St. Teresa's Roman Catholic Infant and Nursery School.
Headmistress: Miss Anna Gavin

Standards

Mission Statement  

The Mission Statement was a result of consultation with the governors, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, dinner ladies, caretaker, cleaner and parents.
The Mission Statement is as follows:

1. We are committed to acknowledging that Christ is at the heart of every aspect of school life.

2. We are committed to providing an environment where each person is valued and each child's emotional, social, physical, spiritual and intellectual potential can be developed.

3. We are committed to fostering links with the community through encouraging mutual care and respect and a sense of responsibility for people and the environment.


Ofsted Report

The school was inspected in May 2007.  The school received an outstanding report.

Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 1

St Teresa’s is an outstanding school where pupils flourish both academically and personally. Achievement is excellent, resulting in standards that are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. These exceptionally high standards have been maintained for many years. Whilst a dip is expected this year, the school’s data show that there has been no downturn in pupils’ progress with pupils achieving the predicted standards. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who are learning to speak English also achieve exceptionally well. This is due to the high level of skilled support the school provides for these groups. Pupils’ work in other subjects, such as information and communication technology (ICT), the arts and geography shows that high standards are reflected across the curriculum. This is the result of outstanding teaching and curriculum provision, based on the staff’s thorough knowledge of what constitutes the best early years education.

During their two years in the Foundation Stage, children come on in leaps and bounds. Their love of learning begins in the Nursery where play is truly seen as ‘the child’s work’. Within a stimulating environment the children are given endless opportunities to use all their senses to explore the world around them. Highly skilled staff know exactly how to intervene in play to take learning forward. The good grounding children receive here is built upon extremely well in Reception, so that by the end of the year, most children have achieved or exceeded the expected goals in all areas of learning.

All teachers have high expectations of pupils. They match work well to pupils’ needs and use a good range of methods and resources to ensure all achieve success through well-targeted challenge and support. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution delivering specialist programmes in literacy, numeracy and English language teaching. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also benefit immensely from the very good level of additional support provided. The curriculum centres around carefully planned topics that exploit pupils’ natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. Consequently, they develop basic skills, creativity, and knowledge of the world in meaningful and enjoyable contexts. Enrichment is extensive, including a strong focus on different cultures, French for all, exciting visits and visitors and a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe and keep healthy, with Year 2 ‘Sporty Leaders’ making an excellent contribution. Pupils are aware of and value people’s differences. Comments such as, ‘ it would be boring if everyone was the same’ and ‘I don’t mind if people think different things to me – it doesn’t matter’, reflect the impact of the school’s success in promoting pupils’ moral and cultural development. The high academic and personal standards attained prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education. However, pupils’ knowledge of their learning, for instance, their strengths, how they might improve, and their preferred learning styles is not as well developed.


The school provides a high level of care, guidance and support for pupils. Pastoral support and guidance is particularly strong, including rigorous systems to keep pupils safe. The school often ‘goes the extra mile’ to ensure all pupils can be included in what is offered. Pupils’ work is assessed regularly and individual progress is monitored meticulously to give every pupil the opportunity to reach their potential. Staff make excellent use of their extensive knowledge of pupils as individuals to promote learning. They frequently talk to pupils about their work and through marking offer praise and the occasional pointer for improvement. There is scope, however, to increase pupils’ involvement in the process so that they have a more explicit understanding of their learning.

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher promotes a vision of continual improvement among staff. Through very effective teamwork she ensures that this is realised week in and week out. Providing the best for pupils underpins all that is done and spills over into the community. Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the significant impact the school makes to their children’s all round education. The comment, ‘My children have made amazing progress, grown in confidence and are happy’, is typical of many provided by parents.

The school makes excellent use of data and other information about pupils’ achievements to improve provision and target it purposefully to raise standards. Good examples of this are in mathematics, ICT, and to raise the attainment of boys. The strengths in leadership and management, including strong support from governors, show that the school has excellent capacity to improve further.

 

What the school should do to improve further

• Increase pupils’ understanding of and involvement in their learning.

Here is the letter written to the children by the Ofsted Inspector:

Dear Children

Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Infant and Nursery School

Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to visit your school recently. I enjoyed talking to you and watching you work and play. I would like to share with you what I found.

St Teresa’s is an outstanding school. At the start of the day you all came in cheerily saying ‘Bonjour’, which made me wonder whether I really was in Birkdale or France! You told me that you enjoy school and it was easy to see why. Your books and the walls were full of your wonderful writing and pictures, including some fantastic work done on the computers. You know a lot about different religions and festivals and I was glad to hear that you think it is ‘cool’ for people to be different. You work hard, which helps you to reach very good standards. Your teachers and all the staff also work hard to make lessons interesting and to help you learn as much as you can. I was particularly impressed with Year 2 pupils’ knowledge of the Great Fire of London and of all the things Year 1 had learned in science about light. When I looked at Reception children’s writing I couldn’t believe how well they had done since they joined the class last September. Last, but certainly not least, I loved hearing the Nursery children sing their rainbow song and thought how clever they were to be able to paint such lovely rainbow pictures.

