Our Lady and St Anne's RC Primary School

Our Lady and St Anne's RC Primary School Summerhill Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 6EB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The school motivates pupils, including those eligible for pupil premium, to make good progress and learn effectively. Pupils learning to speak English make outstanding progress.  Children enter school with well-below average communication, social and emotional skills and catch up to reach average attainment by the end of Year 6.  Teaching and learning are good and some teaching is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and adopt often imaginative approaches to capture and hold the interest of pupils.  Intervention, support and improvement programmes are effective and ensure that pupils of all ages thrive.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy their learning and feel exceptionally safe in the happy, friendly atmosphere. They are extremely well looked after, work hard and take pride in their work. Exemplary behaviour and attitudes are underpinned by outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As a result,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

attendance is above average and there are no exclusions.  The inspirational headteacher creates a strong sense of purpose which is shared by staff. Teaching is very well led and managed. The good curriculum and excellent enrichment experiences are well matched to pupil needs. Senior leaders demonstrate the capacity needed to ensure that improvements are sustained and that all teaching is at least good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are a very small number of lessons where the challenge and pace of learning is sometimes uneven.  Occasionally, activities are not closely enough adapted to the individual needs of all pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons of which four were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspection team made a number of short visits to lessons and support sessions.  The inspection team held discussions with pupils, parents, members of the governing body including parent governors, school staff including senior leaders and middle managers and the local authority achievement partner.  No responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were available in the planning of the inspection.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and examined a range of documentation including the school’s own records of pupils’ current progress, monitoring and evaluation documentation and records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Clive Petts, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Anne Vernon Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Our Lady and St Anne’s is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium is above average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action is half the national average. Those supported at school action plus or those with a statement of special educational needs is well below that found nationally.  Almost two-thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, mainly of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black or Black British background with a majority at an early stage of learning to speak English. The school extends its services in that it provides a breakfast each day.  The school meets the current floor standards, which set out the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  A new Chair of the Governing Body was appointed in October 2011.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least consistently good by: – using the school’s assessment information relentlessly to shape activities and tasks to the abilities and needs of all pupils – spreading the use of imaginative and thought-provoking practice that exists in the school to inspire, motivate and constantly challenge pupils’ thinking – ensuring that pupils’ knowledge and understanding is continuously questioned to make certain they explain their ideas and their reasoning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good overall and outstanding for those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils acquire knowledge quickly and improve their understanding well, because the broad range of interesting curriculum experiences challenges their thinking and holds their interest well.  Many children enter the Nursery with a wide range of additional learning, social and emotional needs. From well-below average starting points children make rapid and sustained progress, settling happily and confidently into Nursery and Reception routines. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1, although attainment at the end of Year 2 is below average.  In Key Stage 2 progress quickens, especially in Years 5 and 6, with attainment at the end of Year 6 typically average, although attainment in English is a little higher than in mathematics. This reveals the successful action to boost reading and writing skills, especially of boys, since

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The achievement of pupils is good

the previous inspection. Recent 2012 unvalidated national test results demonstrate that initiatives adopted to improve the application of numeracy skills when solving problems are closing the attainment gap with English. Imaginative opportunities are provided to foster pupils’ enjoyment and interest of a wide variety of reading. For example, pupils are given the opportunities to talk to authors and take responsibility for the selection of books for the school library. Although attainment in reading by the end of Year 2 is below average, the school has a strong focus on teaching the essential skills of linking sounds and letters and how words tell a story.  Older pupils are increasingly confident mastering more complex skills, such as discussing an appreciation of an author’s style. Pupils’ reading at the end of Year 6 is a little above average.  Rich, first-hand experiences, including a residential visit to Holy Island for older pupils,

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The achievement of pupils is good

stimulate pupils’ thinking and imagination successfully. Linking subjects together in thought- provoking ways help to reinforce essential literacy and numeracy skills. When progress and achievement are occasionally variable, activities do not always challenge pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because their work is closely matched to their needs and intervention and support are effective. Those pupils with a Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black or Black British background, and those learning English make rapid and sustained progress because their learning experiences are so skilfully adapted to meet their individual needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In conversations, parents are particularly appreciative of the good quality of teaching and classroom support. All staff enjoy excellent relationships with pupils, who respond keenly and enthusiastically to the activities that are organised for them. Problem-solving challenges, outdoor learning, stimulating visits, interesting visitors and collaborative working nurture skills, knowledge and understanding effectively in active, fun ways. This fosters pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Teaching enables pupils to achieve well and progress speedily because: – teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, including for those whom the pupil premium supports – lessons are well planned to extend skills and consolidate knowledge and understanding – skilful questioning systematically checks pupils’ progress and prompt action is taken to address any progress slips and attainment gaps

