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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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St Joseph’s Convent School |
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St Joseph’s
Convent School |
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DfES Number |
888/6011 |
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Registered Charity Number |
290544 |
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Address |
Park Hill,
Padiham Road, Burnley, BB12 6TG |
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Telephone Number |
01282 455622 |
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Fax Number |
01282 435375 |
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Email Address |
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Headteacher |
Sister Joan
Breen |
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Chairman Of Governors |
Mr Stephen
Quinn |
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Age Range |
3 – 11 |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
12 – 15 June
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 Joseph’s Convent School is a Roman Catholic day school for both boys and girls and is located on a spacious site in a suburban area of Burnley, adjacent to the convent of the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. The Order is responsible for the management of the premises and building and for matters such as the checking of staff with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The school has its own adjacent playing field, and uses off-site facilities for swimming. The school was opened in 1957 and the present head has been in post for 11 years.
1.2 The school has 132 pupils on roll, 65 girls and 67 boys. Of these, 38 are in Nursery and Reception classes and 37 are in Years 1 and 2, and 57 are in Years 3 to 6.
1.3 Pupils come from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds, mainly from families of skilled and white-collar workers and managers or owners of small businesses; a little over a quarter of the pupils are from professional families. Most are families that do not invest in independent education beyond the age of 11. Most pupils go on to local comprehensive schools, a small number who have the ability and live in the catchment area, to maintained grammar schools and a few to independent schools.
1.4 The school’s mission statement states that it prepares children for the challenges of the future in a nurturing and stimulating environment built on Catholic foundations.
1.5 The mission statement is supported by series of nine aims to:
· “enable each child to develop spiritually, mentally, physically and socially within a Christian framework;
· manage our school effectively;
· encourage respect for self and others, including other faiths and cultures;
· make children aware of the fragility of our environment and encourage their individual responsibility for it through the use of our school grounds;
· foster positive relationships with parents and the wider community;
· promote high standards of behaviour;
· encourage positive attitudes to work;
· provide a broad and balanced curriculum;
· ensure each child reaches his/her full potential.”
1.6 The school admits pupils of a wide range of ability, from rather below the national average to a small number who are well above. Pupils’ average ability is broadly in line with or a little above the national average. If pupils are performing in line with their abilities their results will be broadly in line with the average for all maintained primary schools.
1.7 The school has a relatively high turnover of pupils, with pupils joining the school across all age groups and leaving as parents move in and out of the area; in addition, a growing number of parents take children out of school for holidays during term time.
1.8 The school identifies six pupils as having special educational needs (SEN), each of whom receives support from the school; of these, one has a statement of special educational needs and has extra funding by the LEA for a non-teaching assistant during mornings. One pupil requires support for EAL, and several pupils, whose home language is not English, have fluent command of English.
1.9 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The year group nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum (NC) equivalence are shown in the following table.
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School |
NC name |
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Nursery |
Nursery |
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Class 1 |
Reception |
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Class 2 |
Year 1 |
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Class 3 |
Year 2 |
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Class 4/5 |
Year 3 Year 4 |
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Class 6 |
Year 5 |
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Class 7 |
Year 6 |
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1
The
quality of the educational experience is good with excellent features; the school
has a broad and balanced curriculum, supported by a very wide range of
activities, day and residential visits, and excellent sporting provision. The quality of the educational experience
provided is a major element in the success that the school achieves in meeting
its aims. The school has continued the
improvements noted in the DfES Official Letter following the visit of Her
Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) in June 2001.
2.2
The
educational experience offered by the school contributes effectively to pupils’
progress in all areas of learning.
Pupils in the Foundation Stage experience an excellent broad and
relevant curriculum that covers all areas of learning leading to the Early
Learning Goals. Older pupils follow a
broad curriculum offering an appropriate range subjects. The school provides a friendly, supportive
and stimulating environment that produces confident and articulate pupils who
speak highly of their school.
2.3
The
school provides a good, well-balanced curriculum that builds upon the excellent
foundation of the early years. Pupils
from Year 2 to Year 6 have extensive opportunities to develop their linguistic,
mathematical, and scientific abilities, and a wide range of opportunities
allows pupils to acquire good skills of speaking, listening, literacy and
numeracy. The broad provision for
creative and aesthetic subjects and for technology and information and
communication technology (ICT) encourages good skills development. The provision for pupils’ physical
development through its physical education (PE), sports and dance programmes is
good. Opportunities for personal and
social development are particularly strong features of the curriculum and of
the extra-curricular provision; this is particularly so in personal, social and
health education (PSHE), circle time and reflections.