I expect you know that your headteacher and the governors also work very hard and do a fantastic job in running the school. They are always thinking up new ideas to make things better, such as the creative playtime you like so much and the circus skills workshop.

Many of you may remember me asking you to tell me about the things you are good at and what you thought you could do better. I got some good answers, but not everyone was sure. That is why I have asked your teachers to think of ways to help you understand a bit more about your learning. You can help by thinking hard about your work and doing your best to improve the things your teachers say you could do better at.

I wish you all the very best for the future

Margot D’Arcy

Lead inspector

 A link to the complete St Teresa's Ofsted Report below:-
 http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=104917

Basic Skills Quality Mark

The school has received three Quality Marks.  The school is judged on ten different areas covering Maths, Literacy and working with parents.

Healthy School's Award

The school was granted this award in December 2006.

Sats Attainment Summary

According to the statistical evidence the school has performed significantly above the National average in all core subjects (Reading, Writing and Maths) since 2000. 


HMI Report - Management of Teachers’ Inspection Survey

Many thanks to you and your staff for working with me during my visits to St Teresa’s on Thursday and Friday, the 10 and 11 October 2002 and again on Friday 24 January 2003. As you know, the purpose of my visits has been to identify the key factors leading to the effective management of teachers. However, let me begin by offering my warmest congratulations. I know that you have received recently a letter from Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools indicating that St Teresa’s is about to be identified in HMCI’s Annual Report for 2001/02, as one of a number of “particularly successful schools”. You must be very proud of your governing body and the parents and parishioners who give so much of their time cheerfully and unstintingly. Under your leadership and direction, you have ensured that all have a part to play in the school’s splendid achievement. ( All the more puzzling, therefore, that the school’s success has not been recognised in terms of Beacon status!).
The governing body has done much to improve the century old accommodation through a programme of repair, redecoration and refurbishment of the four large classrooms, the multi-purpose hall, the school library, and the infant and nursery playgrounds. Over the years, problems of accommodation have been tackled with remarkable determination, perseverance and success. Indeed, I noted in the school records, maintained by Canon Gaine, your chair of governors, that HMI first paid a visit to St Teresa’s in 1883 and my predecessor wrote, “ the number of pupils are greatly increased and the main room is overcrowded.” More than a century on, space remains at a premium, with, for example, a tiny staffroom doubling as a mini-computer suite! All the more remarkable, therefore, is the school’s success in terms of its outstanding inspection report and the pupils’ exceptional performance at Key Stage 1 in national tests. But St Teresa’s is also a welcoming school. My abiding memory is a hive of activity, at the beginning of the school day with parents, grandparents and parishioners exchanging news about the children and providing time, resources and materials to support group reading sessions!
Following the feedback at the end of my most recent visit, I promised to confirm my findings in writing.

