle down quickly and receive full advantage from the high quality educational experience available.
2.9 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.10
The pupils’ learning is very effective and results in significant
achievements in their academic and broader education, in line with the aims of
the school.
2.11 The educational strengths in literacy and numeracy, noted at the last inspection, have been retained and built upon, as illustrated by the work observed during the inspection, and the high and improved levels of achievement in relation to ability, demonstrated in the overall results in national curriculum tests at age 7 and 11. Results are well above what might be expected for the range of ability in the school.
2.12 By the end of Foundation Stage, pupils have attained very good results. They make very steady progress in their learning and are most successfully prepared for the programmes of study in Year 1 and 2.
2.13 Since the last inspection, in the infants and junior departments there have been clear improvements in achievement in the broader curriculum, especially in science and ICT. The improvement in results in science at age 11 in particular has been substantial. Achievement observed in lessons and written work is particularly high in science, English, geography and art.
2.14 No significant differences in the relative attainment of boys and girls were noted. Pupils make good progress in lessons over time, as was clearly seen in the development of their written work and in their speaking skills. SEN pupils are given full access to the curriculum, although in some of the lessons observed in the junior department added support would have been beneficial. The school is aware of this. The most able pupils are offered sufficient challenge.
2.15 The school’s reputation in sport is high, and the school excels at many sports. Pupils are regularly entered in music, art, drama, literacy and chess competitions, in which they are very successful. Throughout the school the standard in art is outstanding. Inter-house challenges, such as the inter-house library event, further provide an opportunity for all pupils to experience team achievement.
2.16 By the time they leave for their secondary schools, pupils are well-educated according to their ability and are well prepared for their future studies. They achieve very secure foundations in the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics. They show a good knowledge of many aspects of the world around them.
2.17 Pupils are very committed in their attitudes to their work. They listen very attentively, discuss thoughtfully and maturely at all ages, and write fluently. They are able to write at length for a very wide variety of purposes and in a wide range of styles. They use language very sensitively and appropriately, and, by Year 6, show a highly developed and mature feel for it in written work. Many examples of emergent writing were observed in the Nursery and Reception classes.
2.18 Mathematical knowledge is used very effectively and often for imaginative and unusual tasks. For example, Year 5 pupils estimated the number of bricks needed, and then used this amount, to change an irregular 3D shape into a cuboid, encouraging pupils to think creatively.
2.19 Pupils use ICT well across the curriculum with increasing skill. Older pupils produce thoroughly researched and very attractively presented projects much enhanced by skilled use of ICT. Evidence of an ICT presentation was noted during the scrutiny of Year 6 history books and Reception pupils were observed enjoying a splendid maths activity on the interactive whiteboard.
2.20 Pupils reason and discuss very confidently for their age and are encouraged to think for themselves. Their ability to think beyond the immediate and obvious is unusually highly developed and they often show considerable creativity in their thoughts and ideas. They work with remarkable concentration and with a very positive approach to written or practical tasks. They persevere very well and are keen to achieve the outcome. Pupils learn to work independently and organise themselves.
2.21 A variety of learning experiences enables successful paired and group work. Examples of pupils working together very efficiently were seen in a Year 6 science lesson on burning. The development of good practical skills was observed in the same lesson, where pupils worked in teams, and learned how to use equipment safely.
2.22 Pupils arrive promptly to lessons and settle quickly and quietly to work. They concentrate well, persevere, and show great enthusiasm for their work and activities. Pupils enjoy and benefit from the learning experiences offered.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.23 The school’s aims are fully met by the outstanding range of opportunities for personal development offered through the curriculum and broader aspects of school life. The PSHE programme, the very caring environment and Catholic ethos of the school, make a significant contribution to this aspect. Since the last inspection provision for this area of the curriculum has been greatly extended and the appointment of a liturgist to oversee the spiritual awareness of the school has been of great benefit.
2.24 Provision for spiritual awareness is excellent. Prayers at the beginning and end of the day and communal acts of worship allow pupils to learn through listening and active participation. Optional prayer group meetings for staff, pupils and parents are well-attended. The use of the well placed, child-friendly and beautifully decorated chapel is central to the worship of the school. Mass, re-written for children to understand, is celebrated for all at various times of the term. Religious education lessons explore the beliefs and traditions of both Christianity and other faiths, whose festivals are celebrated. Circle time throughout the school allows pupils to discuss sensitive issues in a safe environment and encourages reflection. Staff are quick to encourage pupils’ sense of self-worth to help them acquire a sense of belonging to a Christian community. The ambience of the chapel, spacious well-kept buildings, and extensive grounds encourage a sense of awe and appreciation of beauty.
