Lift Anglesey

Anglesey Primary Academy Clarence Street, Burton-on-Trent, DE14 3LG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Inadequate 4 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are low in almost all classes.  Pupils, including the most able, are not making quick enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their below- average starting points.  Teaching is not well matched to pupils’ different abilities. Teachers do not build on what pupils know and can do.  When marking pupils’ written work, teachers do not always identify what pupils need to do to improve their basic skills in writing.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to read to adults. They do not read enough to make good progress.  Teachers’ judgements about pupils’ achievement in reading and writing are not always accurate.  Leaders do not frequently check that actions taken to improve teaching are making a difference to pupils’ achievement.  Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently apply the behaviour policy across the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

As a result, the behaviour of some pupils, in and around the school, is poor.  Leaders at all levels, including governors and the Academies Enterprise Trust, are not doing enough to make sure the school is improving. They have not improved the quality of teaching.  Attendance has improved but is still below average. The number of pupils who are absent frequently has increased recently.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ progress is beginning to accelerate in Years 5 and 6.  The school’s safeguarding procedures are secure.  Pupils who join the school and are at the early stages of learning to speak and understand English are supported well in learning the new language.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 33 lessons, of which eleven were jointly observed with the senior leaders.  Inspectors observed the Principal and the two Vice Principals reporting back to teachers on the quality of their teaching.  Meetings were held with the school’s senior and subject leaders, groups of pupils, two members of the governing body and a representative of the Academies Enterprise Trust.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of evidence including the school’s documents for self-evaluation and safeguarding. They studied standards in pupils’ workbooks and the school’s own assessment data. They also listened to pupils read.  There were not enough responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View for inspectors to consider this. However, inspectors analysed the responses made by parents and carers to a recent survey undertaken by the school. They also obtained parents’ views informally at the start

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Information about this inspection

and end of the school day.  Staff questionnaire responses were checked.

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Inspection team

Marilyn Mottram, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Carol Deakin Additional Inspector Douglas Folan Additional Inspector Heather Osgood Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Information about this school

 Anglesey Primary Academy first opened in December 2012 under a funding agreement issued by the Department for Education.  The academy is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average. (This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care and pupils with parents in the armed forces.)  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, including those who speak English as an additional language, is well above average. Most are from Pakistani or Eastern European backgrounds.  The academy does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ achievement and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that is it good or outstanding throughout the school by making sure that teachers:  use their knowledge of pupils to plan work at the right level of difficulty so that all pupils can make good or better progress  improve the quality of marking and give pupils time to respond to it and improve their work, so that they are helped to make better progress  ensure that judgements about pupils’ achievement in writing, reading and mathematics are accurate.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics by:  increasing the opportunities pupils have to read to adults  using information about pupils’ reading abilities to plan more effective teaching sessions  providing more opportunities for pupils to read in all subjects including English  ensuring that pupils are taught the basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar  using practical resources well to improve pupils’ basic mathematical understanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and management by ensuring that:  senior leaders and governors frequently check that agreed actions are having the required impact on the achievement of different groups of pupils  the school’s behaviour management policies and practices have a strong impact on improving pupils’ behaviour  rates of attendance continue to improve so that they are at least average  governors extend their training to equip themselves with essential skills to challenge school leaders effectively and hold the school to account.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Ofsted will make recommendations for action on governance to the authority responsible for the school. These will include an external review of governance in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 At the end of Year 6 in 2013, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well below the national average. Too few pupils reached the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics.  At the end of Year 2 in 2013, standards in writing and mathematics were average. However, reading skills were significantly below average. Too few pupils reached the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 reading check in 2013 was well below average. Boys performed less well than girls. Pupils eligible for the pupil premium did better than their classmates.  Currently, pupils, including the most-able pupils, are not making progress quickly enough. Significant underachievement continues to be prevalent. For example, pupils entered Year 3 in September with reading skills that were well below average. They have not made sufficient