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The quality of teaching is good

– frequent assessment is accurate and ensures that pupils know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve – teachers are proactive promoting thoughtful and considerate behaviour both in classrooms and around school – intervention and support provided by the teacher and support staff are effectively adapted and frequently modified to enable pupils to learn effectively.  In lessons when teaching occasionally requires improvement, the pace of learning can be variable; questioning is not always sufficiently searching or constantly adapted to respond to individual needs.  When progress is most rapid and achievement high, imaginative approaches to activity planning and skilful delivery of lessons enable pupils to learn exceptionally well in all subjects, regardless of their background or starting point. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to work independently, such as when solving problems by themselves or with a partner. Teachers

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The quality of teaching is good

and support staff create a highly positive climate for learning in school and communicate and engage with parents extremely successfully to ensure that all pupils can enjoy success and achieve their full potential.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The high quality of care and support, high expectations and clear boundaries for conduct and behaviour make certain that pupils feel safe and secure at school, including those who are potentially vulnerable. In discussions, parents, staff and pupils are wholly positive about the high standards of behaviour and safety in school. Pupil relationships with staff are excellent and the mutual respect is evident in all aspects of day-to-day school life. The breakfast club provides a calm, happy start to the day. Typically, lessons are characterised by high levels of engagement, responsible attitudes and respect for each other’s ideas and views. Pupils demonstrate a secure grasp of what constitutes bullying in its various forms. They speak confidently about how to deal with any of their worries or concerns. Pupils show a good understanding of how to stay safe and are knowledgeable about risk and danger, such as when

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

using new technology. Arrangements to help families and their children whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable are highly effective. This includes successful use of specialist support agencies.  The pupils’ above average attendance, keenness to work hard, pride in their school and achievements and welcoming attitudes, whether in the breakfast club, in lessons, or at social times strengthen their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher leads the school with vision, passion and a determination to eliminate any inconsistencies in the quality of learning, constantly adding to its strengths. The closely knit staff team shares his aspirations and responds positively to performance management targets set for them and well-focused professional development programmes. This includes the provision for the newly qualified teachers. Self-evaluation is accurate and school systems to check progress rigorous.  Teachers and support staff demonstrate a good understanding of how to use assessment to pinpoint attainment gaps and slips in progress. This ensures a constant focus on achievement. Practice is highly effective in identifying the needs of those with special educational needs and those learning to speak English.  The good curriculum provides a wide range of direct experiences which are used imaginatively to encourage the application and practice of skills. For example, following the nearby

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The leadership and management are good

Newcastle Science City historical Gallowgate trail provides many interesting opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy skills. Excellent enrichment activities add to the richness of their learning and enjoyment. Productive partnership working, such as with the City Learning Centre, increases the range and quality of pupils’ learning opportunities.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those at the early stage of learning English are thoughtfully and sensitively integrated into all aspects of school life. Staff work hard to promote equality of opportunity, ensure potential barriers to success are removed for all pupils and eliminate discrimination.  Middle leaders are increasingly confident in adding to and building upon their experiences and skills. This includes evaluating the quality of learning to make certain a firm focus is maintained on developing pupils’ application of their literacy, numeracy and personal skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school engages parents highly successfully, including those who find working with the school difficult. It enjoys their confidence and trust. They are increasingly involved in their children’s development and learning, such as when contributing to their children’s learning journeys via the home link book and online. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements with much best practice adopted in the high quality of care provided.  The governance of the school: – The committed and experienced governing body is shrewdly led by the recently appointed Chair and has an accurate grasp of strengths in provision and areas for further improvement. – Is increasingly challenging and holds the headteacher and school to account in positive ways. – Makes effective use of performance management to continuously enhance the quality of teaching and learning and ensure the efficient use of resources, including the pupil premium.

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The leadership and management are good

– Works collaboratively with the local authority achievement partner who provides light touch support for this good school.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 108510 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 400987

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 246 Appropriate authority The Governing Body Chair Christine Baker Headteacher Michael O'Brien Date of previous school inspection 9 November 2009 Telephone number 0191 2325496 Fax number 0191 2303511 Email address michael.o'brien@ourlady.newcastle.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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