2.4
The
school promotes a high level of participation in a wide range of activities and
residential trips, which add much to the total educational experience,
including pupils’ social development. A wide variety of clubs and activities is provided for all pupils; these include the
before- and after-school clubs, short tennis, choir, visits to local places of
interest and residential trips to the North York Moors and Yorkshire coast for
pupils in Year 5 and to the Lake District for those in Year 6. The school’s provision for sport is
outstanding. Almost all parents who
responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire felt that the school provides a
wide range of extra-curricular activities.
In the pupils’ pre-inspection questionnaire and in discussion, pupils
expressed considerable enthusiasm and much appreciation of the school’s
programme of sport and day and residential visits.
2.5
The
school prepares pupils for their secondary education very well. Head teachers from local secondary schools
are invited to parents’ evenings at the school.
In the summer term a teacher from each of two of the local secondary
schools spends time teaching pupils in Year 6.
Year 6 pupils attend open days at the secondary schools to which they
will be transferring, and circle time in both Year 5 and 6 gives pupils the
opportunity to discuss their concerns and hopes on leaving St Joseph’s.
2.6
The
quality of curriculum planning is outstanding and owes much to the high quality
of leadership and management in this area.
The school has a comprehensive curriculum policy document, and the
curriculum is an important priority in the school’s development plan
(SDP). The SDP also highlights current
priority areas of curricular development including the Foundation Stage,
English, mathematics, science, ICT and geography. Curricular continuity across all age groups
is assured by a very good set of subject documents including schemes of work,
as well as subject-specific short and long term plans.
2.7
The
curriculum ensures equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. Teachers are well aware of the range of
ability in each class and make good provision for all abilities or through
extension work or help from the much-valued classroom assistants.
2.8
The
curricular provision for those requiring learning support is outstanding. The special needs co-ordinator (SENCO) has
produced very thorough documentation and works very closely with both teachers
and classroom assistants. Very focussed
individual education plans (IEPs) for pupils with special needs are provided
for class teachers and their assistants.
The latter not only play an important rôle in supporting pupils with
specific learning difficulties, but are also very much part of a teaching team
in respect to the general work of the class.
Each teaching team works with the intention of enabling the special
needs pupils to become progressively more self reliant. One pupil receives appropriate EAL support.
2.9 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.10
Pupils
of all ages achieve high standards by the time they leave the school and they
perform very well in a wide range of sporting activities. The school’s aim of ensuring each child
reaches his or her potential is achieved.
Standards have continued to improve since the inspection by HMI in 2001.
2.11
Pupils
are well grounded in knowledge, skills and understanding in all the subjects
they study and they perform well in the sports and other activities provided by
the school. They are very good at
applying their knowledge and understanding to unfamiliar situations and show
that they can act and think critically.
Pupils under five make very good progress towards the achievement of the
Early Learning Goals in the six areas of learning.
2.12
No
significant differences exist in relative attainment between different groups
of pupils, subjects or curriculum areas.
Good progress is made, both within and between years, and by pupils of
all ranges of ability including those with special needs. This is in large measure due to the support
given to the pupils with special needs.
2.13
Pupils’
attainment in national tests at the age of 7 is good in English and mathematics
and in line with their abilities in writing.
Their results in national tests over the last three years have been
above the national average for all maintained primary schools in English and
mathematics and in line with the average in writing. At the age of 11 pupils’ achievement in relation
to their abilities has been high in English and mathematics and good in
science. Their results have been well
above the national average for all maintained primary schools in English and
mathematics, and above in science. The
great majority of pupils in recent years have succeeded in gaining their first
choice of secondary school.
2.14
Achievements
extend beyond the classroom; considerable success is achieved, particularly so
in relation to size of the school, in a range of sporting activities, including
cross-country, football and cricket. Both
in 2005 and 2006, the school’s cricket team played at the Old Trafford ground
after winning the Burnley District Competition.
The football team has lost only four games over the last two years. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 gain considerable
success in the Poetry Vanguard examinations and similar success is achieved in
Years 5 and 6 in the English Speaking Board examinations.