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

progress to begin closing this gap. Adults do not hear pupils read regularly enough to help them make good progress. Pupils cannot talk about wider reading or favourite authors.  Pupils’ writing skills are below those expected for their age. Teaching of basic spelling, punctuation and grammar is not systematic. Teachers do not pick up on weaknesses in pupils’ writing rapidly enough to make sure that they make good progress. For example, when pupils are writing, teachers do not identify basic weaknesses in their use of grammar and punctuation. Valuable learning opportunities are lost and pupils’ progress is limited.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their reading skills effectively in all subjects, including English. For example, in one lesson pupils were copying a passage from a book to practise their handwriting. Many pupils could not read what they were copying. This hinders progress.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The academy’s records indicate that the achievement of pupils supported by the pupil premium is the same as their classmates in reading but below that of other pupils in mathematics. The academy does not hold accurate information about how much difference particular support programmes are making to their learning.  The school records show that the achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs ranges from inadequate to good. The school lacks effective systems for identifying these pupils and for frequently checking how much difference is being made to their learning. As is the case for all pupils in the academy, too much weak teaching is not helping all pupils to make good progress.  There are more positive signs in some areas of the academy. More pupils are making good progress in Years 5 and 6 where teaching is good. Although pupils’ attainment is below average, there are signs that they are starting to catch up. Work in books indicates that the most-able

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

pupils are starting to be challenged appropriately in these year groups. For example, in a lesson on persuasive writing pupils were given a range of appropriate ‘steps for success’ well matched to their abilities. Pupils worked effectively together to check their work against the different ‘steps’. As a result all groups made good progress.  Pupils who join the school and are at the early stages of learning to speak and understand English are supported well in learning the new language. Effective one-to-one and small-group sessions prepared pupils well for whole-class lessons. For example, in one session pupils were learning the key vocabulary of report writing before their class lesson on this subject. After- school ‘Talk’ club is well attended. This increases pupils’ confidence in spoken language.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Too much teaching requires improvement or is inadequate, particularly in Reception to Year 4. As a result, pupils are not learning quickly enough in order to close the gap between standards in the academy and those found nationally.  Teachers do not plan work that matches the varying needs and abilities of pupils. Too often lessons lack challenge for the most-able pupils. For example, in two mathematics lessons, very young children were all listening to teachers explaining how to solve a number problem. Many of the children had already solved the problem. Teachers missed opportunities to stretch their thinking further. As a result, valuable learning time was wasted.  In other lessons, pupils are too reliant on adults or are required to complete unchallenging worksheets. In mathematics lessons, expectations are often too low. In one lesson pupils were all completing the same mathematical task using tally charts and drawing bar charts. The most-

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

able pupils were not given opportunities to respond to questions of a more complex nature or decide how best to represent the information. Consequently pupils were not making adequate progress in their mathematical knowledge and understanding.  Teachers’ marking and feedback in lessons does not identify precisely what needs to be improved in pupils’ work. For example, work in Year 4 and Year 5 books shows that pupils are not secure in their understanding of their use of past tense. Errors like this are left unaddressed across a long period of time.  Pupils are not provided with opportunities to respond to teachers’ comments and improve their work. There are examples of incorrect work in mathematics which is left unmarked. Teachers’ comments frequently reinforce what pupils ‘can do’ but they are not provided with further challenge. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to correct past errors.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 As a result of recent training, the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) has improved. Some pupils are starting to make better progress. However, teaching remains too variable. For example, in sessions across Key Stage 1, some pupils could already read the words they were being taught and others found the words too difficult.  The teaching of reading across the school is inadequate. There are too many different systems for checking pupils’ achievement in reading. As a result, teachers are not matching books effectively to pupils’ reading abilities. Some pupils find the vocabulary in their reading books too difficult and are not gaining confidence or enjoyment in reading.  In the best lessons pupils are given opportunities to be actively involved in their learning. For example, in one lesson, a group of younger pupils were using practical equipment to measure rice grains and record results. They were using correct mathematical language and making good

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

progress in their mathematical understanding. In other lessons, pupils were not secure in basic mathematical understanding and practical materials were not provided to support their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are inadequate