2.25 Provision for moral education is excellent in all areas of the school. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and are very well-behaved and courteous to each other and to adults. The school has a clearly stated code of conduct and the younger classes follow the Golden Rules. A delightful Reception assembly based on the story of The Little Red Hen reinforced the message to be kind and helpful to friends. Drama is important in providing a secure environment for pupils to act out moral dilemmas such as conflict and peer pressure. Respect for the law is fostered by visitors such as the police and is discussed in PSHE lessons.
2.26 Pupils have many opportunities to develop social awareness. They regularly raise money for charities, often organised by the Pupil Council. These charities are often linked to the curriculum, such as the village in India for which goats and food were purchased. Pupils are encouraged to do small ‘good deeds’ in Lent to raise money for a school in Sierra Leone. Local charities are not forgotten and are enthusiastically supported.
2.27 The school fosters a sense of community and interaction between all age groups. Pupils’ achievements are celebrated in assemblies and displayed around the school promoting confidence and self-esteem. Infants undertake small duties in the classroom and older pupils have the chance to be pupil council representatives, house leaders, team captains and reading buddies, all of which enable the development of leadership skills and a sense of responsibility.
2.28 Excellent opportunities exist for cultural development. All pupils are taught to respect ideas and traditions both of their own and different cultures. These opportunities occur in many subjects and particularly in art and music. Exciting wall displays enhance the environment and create an interest. Libraries, including the nursery library, contain multi-cultural books and the catering staff have arranged ‘taster’ meals of foods from different cultures. Visitors, often parents, talk to pupils about their home countries, and teachers are adept at using the knowledge of their pupils who have lived in other countries. Visits to concerts, plays and museums all contribute to cultural awareness.
2.29 The personal development of pupils is a reflection of the school’s obvious commitment to this aspect of education which will ultimately help to equip them to be responsible citizens of the future.
2.30 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.31 The overall quality of teaching is good, with a third of the lessons observed being outstanding. This has a positive impact on the pupils' learning and promotes the aims of the school. It enables pupils, including most of those with Special Educational Needs, to make good progress according to their ability, in their acquisition of knowledge, skills and understanding. An example of this was in Year 4 Art where pupils set their own targets in small groups and were then able to walk around the class to get ideas from other groups – this benefited both the less able and the more able.
2.32 Many teachers generate an interest in the work, encouraging the children to apply themselves mentally, physically and creatively. Examples of independent thinking were observed such as pupils in Year 6 Maths applying their knowledge of working with fractions to probability problems. Nursery children were encouraged to pick out the initial sounds in words using the story book being read to them.
2.33 The most successful lessons were characterised by good planning, a variety of activities, good subject knowledge and appropriate pace. In lessons that were less successful a notable lack of variety of teaching methods was apparent, pupils were not required to make contributions and the delivery and tone of the teaching lacked interest. Well-planned lessons contained a variety of suitable and well-chosen activities, such as Year 5 children designing and building alarm systems in technology and Year 1 pupils adding 3 numbers using cubes, ten frames and small whiteboards. Teaching uses whole group, individual, paired and group work as appropriate and to provide variety. Teachers and assistants model activities and provide individuals with support as necessary.
2.34 Most teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of their pupils and the subjects they teach. Teaching is done in mixed-ability class groups with some setting for older pupils. Mathematics is set from Year 4, English from Year 5 and science from Year 6. In mixed ability teaching there are often groups, primarily in English and Maths, working at different levels within the classroom. In most cases work is appropriately set to cover this range of standards.
2.35 Work from a wide range of subjects contributes to pupils understanding and experience of using ICT. Many teachers’ have good experience, expertise and confidence in the use of ICT but this does vary and consequently the use of a valuable resource is not always being maximised.
2.36 Whilst there have been a good number of whole staff training sessions, some staff have limited recent subject based training.
2.37 The use of resources is efficient and effective. The quality, quantity and range of resources are extensive and in many cases a mark of good teaching included the opportunity for pupils to select their own materials to support their learning. A geography lesson was located in the library in order that pupils could choose their own books to support research on earthquakes.