Key factors in effective management
The school’s Mission Statement translates into effective practice. The headteacher and governing body share a common view that “the pupils’ happiness is the school’s main concern.” The goals contained in the school’s Mission Statement, reflect that concern and focus on the development of the pupils’ spiritual awareness and the school’s commitment to educational inclusion and its sense of community. In order to achieve these goals, a priority is given to the establishment of close links with parents. Parents are welcomed as partners in their children’s education; their involvement is planned and well organized; they receive appropriate guidance and support; and their talents and expertise are put to good use. A significant minority of parents resides outside of the school’s catchment area and reflects the school’s standing and reputation within the community of Southport. Under the headteacher’s leadership, the parent/partnership arrangements assume a very high priority in the life of the school. Presently, the parents of one in five of the pupils on roll volunteer their support in helping with activities such as cookery, craft, computer work or listening to pupils read. Equally the headteacher has worked closely with the governing body to increase the number of teachers and support staff. Presently, there is a full-time equivalent of 5.5 teachers and 11 other staff members, including teaching assistants, school secretary, the caretaker, the cook and three welfare assistants; all staff and significant adults work well together as a team within the context of the school’s Mission Statement.
Suitable and attractive working conditions have been created. Members of the governing body and the headteacher have made determined efforts to ensure classrooms and outside play areas provide a safe, attractive and stimulating environment for the pupils. (Photographic evidence illustrates the daunting task that members have faced in their persistent and successful struggle over many years.) It is a euphemism to describe the school as “compact” but all available space is used including a staffroom which doubles as a mini-computer suite and a library area that provides a base for support work with pupils who have special educational needs. Recently, there has been a strong and sustained focus on the development of ICT and, as a result, all classes have access to computers. The display of pupils’ work on notice boards throughout the school are of high quality and reveal not only the whole-school approach to developing children’s writing and promoting their art work but also in recognizing and celebrating pupils’ achievements.
Roles and responsibilities are understood fully by all staff. Teachers, administrative and support staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and the part they play in creating a relaxed, purposeful atmosphere in which young pupils may express themselves confidently in their oral and written expression. Performance management has been introduced successfully and already, one teacher has gone through the threshold. Teachers speak highly of the arrangements for staff development and appraisal. All teachers, nursery nurses and general teaching assistants have job specifications. Welfare assistants support the work of the teachers and assume responsibilities for playground supervision and, in some instances, in-class support. Ocerall, roles are well differentiated and adults work well together recognizing their distinctive, but close and sometimes overlapping, responsibilities.
Support is given to teachers and teaching assistants to develop skills. A high priority is given to both school development and the individual professional development of staff. The headteacher is a literacy consultant within the Sefton LEA. Much of the staff professional development is in-house and formal and informal opportunities are used regularly to share judgements of pupils’ progress. Internal communication is particularly effective and there are many examples of close collaboration. The nursery teacher has run very successful in-house twilight sessions for her colleagues that focus on the writing of high quality reports and systematic recording of children’s progress. Teachers are involved in initial teacher training with a local university college. Good opportunities exist also for teaching assistants to extend their experience and expertise. They are invited to all staff meetings and encouraged to attend in –house training sessions. Over the years, their expertise has increased significantly. They possess a sound working knowledge of the curriculum; they recognize the importance of establishing a positive rapport with pupils; and they learn to make good use of motivational methods to promote children’s learning.
A focus on monitoring, assessment and target-setting is sustained. The school engages in the process of continuous self-evaluation and has taken full account of the recent findings of its last Section 10 inspection report (January 2002) and the annual PANDA reports which function as a management tool. All six teachers have adopted a similar approach to record keeping involving portfolio collections of pupils’ work that is dated and annotated. Agreed school targets have been set for the pupils’ use of ICT. Detailed advice and guidance has been prepared for parents to help them support the pupils’ work in school presently with regard to topic work and science. The introduction of scaffolding techniques and writing frames has proved to be particularly successful in promoting the progressive development of older pupils’ writing. The denominational inspection of religious education has consistently highlighted good practice. The school has pursued actively and successfully a Quality Mark for the teaching of Basic Skills. The staff and headteacher make regular checks on the school’s prpogress against targets identified in the School Development Plan. Of particular note, are the school’s arrangements for tracking the progress of its former pupils in the core subjects. Year-on year, evidence reveals that the excellent progress made by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 is maintained in Key Stage 2 and 3. For example, data relating to pupils, attending St Teresa’s in 1995, reveals a strong correlation between their performance in achieving or exceeding the expected standards at Key Stage 1 in the core subjects and their subsequent performance at Key Stage 2 and 3. It is noteworthy that a significant minority of this cohort of former pupils went on to achieve Levels6 or 7 in English at Key Stage 3.
The assimilation of recent educational initiatives into current school practice has been planned carefully. Teachers keep up to date with recent reports and publications and are familiar with their implications for their school. During staff meetings, detailed consideration has been given to the DfES Guidance on Performance Management, the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum, the Autumn Package, Inclusive Schooling and the SEN Code of Practice. Of particular relevance has been the Government’s White Paper –Schools-Achieving Success (DfES 2001). The school’s response to recommendations involving parents as partners in their child’s learning has been positive and thought through carefully. Topic webs have been sent home to parents keeping them well informed about what is being taught and how they themselves might help. Each September, class teachers run welcome meetings to explain parents what is to be covered during the school year and how parents may actively support their child’s learning. Reading diaries are sent home each night and spellings each week. A course for parents is run on a biannual basis to explain the school curriculum for young children and those at Key Stage 1. Of particular note are the three significant initiatives that relate to English, mathematics and science. In English, story planners have been produced and provide helpful advice to parents in supporting pupils’ writing in different genre. This initiative has had significant impact on the quality of the pupils’ written work. Similarly, suggestions for supporting mathematics are sent home and in science, a booklet, packed with ideas and suggestions, provides parents with some re-assuring support that they do not have to be experts on science to help their child learn about the world around them.

Areas for development/consideration
A review of the job specifications for support staff would be timely in order to produce a clearer definition of their different and distinctive responsibilities.
Continuation of the existing practice of tracking the progress made by former pupils after they transfer to another primary school for their Key Stage 2 education and to Christ the King High School for their secondary education.
I have appreciated the time I have spent at St Teresa’s talking with you and with Canon Gaine and our discussions have helped me to understand why the school is so successful. I have noted also your professional view that, while teaching assistants and other significant adults play a valuable and supportive role, their contribution needs to be managed and co-ordinated by qualified teachers.
Please pass in my thanks to all who contribute to school life with such energy and enthusiasm (governors, teachers, teaching assistants, administrative and support staff and other significant adults). The information gathered by HMI, from this and other similar visits to around 120 schools, will be used to compile a report, which will be published by Ofsted during the autumn term 2003.

Yours sincerely
David Tobin
HM Inspector of Schools


© St.Teresa's School, 2006. All rights reserved. No images may be reproduced without the permission of the School.