2.15
Pupils
are very effective listeners and are confident and eager participants in
lessons. They are always keen to express
their views, proffer explanations and ask questions. In an assembly taken by pupils in Year 3,
pupils proved to be competent and confident speakers in front of an audience of
pupils, teachers and parents.
2.16
Pupils
acquire secure foundations in literacy and numeracy. Pupils are encouraged to think for themselves
and apply their knowledge, skills and understanding whilst developing their own
strategies. For example, in a Year 2
mathematics lesson, the teacher successfully demonstrated that most problems
revolve around a simple mathematical concept by giving pupils a pictorial
stimulus and encouraging them to devise problems that were based on this. They gained confidence to apply their own
strategies in solving set problems. The
scrutiny of pupils’ written work in science indicated that pupils were able to
devise fair tests, and record and formulate conclusions appropriately.
2.17
Pupils
acquire an effective use of ICT skills at an early stage and this enables them
to retrieve information and present their findings when carrying out
independent research by the time they reach Year 3. Pupils in a Year 2 lesson were able to switch
on their computer, log on, access a required program and obtain the required
information. They then proceeded to
answer successfully a number of questions prepared by the teacher. Pupils
acquire and use successfully additional skills as they progress through the
juniors and are well prepared for their secondary education. By Year 6, all the pupils were able to use
the word-processing facilities, spread sheets and data bases, and send and
receive e-mail. In discussion, pupils in
Years 5 and 6 explained how ICT was used in a range of cross-curricular work,
for example using the internet in history to study post-1984 Britain and in
geography to provide information on weather forecasting.
2.18
Pupils
are diligent workers and work well both independently and in co-operation with
others. Good co-operative work and
independent research was seen in several lessons across all ages; for example,
pupils in a Year 4 science lesson worked effectively in pairs when using
newtonmeters to measure the amount of force to lift a variety of objects. In these lessons, pupils displayed a good
ability to record and write their own findings and conclusions. The completed work was, however, often placed
in files in a haphazard fashion. In many
instances the untidy state of the file detracted from the continuity of the
subject.
2.19
Pupils
display a good attitude towards their work and pupils settle quickly in
lessons. For instance, Year 3 pupils,
straight from swimming, settled quickly and discussed in a mature and sensible
manner the importance of caring for the environment.
2.20
Pupils
enjoy their lessons; the responses to the pupils’ questionnaires and the formal
interviews with children corroborated the evidence seen in lessons. Pupils displayed very good abilities to
express their opinions and views in the formal interviews, often in a very
sensible and mature fashion and with great clarity and considerable maturity.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.21
Throughout
the school, pupils demonstrate outstandingly high spiritual, moral, social and
cultural awareness. The school’s happy,
purposeful and spiritual ethos permeates all aspects of school life in which children
fully participate, and these result in significantly high personal
development. The school’s aim: ‘to
enable each child to develop spiritually, mentally, physically and socially
within a Christian framework and with respect for others both in their own and
in a wider world including other faiths and cultures’ is fully achieved. The school has continued to develop this area
since the HMI inspection of 2001.
2.22
Pupils
develop a strong spiritual awareness through the high quality and broad range
of opportunities offered through the curriculum. From the start of school life in the Nursery
to the final year in Year 6, religious education (RE), circle time and
reflections are key elements and sources of spiritual growth. Very good teaching helps to strengthen
pupils’ self esteem by their being clearly valued as individuals by the
staff. Pupils develop a strong sense of
personal responsibility as they move through the school. During a very effective and moving assembly,
taken by Year 3 pupils, a strong message about freedom of choice was conveyed,
culminating with the singing of Shalom and the linking of hands to demonstrate
the sign of peace.
2.23
Pupils
have a strong moral sense. They
distinguish clearly between right and wrong from the earliest years. This is due to the emphasis placed by the
school on moral issues in all aspects of school life, including lessons in RE,
English, history and geography, and to the example given by the school living
what it teaches. Effective behaviour and
anti-bullying policies, classroom and playground rules and the work of the
School Council (with representatives from Years 5 and 6) result in pupils
appreciating the need to respect laws and rules; as a consequence pupils’
behaviour is very good. A high level of courtesy between pupils and staff and
among pupils is marked both inside and outside the classroom.
2.24
Pupils’
social awareness is excellent. They
develop socially, accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative
and understand how they can contribute to community life. Pupils work very co-operatively in lessons,
and they participate in many extra-curricular activities where they show
serious commitment: such as in sports teams.