2.38 Good teaching is often characterised by calm confident delivery from staff which encourages good behaviour amongst pupils. Appropriate behaviour is frequently reinforced by positive comments from teachers. Good relationships between pupils and teachers are always obvious and enable pupils to learn in a warm, friendly atmosphere. They feel confident to express their ideas and opinions, knowing that they will be listened to, by both their teacher and their peers.
2.39 The role of curriculum meetings has been developed recently. The agenda includes very valuable evaluation of teaching plans and the allocation of resources. The monitoring of teaching is not yet fully developed. To date there has been limited experience (particularly in the upper part of the junior department) in observing good teaching practice either in this school or outside.
2.40 Assessment starts in the classroom where a good range of informal and standardised assessment takes place. High quality teaching included regular and thorough assessment of pupils’ work and the use of that information to inform future teaching so that pupils could progress. A drama lesson illustrated teaching plans being annotated to help with planning the subsequent lesson. Marking is positive and consistent and quite often includes remarks suggesting ways for pupils to improve their work.
2.41 Pupils’ progress in acquiring basic skills, knowledge and subsequently understanding in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is recorded well. Good records are transferred with the pupils as they move up the school and provide a useful track of pupils’ progress. However at present there is limited analysis of these tests to show pupils their strengths and weaknesses. Consequently individual target setting is, inconsistent. The manner in which individual and class targets are set and monitored varies considerably throughout the school and across the curriculum.
2.42 In the junior department subject specific targets may be written in the pupils’ exercise books. Another example of good practice was seen in Year 4 with pupils assessing their own work. In the junior department, half-termly effort grades are awarded. In most cases these are not communicated either to the pupil or to the parents. Older pupils and their parents, stated that they would like more information on how they could improve.
2.43 Overall the quality of teaching is consistently good and meets the aims of the school to provide a very good all-round education.
2.44 The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 The quality of pastoral care is extremely good and the school is highly successful in ensuring the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. Since the last inspection the school has introduced circle time, a comprehensive PSHE programme and a pupil council all of which have made a positive impact on the quality of pastoral care.
3.2 Pastoral care is very effective and prioritises the school’s aim to help pupils feel happy and secure within a caring community. Staff, who know their pupils well, provide dedicated care for pupils of all ages. Pupils know that they can rely on staff to help them overcome any difficulties. The use of puppets has been successfully introduced to help younger pupils articulate their worries. Older pupils find circle time beneficial.
3.3 Pupils feel secure and in the pupils’ questionnaire a significant number of them commented on their happiness at the school. When they talked to inspectors very few of them wanted to change anything! In the nursery, infants and junior departments the atmosphere is caring and happy.
3.4 Parents feel that their children are well prepared for their moves from nursery to reception, from Year 2 to Year 3 and into their next school.
3.5 Pastoral policies are clear, and pastoral and academic records are well kept. Discussions with parents are also recorded. Staff benefit from informal discussion and the support of senior managers and colleagues. However there is still room for a more formalised pastoral co-ordinator’s position to oversee the whole provision. The school aims to have a school ‘listener’ to provide even more support for staff and pupils.
3.6 The quality of relationships among the community is high. Pupils mix well with their peers and are kind and helpful to one another. They celebrate each others’ successes.
3.7 Effective behaviour and disciplinary policies focus on the positive. Pupils are aware of the need for acceptable behaviour and that the school will deal with bullying should it occur Behaviour, both in class and around the school is very good; pupils are polite, look you in the eye and hold open doors for each other. They move around the school very quietly and responsibly, negotiating the numerous staircases sensibly.
3.8 Measures to safeguard and promote pupils’ health and well-being are very successful. Staff are very aware of the comprehensive range of policies including child protection measures. The child protection officer has received inter-agency training and has supervised the training of all other staff. Pupils are well looked after both inside and outside the school buildings. Registration takes place twice a day and registers are correctly filled in.
3.9 All fire prevention measures are in order and fire practices are held regularly. The school has a good number of staff qualified in first-aid. Good risk assessments are supervised by the bursar and deputy head, within each subject area in the junior school and more generally in the infant department. Accident books are scrutinised to see if there is a pattern of accidents in places where safety could be improved. Off-site risk assessments are thorough. Meals are of an exceptionally high standard with plenty of choice and the smallest children benefit from their own dining room. Caterers are aware of dietary requirements and devise their own incentive schemes to encourage pupils to try different foods. A large number of pupils commented on the tasty food. The school has been involved in the Healthy Eating Initiative since 2003.
