Setting

Mrs Helen Coulthard Principal Anglesey Primary Academy Clarence Street Burton-on-Trent DE14 3LG

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Anglesey Primary Academy

Following my visit with Jane Melbourne, Her Majesty’s Inspector, to your academy on 24 and 25 April 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Anglesey Primary Academy

The inspection was a monitoring inspection carried out in accordance with no formal designation procedures and conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was carried out because the academy’s predecessor school was judged to be a school causing concern.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the academy’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the principal, other senior leaders, pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the sponsors.

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Evidence

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Evidence

The academy is making reasonable progress in raising standards for all pupils.

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Context

The academy is much larger than most primary academies. There are currently 633 pupils on roll. Almost three quarters of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups, the largest group being of Pakistani heritage. An above-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special education needs is above the national average. The number of pupils who leave or join the Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 679 9158 Direct email :rachel.dayan@serco.com school during the school year is high. The academy opened in December 2012 and it is sponsored by Academies Enterprise Trust. All the staff from the predecessor school transferred to the academy. A new governing body has been formed.

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Achievement of pupils at the academy

Standards are steadily rising. Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are working below the levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards are particularly low in Years 5 to 6 where pupils have much ground to make up. The academy’s most recent assessment information shows that, in each year group, a higher proportion of pupils are working at or above the levels expected for their age than in the recent past.

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Achievement of pupils at the academy

Children start in Reception with skills and knowledge that are well below those expected for their age. In the Reception classes, children do not make consistently good progress because work does not always build on what they already know and can do. This is particularly the case when children are learning in the outdoors and when they have the opportunity to choose their own activities.

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Achievement of pupils at the academy

In Years 1 to 6, rates of pupil progress are improving. In most of the lessons observed during this monitoring inspection, pupils made expected progress. In some lessons, pupils made inadequate progress. Work in pupils’ books paints a more positive picture. For instance, in some classes in Years 3, 4 and 6, several pupils are making good progress with their writing.

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Achievement of pupils at the academy

Pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language make faster progress than their peers. This is because of the high quality and regular additional support they receive. Senior leaders have correctly identified that pupils who need extra help do not always make as much progress as other pupils. The senior leader who is responsible for these pupils is beginning to use the information she has about their achievement to ensure they receive the right type of support. This is a recent development and the impact has yet to be seen. Across the academy, more-able pupils are capable of making faster progress and reaching higher standards.

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The quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is improving but remains variable. There is not enough consistently good teaching. Although the amount of inadequate teaching is reducing, some remains. Consequently, the progress that pupils make is not as fast as it could be.

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The quality of teaching

Teachers have responded positively to the training and support they have received from senior leaders and the academy sponsors. In Years 2 to 6, teachers are placing a greater emphasis on helping pupils to use a range of methods to solve mathematical problems. In reading, specific lessons which teach pupils about letters and sounds (phonics) are helping them to read and spell more confidently. Some teachers are successfully motivating pupils to write. For instance, in one Year 3 lesson pupils were observed working together enthusiastically to retell a story about jungle animals prior to writing their own. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length, read regularly or to practise their reading, writing and mathematical skills in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching

Where teaching is stronger, activities are well matched to pupils’ different ability levels. Questions are effectively targeted towards specific pupils to challenge their thinking. Teachers and teaching assistants also use a range of techniques to make sure that pupils are fully involved in the lesson. Where teaching requires improvement, teachers spend too long introducing lessons and this reduces the time pupils have to complete their work. Also, the activities that teachers plan are not always set at the right level. This is especially the case for the more able and those who need extra help, for whom work is respectively too easy or too difficult. In some lessons, pupils make inadequate progress because teachers do not use the information they have about pupils to plan suitably challenging activities. Instead, pupils of different abilities are given the same work. Teachers also have low expectations of pupils and, as a result, pupils produce very little work during the

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The quality of teaching

There are a high number of teaching assistants in the academy. The quality of support they provide is variable. In one Year 4 lesson, the bilingual teaching assistant successfully helped pupils who are learning to speak English to fully take part in lessons and discussions. Conversely, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, the teaching assistant made pupils wait until everyone in the group finished answering the same questions before allowing pupils to work by themselves. This prevented the pupils from making the progress of which they were capable.

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The quality of teaching

The quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent. At its best, teachers provide helpful advice and tell pupils how to improve. Some teachers use ‘Green Pen Work Time’ well to give pupils the chance to respond to teachers comments and to correct work.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

In lessons, pupils’ behaviour is often good. Pupils are keen to learn; they listen carefully and are respectful of each other’s ideas during group discussions. For instance, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, some pupils enthusiastically took on the role of a ‘lead learner’. They explained how they solved a mathematical problem and then effectively supported other pupils in their group. On occasions, pupils become distracted and restless; this invariably happens when teachers talk for too long.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour around the academy is generally calm. Pupils confirm that playtime behaviour is improving but is still a little too boisterous. This is partly because pupils do not have much to do during playtime. Pupils appreciate the use of stars to reward good behaviour in the playground; they value the work of playground monitors who help them to find friends and join in with playground games. Records indicate that there have been a small number of racist and bullying incidents since the academy opened. Pupils confirm that such incidents are dealt with quickly, and they feel safe because staff listen to their concerns. Attendance is below the national average but improving. The number of pupils with poor attendance has also markedly reduced.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the academy

Senior leaders, in partnership with the academy sponsors, are taking appropriate action to raise pupils’ achievement. Senior leaders have a secure understanding of the academy’s strengths and where further improvement is required. Teachers and teaching assistants are committed to working with them in order to secure the necessary improvements.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the academy

The academy’s rapid improvement plan rightly focuses on raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching. The plan does not make clear how different groups of pupils will be helped to make faster progress. For instance, there is no specific reference to pupils who need extra help and the more able. These are two groups in the school that could be making faster progress.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the academy

The quality of teaching is gradually improving because senior leaders are regularly observing teachers, providing them with useful guidance, and ensuring that teachers receive tailored support. The two vice-principals are also regularly meeting with teachers to discuss the progress of individual pupils and the actions that need to be taken to accelerate progress. These actions have helped some teachers to improve their practice considerably. Teaching is not yet consistently good or better because senior leaders do not rigorously check that agreed actions are implemented by all staff or check that these actions are having the required impact on different groups of pupils.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the academy

Governors have an accurate understanding of the academy’s strengths and its main areas for improvement. They are kept well informed and are beginning to check the work of the academy for themselves and challenge senior leaders. It is difficult for governors to ask precise questions about the performance of different groups of pupils because the information they receive from senior leaders is not clearly or concisely presented. The newly formed governing body knows how the school spends its pupil premium funding (the additional funding for pupils in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals), but has yet to check the difference this is making.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the academy

The principal is keen to work with parents and carers so that they can help to improve pupils’ attendance and further support pupils’ learning at home.

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External support

Senior leaders appreciate the support and challenge provided by the academy sponsor, the Academies Enterprise Trust. They have arranged for teachers to observe good practice in good and outstanding schools. A recent review of pupils’ writing has helped senior leaders identify where further action is required. The academy’s regional director visits the school regularly and checks the impact of the actions outlined in the academy’s rapid improvement plan. This work is contributing to the steady improvements in the academy. The regional director has planned an appropriate range of training and support to help the academy improve more quickly.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Further strengthen leadership by ensuring that senior leaders rigorously check that agreed actions are followed by all staff and that these actions have the required impact on the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Ensure that information about pupils’ progress is clearly and concisely presented to the governing body.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State for Education, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Academies Advisers Unit at the Department for Education. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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