Pupils join together harmoniously in singing and playing musical
instruments, for example in the small brass ensemble of older pupils. All pupils in Years 5 and 6 take part in
residential visits where they learn to consider others while broadening their
social development. The many visitors to
the school and visits outside enhance social interaction and widen pupils’
cultural horizons.
2.25
Pupils
are encouraged to support a variety of charities locally nationally and
internationally, helping them to consider the needs of those less fortunate
than themselves. Most pupils begin to
understand the nature and purpose of public services and public institutions in
England. For example, the school
arranges a visit to a magistrates’ court and police and fire officers visit the
school.
2.26
Pupils’
cultural awareness is well developed.
Pupils are encouraged to appreciate both their own cultural traditions
and the diversity of others. Religious
assemblies and the study of world faiths in RE contribute to pupils’ knowledge
of festivals such as Hanukah, Diwali and Eid.
Pupils are well aware of the need for understanding and fairness. The mix of ethnic and religious groups within
the school is used positively in this respect.
Cultural awareness is also raised through the curriculum, for example
through geography, history, music, art and languages. French is taught to every class, and Spanish
to Years 5 and 6; in these lessons good consideration is made of life in both
countries.
2.27 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.28
The
quality of teaching is good overall with many outstanding features; this
quality represents an improvement since the HMI inspection of 2001. The high quality of teaching is a key element
in meeting the school’s aim to ensure each child reaches his/her
potential. Examples of excellent
teaching were seen particularly in geography, ICT, RE, circle time,
reflections, the Reception class, and the Nursery.
2.29
Teaching
enables pupils of all abilities to make rapid progress, increase their
understanding and develop their skills.
The teaching is well matched to his or her needs, this being achieved by
the teachers’ detailed knowledge of their pupils’ levels of ability and current
levels of attainment. Pupils’ progress
is enhanced by the excellent support provided by classroom assistants. They form an integral element of the
teaching, and they contribute in a very positive manner to pupils’ education.
2.30
The
high quality of teaching fosters in the pupils the application of intellectual
effort. For example, in a Nursery
activity, centred on the countries taking part in the football World Cup, the
teacher displayed a large world map with the addition of large flags made by
the children. In talking about Trinidad
and Tobago children were challenged to think about how the climate and other
aspects differed from that in Britain – including talking about a pineapple
that had just been sliced. This emphasis
on other differences challenged the children to think about and appreciate
countries in other climates and with other cultures. The pineapple was consumed by the children,
with great enjoyment, as part of their carefully thought through and discussed
healthy break time snack of fruit and pineapple slices.
2.31
The
teaching also fosters physical and creative effort. Both boys and girls in Years 5 and 6 showed a
very keen interest in sport, especially cricket. The standard of playground cricket was very
high indeed; the school’s top bowler claimed the scalp of the Reporting
Inspector first ball. Displays of art
and creative designs in technology are well displayed throughout the
school. Teachers, in all lessons,
encourage pupils to think and learn for themselves, for example to read and
search the internet for ideas and information; several pupils were keen to
research the internet for the works of impressionist painters in response to
ties being worn by visitors, and produced a wide range of responses. It was clear that pupils had been taught to
develop their natural curiosity and use the appropriate resources to provide
the answers.
2.32
An
outstanding characteristic of the teaching is the quality of the lesson
planning. Teaching
demonstrates a good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being
taught and teachers
have a thorough knowledge of each pupil’s abilities, aptitudes, needs and their
prior attainment. These are important
elements in the effectiveness of the lesson planning and in enabling pupils to
make good progress. Teaching employs an
appropriate range of activities suited to pupils’ levels of knowledge,
understanding and skills development.
For example, a well-planned mathematics lesson in Year 3 involved
dividing the class into three groups, with each group being given appropriate
worksheets ranging from the consolidation of basic methods and concepts to
extension work for the more able. On
other occasions in mathematics, the more able pupils were withdrawn for
‘booster’ lessons. Such provision
enabled all pupils to make rapid progress.
2.33
Lessons
are supported by a wide range of resources of good quality that are used
effectively by the teachers. Good use is
made of practical equipment in mathematics and science. PE lessons are well resourced and good use is
made of these in teaching ensuring rapid progress is made by the pupils. The resources for ICT are outstanding for a
school of this size and include a suite with 10 networked computers and two
interactive whiteboards. Effective use
is made of this provision in a range of cross-curricular activities in history,
geography, English and art.