3.10 Both the nursery, infant and junior departments are happy places where pupils feel safe and are able to develop in accordance with the aims of the school. They feel valued and that they have a part to play in a busy school.
3.11 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.12 Throughout the school links are strong with both parents and the community and there is a high degree of parental satisfaction
3.13 A high proportion of parents returned the pre-inspection questionnaire (76% ). Overall there was a very positive response about all aspects of the school’s provision. Parents particularly appreciate the quality of teaching, the range of the curriculum, the guidance their children receive and the attitudes and values the school instils in the children. A significant number of parents felt that they did not receive enough information about their children’s achievements in school, and the lack of sporting team opportunities for older boys. The inspection team discussed this with the school.
3.14 Parents are given very good opportunities to be involved in the work and progress of their children and in the life of the school. New children receive a handbook introducing them to the school and also meet their teacher. Junior and infant curriculum books contain much information and are appreciated by parents. Parents whose children joined the school at different ages were very pleased with the information they received which enabled their children to settle down quickly. Weekly newsletters and an annual magazine keep all parents fully in touch with events.
3.15 ‘Settling-in’ parents’ evenings occur early in the year, and academic discussion evenings are held throughout the year. Day and homework diaries provide ways for easy contact between parents and teachers. An open door policy throughout the school enables parents to feel welcome and to keep teachers informed of any problems. Parents are particularly appreciative of this and mentioned that staff would do anything to help if they could. ‘Nothing is too much trouble for them’
3.16 A very active PTA organises social events for parents and children. Regular coffee mornings at the school enable parents to meet. Funds are raised to provide extras for the school and for charities. Parents are welcome to all school events and occasionally help in school and on outings. Infant parents attend class assemblies and help with swimming. The school emphasises that education is a two-way process between the school and parents.
3.17 Reports are at present sent home twice a year. Information about children’s progress is good, and pupils sometimes, but not consistently are shown how they can improve. Information about achievement is inconsistent. Parents can ask for information about their children’s achievement, but it is not mentioned statistically on reports.
3.18 Parents were generally happy with the way their concerns were dealt with and commented on the general helpfulness of the staff. The school complaints policy and related documents and correspondence were scrutinised and were found to be in line with regulations.
3.19 Links with the community, with which the school has very good relations, are outstanding. The school buildings and facilities are used by many local organisations throughout the year. These include sports organisations many of which involve young people including pupils from the school, religious groups of different denominations, and musical and drama societies. Strong links have been established with other schools, both independent and maintained, and many inter-school events, such as cross-country and sports tournaments, are held at St Edward’s Junior. Good links also exist with the Diocese and local churches, not only Catholic. These all add breadth to pupils’ personal and sporting development, and help them to understand citizenship through community, health and safety and service to others.
3.20 Pupils visit local areas for history and geography visits, and partake in many cultural events, such as the drama and music events at Cheltenham Festival. The choir sings at the local Nazareth House.
3.21 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7].
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The school is very well governed by a group of people with different specialisms, who are committed to the good of the pupils, the aims of the school and its continuing development.
4.2 A two-tier structure of governance exists at present with the Trustees and the Governors of St Edward’s Senior and Junior Schools governing both schools as one body. This is a well defined system with appropriate structures, including committees, terms of reference and properly minuted meetings overseen by the Clerk to the Governors. Staff observers attend meetings and the chairman of the PTA is an ex-officio member. The heads of both schools report separately to the Governors, but at the same meeting. Governors’ sub-committees are joint, except for SEN. There is no separate curriculum committee.
4.3 The Governors are determined, through astute financial planning, to ensure that the fabric and human and material resources of the school are of the best possible quality. They ensure that the school complies with regulatory and legal requirements. Some governors visit the junior school regularly to talk to staff and enjoy plays and concerts. They ensure that the whole body is well informed about the junior school. However staff would welcome more contact with governors, on both a professional and social basis. Governors take a full part in the overall management and strategic planning of the school, but ensure that the autonomy of the head is preserved, whilst providing him with critical and much appreciated support.
