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Diocese of Middlesbrough
Diocesan Schools Service
Curial Office
50a the Avenue
Linthorpe
Middlesbrough
TS5 6QT
Tel: (01642) 850515
Fax: (01642) 812763
06 April 2015
Email: [email protected]
Mrs. Maureen Hulme
Head Teacher
St. Charles Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School
Norfolk Street
Hull
HU22 9AA
Dear Mrs. Hulme,
Requires improvement monitoring inspection visit following a section 48 inspection at St.
Charles Roman Catholic Primary School, City of Kingston upon Hull.
Following my visit to your school on 26th March 2015, I write to you on behalf of Middlesbrough
Diocese to report on the findings of the visit. Thank you for the help and the welcome that you and
your staff gave during the visit.
The inspector was accompanied during the visit by an inspector-in-training. This had been agreed
with the Headteacher prior to the visit.
The visit was the third monitoring visit since the school was judged to require improvement following
a section 48 inspection in July 2013.
Evidence
During the visit meetings were held with the Headteacher and the Vice-chair of Governors. Visits
were made to all classes to observe the teaching of Religious Education and for brief discussions
with pupils about their work. A scrutiny of work from across the school was undertaken. Inspectors
also observed an Act of Collective Worship, led by the Headteacher.
Context
The Religious Education leader has been absent from school for most of the Spring term. The
school underwent a section 5 inspection in February, resulting in a grade 3 judgement.
Main findings
Unfortunately, the absence of the Religious Education leader and the school’s focus on an
impending OSTED inspection has meant that there has been little progress in the recommendations
to improve teaching and learning in Religious Education, since the last monitoring visit. Although
progress was made in marking and presentation at the last visit, this is no longer consistent across
the school due to lack of monitoring. Improvements can be seen in the Catholic life and worship at
St. Charles, particularly in the involvement of staff and pupils in: prayer-life; preparing (but not
The Middlesbrough Diocesan Trust (Charity Registration No 233748)
Diocese of Middlesbrough Trustee (Company No 03482285)
Registered Office: 50a The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS5 QT
leading) liturgies; school masses; outreach to the community, parish and wide world. Governors
have taken advantage of training to improve their understanding of the data presented to them. They
also show a clearer understanding of the procedures and workings of the school due to an
increased focus on Governors’ visits and feed-back from these visits. Governors are now
challenging the Senior Leadership much more on issues of progress and behaviour.
Recommendations
 Immediate staff training must be undertaken, on a weekly basis, so that all staff
understand the school policies, especially in marking, presentation, planning,
assessments, teaching and learning, and their impact on teaching and learning of
Religious Education.
 Senior leaders must put a rigorous weekly monitoring time-table of the teaching of
Religious Education in place as a matter of urgency. This must include; scrutiny of
pupils’ work; pupil interviews; lesson observations; learning walks.
 High-quality feed-back on the teaching of Religious Education must be given
immediately to staff by Senior Leaders after each book scrutiny/ lesson
observation/etc. This will ensure that teachers are held accountable for the teaching
and learning of Religious Education and the immediate impact of whole-school
systems can be seen and measured by all senior leaders including Governors.
 Pupils must be much more actively involved in planning and leading Liturgies and the
prayer-life of the school.
 All staff and Governors must understand the criteria for Catholic life and Worship as
described in the Section 48 Handbook, in order to accurately evaluate the school.
I am copying this letter to Kevin Duffy, Director of schools; Theresa Laverick, Religious Education
Advisor; Canon Michael, Chair of Governors.
Yours sincerely
Peggy Swinhoe
Peggy Swinhoe
Diocesan S48 Inpsector
The Middlesbrough Diocesan Trust (Charity Registration No 233748)
Diocese of Middlesbrough Trustee (Company No 03482285)
Registered Office: 50a The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS5 QT