2.34
Teaching
employs a variety of methods to make lessons interesting and reflects teachers’
awareness of the pupils’ needs. A Year 1
lesson about road signs and parking at the school led to a practical study of
safety issues and resulted in much good language work with the pupils. Pupils in a Year 5 mathematics lesson on area
involved practical work in measuring and calculating area in various parts of
the school. Science emphasises good
practical and investigative work.
2.35
Teachers
expect and obtain high standards of behaviour in lessons and throughout
school. This is based on the high regard
and respect that pupils have for their teachers.
2.36
Teaching
includes regular and thorough assessment of pupils’ work and uses information
from assessment well to plan teaching so that pupils can make good
progress. The school also has
arrangements in place that allows pupils’ performance to be evaluated in
relation to its own aims, and pupils’ work is effectively monitored by senior
management. Considerable emphasis is
placed on assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress. Day-to-day marking and verbal assessments are
constructively done and these help pupils improve their performance. At a broader level, the school has a
comprehensive system of assessment from the Nursery through to Year 6. Pupils are assessed regularly each year using
standardised tests in English, reading ability, mathematics and verbal
reasoning. Further information is
provided by the results of the national tests at ages 7 and 11. All members of staff are involved in
assessing each pupil’s progress and the system adds a great deal to the
teachers’ awareness of the capabilities and progress of each child.
2.37
The
pre-inspection questionnaire completed by parents and both formal and informal
discussions held with parents indicate that the school successfully achieves
its aim to encourage pupils to achieve their full potential and to encourage
positive attitudes to work and behaviour.
2.38 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
Measures
to ensure the pastoral care, welfare, health and safety of pupils are excellent. Teachers and non-teaching staff provide high
quality care, support and guidance for pupils of all ages. Pastoral arrangements in all sections of the
school are appropriate and contribute well to pupils’ personal development; as
a result, pupils fulfil the schools’ mission statement to encourage respect for
self and others, including other faiths and cultures. Staff and pupils work together in mutual care
and trust which helps to sort out any problems that might arise. This was not an issue raised in the HMI
inspection of 2001.
3.2
The
staff are assisted by effective pastoral arrangements. Measures to promote discipline are good and
effective. Pupils and staff are clear
about the systems for rewards and punishments – for example the effective house
point system and the awards certificates.
Rules displayed throughout the school emphasise consideration and care
for ‘ourselves, each other and our environment’. The School Council, with members from Years 5
and 6, encourages pupils’ self responsibility.
Effective behaviour and anti-bullying policies and guidance have been
developed which promote good discipline and behaviour, and are effective in
dealing with unacceptable behaviour when it occurs.
3.3
The
quality of relationships between staff and pupils is outstanding and is a major
strength of the pastoral care.
3.4
Provision
for pupils’, health and safety is highly effective. The school effectively promotes a policy of
healthy eating. Child protection
measures are successful. The designated
child protection officer has had recent training. All staff have had guidance in this field and
have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Appropriate checks are made on staff who have
contact with children.
3.5
All
necessary measures to reduce risk from fire and other hazards have been taken,
including carrying out appropriate risk assessments. A professionally undertaken fire risk
assessment has been carried out.
Fire-fighting equipment and alarms are regularly checked. Fire practices take place on a regular basis
and are appropriately recorded.
3.6
The
school has and implements a satisfactory written policy on first aid. Most members of staff have had first aid
training as part of a rolling programme; currently four hold full certificates.
3.7
School
staff are appropriately deployed at breaks and at other times to ensure proper
supervision of children. The school
keeps records of sanctions imposed on pupils for serious offences. An admissions register and attendance
registers are maintained in accordance with regulatory requirements.
3.8
The
school is a happy, secure community where all pupils feel valued and can
develop in accordance with the stated aims of the school.
3.9 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
3.10
The
quality of links with parents and the community is outstanding. They fulfil well the school’s aim to ‘foster
positive relationships with parents and the wider community.’
3.11
The
school strives positively to develop a good working relationship with parents,
and its success in achieving this makes a positive contribution to the success
of the school. The response by parents
to the pre-inspection questionnaire reflected quite outstanding support for the
school and the quality of education and pastoral care afforded to the
children. These sentiments were
corroborated by both formal and informal discussions with parents. In discussion, parents were particularly
complimentary about the manner in which all worries and concerns were dealt
with. Parents expressed great confidence
in the management of the school.