4.4 The school development plan is updated annually and includes buildings, finance, numbers, health and safety and some academic development for example assessment and SEN.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.5 Leadership and management are good, fully supporting the aims and Catholic ethos of the school and giving it a clear educational direction. The headmaster provides very effective leadership with strong support from the deputy head and Key-stage co-ordinators. A number of parents commented on the good leadership of the head in the pre-inspection questionnaire. A recent Investors in People report also strongly supported this. Meetings between the head and bursar, and senior management and the bursar, are frequent
4.6 The senior management team are effective in analysing the school’s needs and all staff contribute to both school and departmental development plans. Monitoring of teaching and learning is mainly by the head as part of staff performance review and this limits the role of senior management. However the need to re-define and extend their roles has been identified. Key-stage and subject co-ordinators monitor samples of books to ensure that standards and marking targets are being met.
4.7 Procedures and policies are thorough and are regularly reviewed. Each department evaluates the effectiveness of its curriculum for planning purposes. There is a range of comprehensive academic and pastoral documents, but at present no overarching strategic document to link them. This was endorsed by the Investors in People assessment.
4.8 Throughout the school resources are plentiful and well managed. The provision for ICT has been greatly increased since the last inspection both in the infant and junior departments by an increased number of computers and the appointment of an IT specialist. This has resulted in higher standards. Very well stocked libraries in each department are well used by all pupils, including the nursery, and make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning and all-round education. Procedures for budgeting are being revised by the bursar in consultation with staff.
4.9 Teaching and support staff, particularly the teaching assistants in the nursery and infants, are deployed effectively throughout the school and contribute significantly to pupils’ learning and welfare. Teachers are encouraged to teach a variety of year groups and ages. The SEN package is being reviewed, to ensure improved support is in place for those requiring extra help. Well trained staff are successfully recruited and the regulatory checks are made and records kept. Induction procedures for staff new to the school and for those new to the profession support them very well and teachers are appreciative of this. They follow the national guidelines for newly qualified teachers. In-service training opportunities are available and are well supported in general terms but there has been a lack of subject specific training in specialist areas. Each member of staff is encouraged to undertake three courses a year and the school is keen to provide these.
4.10 Job descriptions and subject working documents give staff guidance, together with help from key-stage and subject co-ordinators. Curricular links between all three departments in the school are very good with staff having regular meetings to ensure progression. All teachers contribute to the pastoral care of pupils but there is no head of Pastoral Care to co-ordinate this.
4.11 The school is well supported by the administrative and other support staff. Communication within the school has much improved since the last inspection. The buildings and grounds are extremely well cared for, and the school is aware there is further scope for refurbishment of some internal parts of the school. The beautiful grounds are well-kept and well-used. The school is a pleasant and welcoming place with cheerful, happy children from the tiniest in the nursery to the oldest pupils in Year 6
4.12 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff and for premises and accommodation [Standards 4 and 5].
4.13 The school participates in the national scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers and meets its requirements.
5.1 The school is highly successful in meeting its aims to provide a very good all-round education in which all pupils can develop their talents within a caring Christian community, and is outstanding in some important areas. In the Foundation Stage and infant department, the pupils receive a very good start to their education. The school provides wide-ranging opportunities to enable all pupils to achieve their potential particularly in the good academic standards and creative and sporting pursuits. The pupils’ very good behaviour together with the outstanding personal development and caring atmosphere of the community, is a reflection of dedicated staff, much good teaching and the enthusiasm and leadership of the head. Teachers and staff are proud of their school and are quick to say so. The pupils are also very keen to say that the teachers (and the meals) are a great asset to the school.
5.2 Great improvements have been made since the last inspection particularly in raising academic standards to their present level, providing excellent PSHE and increasing the provision for ICT. This has provided a broader curriculum for pupils enabling them to extend their opportunities for personal and academic development. However the roles of senior management are not yet sufficiently defined.
5.3 The school meets all the regulatory requirements.
5.4 The school has no major weaknesses but to continue to improve upon its present quality it should take the following actions
1. Develop the roles of senior management to enable more defined academic, pastoral and administrative management
2. Ensure that senior management receives training in monitoring teaching and learning, to enable all teaching to reach the standards of the best.
3. Provide opportunities for all staff to observe best practice in teaching.
4. Use assessment analysis to provide more targeted learning for pupils.
5.5 No action in respect of regulatory requirements is required.
6. summary of inspection evidence
6.1 The inspection was carried out from March 6th to 9th 2006. The inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined a range of documentation made available by the school.
6.2 A bursar from another school joined the reporting inspector on the preliminary visit as part of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) scheme, spending the day with the bursar’s department. The principal findings have been included in the relevant sections of this report.
|
Mrs M Smallwood |
Reporting Inspector |
|
Mrs C Doughty |
Former deputy head of ISA school |