 Behaviour in corridors and the dining hall is too boisterous. This includes pupils running up and down the sides of the dining hall and in between the tables. In the playground, there are incidents of rough games, pushing and ‘play fighting’. There is a high level of adult supervision in the playground. Although incidents are frequently addressed, a significant number of pupils lack self-discipline and incidents recur.  Pupils say that disruption and poor behaviour sometimes happens in lessons. ‘Sometimes people mess about or shout out.’ Inspectors observed poor behaviour towards learning in weaker lessons. This was directly linked to the quality of teaching. When pupils are not clear about what they need to do, or find activities too easy or too difficult, some pupils become bored or frustrated and begin to distract others.  Leaders record all incidents of poor behaviour. However, they do not robustly monitor the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are inadequate

number of incidents over time. They do not frequently check that actions taken to improve behaviour are having the required impact on pupils’ behaviour overall. The number of incidents logged for particular pupils remains high.  Pupils’ attendance remains below average. The number of pupils who frequently miss school has recently increased. The school has appointed an attendance officer. It is too early to see any impact of this on absence rates.  Pupils are clear about the ‘five rules’ which set out the behaviour expectations. They know about sanctions, such as blue behaviour cards for those who find it difficult to behave well. They enjoy the ‘good behaviour certificates’ and celebration assemblies. However, these processes are not improving behaviour rapidly enough.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying including racist bullying. They know the difference between bullying and falling-out. They acknowledge that there is hardly ever any bullying but

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are inadequate

several pupils talk about ‘name-calling’ and ‘pushing’. They say that incidents are dealt with quickly by an adult.  Leaders have ensured that the school is a safe place. Pupils say that they feel safe because ‘adults look after us’ and they value the security systems around the school. ‘We have locks on the gates and the doors so that we are safe.’ Pupils know how to avoid risk and talk confidently about how to avoid danger when using on-line systems.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently apply the behaviour policy across the school. As a result, some pupils lack self-discipline.  Leaders have failed to make sure that teaching is good and that all pupils achieve well. Attempts to improve pupils’ achievement have lacked focus. Leaders’ feedback to teachers following lesson observations is too vague to help them to improve their practice.  Leaders do not frequently check that agreed actions are having the required impact on the achievement of different groups of pupils. Consequently, groups such as the most-able pupils continue to underachieve with few reaching the higher levels.  Leaders are not targeting pupil-premium funding effectively to raise the achievement of eligible pupils. The school’s systems for checking the impact of different actions on the achievement of these pupils are not robust.  The leaders of English and mathematics have not addressed the weaknesses in provision rapidly

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The leadership and management are inadequate

enough. Recent changes to the leadership team have increased the levels of accountability of other leaders for improving English and mathematics. Staff are responding well to these developments. However, it is too early to see an impact.  The Academies Enterprise Trust has introduced new systems for managing the performance of staff. Several teachers have left the school recently. A high proportion of newly qualified teachers have been appointed. There are not enough examples of good and outstanding teaching in the school for newly qualified teachers to learn from on a daily basis.  Inspectors strongly recommend that the academy should not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers.  The primary school sport funding has been used to improve the breadth of sports provision. Qualified coaches now teach sessions in school and offer additional enrichment activities. However, plans for improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement in this subject are

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The leadership and management are inadequate

not specific enough.  Safeguarding arrangements, such as child protection policies and training, as well as criminal record checks for all staff, are in place.  The curriculum is organised as a topic-based approach. Pupils say they enjoy learning about history, science and art in topic time. For example, during the inspection pupils were learning about living conditions in Viking times. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their skills of mathematics and English in these sessions.  The school celebrates different cultures in assemblies. Displays around the school promote different cultures and languages spoken by children in school. Pupils are proud of the different languages spoken in school. They pointed out the displays and read words that they know in languages other than English. This supports messages of tolerance and respect for others.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The governance of the school:  Governors have not secured the school’s improvement since conversion to academy status. They have not ensured that the spending of pupil-premium funding has made a rapid difference to those pupils eligible for the support. The governing body has recently been strengthened by the addition of a governor with extensive experience in education. Governors are linked to each key stage and have recently established protocols for meeting with various leaders and checking the impact of actions. They fully understand the weaknesses in pupils’ achievement and how this compares with other pupils nationally. They have a good understanding of how the performance of teachers and leaders is managed. They have taken decisive actions when concerns have been raised about the quality of teaching. There is a strong determination to put things right. However, governor development and training is in

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 138982 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 433616

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 630 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Phil Crathorne Principal Helen Coulthard Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01283 563811 Fax number 01283 563811 Email address hcoulthard@angleseyprimaryacademy.org 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, please

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School details

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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