3.12
Parents
are provided with comprehensive and useful information about their children’s
progress. The formal methods of
communication include four written reports and two parent-teacher meetings each
year. The school places importance on
informal channels of communication; parents are always able to discuss issues
with teachers, and the headmistress is always available. Reports are comprehensive and indicate levels
of effort and behaviour in addition to levels of attainment. Parents appreciate the advice given to them
in helping to chose secondary schools for their children. A full range of information can be found on
the school’s web site. In addition,
parents receive information by way of newsletters and a notice board placed in
the parents’ car park. The nursery has a
very useful notice board at its entrance that details the nature of the day’s
activities to be covered. Parents new to
the school are given a very comprehensive information booklet on all aspects of
the school.
3.13
Parents
are encouraged strongly to be involved in the life of the school. The Parent Association arranges a variety of
successful fund-raising and social activities.
The Association makes substantial contributions to the school, most
recently equipping the ICT suite and purchasing to interactive white
boards. Parents are invited to a variety
of school activities, including school assemblies.
3.14
Parents
concerns are well and speedily handled by the school. The school has an appropriate complaints
procedure that complies with regulatory requirements.
3.15
The
school has forged strong links with the community. A range of sporting activities is organised
against local schools, pupils participate in local music and dance activities,
the choir sings carols in local residential homes and the town centre. Local people, such as the police and a
visiting artist are invited to talk to the pupils on a range of topics. The school is involved in both local and
national charity work, for example supporting the local hospice and CAFOD. Strong links exist with the local Catholic
Church and the local Curate is a regular visitor to the school.
3.16 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
Governors
provide excellent leadership, enabling the school to develop the facilities
needed to provide an outstanding all-round education in accordance with its
aims. Since the visits by HMI in 1999
and 2001, careful and imaginative planning has enabled the school to develop its
facilities, invest in resources for teaching and introduce policies and
procedures to improve further its teaching and curriculum.
4.2
The
structure and management arrangements related to the governing body are well
defined and support effective oversight of the school. The Institute of Our
Lady of Mercy is responsible for the management of the premises and building
and for matters such as the checking of staff with the Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB), but the financing of the running of the school is in the hands of the
governing body. Governors bring a good range of experience and
expertise to their work, including educational, financial, legal and medical
expertise, and it includes a member of the Order. The structure of main governing body
meetings, together with the finance and general purposes, curriculum and
personnel committees serve the school well.
Minutes indicate that meetings are businesslike and governors involved
with recent developments, in particular, have given a great deal of time to the
school over the past few years.
4.3
Governors
are aware of their many responsibilities and perform them well. They are involved in financial planning and
are responsible for the overall disbursement of resources to the school. They work closely with the school’s senior
management in order to develop strategies to ensure effective educational
provision. They deal effectively with
significant issues that arise from time to time, as well as with more
day-to-day matters. They give
appropriate attention to health and safety and child protection; one of the
governors has a responsibility for health and safety.
4.4 Relationships between governors and staff within the school are very good and enable governors to have a good insight into the working of the school; they support, advise and challenge the staff well. Most have or have had children at the school. They are well informed about the school through the headmistress’s report, through visiting the school and through presentations on curricular and other educational matters given at governors’ meetings by individual members of staff.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.5
Leadership
and management are outstanding. Clear
educational direction and leadership are provided by those with management
responsibilities. Since the inspection
by HMI in 2001 the headmistress has introduced a senior management team. This team has developed and implemented
policies and procedures that have been key elements in the continued
improvement and success of the school.
The success is reflected in the high quality of education, the excellent
care and personal development of pupils and the fulfilment of the school’s aims
and ethos.
4.6
The
leadership has a clear vision for the school’s development. The headmistress knows her staff and pupils
very well and operates a consensual approach to decision making. She is very well supported by the senior
management team (SMT), who work together in the day-to-day running of the
school and in longer term strategic planning.
Similarly, subject co-ordinators are effective in leading and administering
their departments.
4.7
Educational
direction and leadership provided by those with management responsibilities are
outstanding; this is reflected in the high quality of education, the
outstanding personal development of the pupils and the very high quality of
their pastoral care. The rôles of the
SMT are helpfully well-defined and their effectiveness is enhanced by the close
working relationships that are a feature of the management.
4.8